[Wing Down Under]

I,m considering on purchasing this item
HONPDSDR Soundgate Honda GL1800 Goldwing iPod®, iPhone™ Plug-N-Play Interface SUPER SALE
http://wingstuff.com/pgroup_detail/29791_HONPDSDR_Soundgate_Honda_GL1800_Goldwing_iPod

From my understanding, if you dont have a cd changer you can use the plug from the cd changer for this item, but if you have a cd changer like i have you cant use this item because the plug is already used by the changer.
Can someone verify that i'm reading it correctly

 

[budoka]

This may sound daft, but if the only place to connect it in is the CD plug (I'm assuming you would rather the ipod over the CD changer) you could unplug the changer I guess. To have access to the plug to switch back and forth between the two, you might be able to get an extension cable that can be easier to get at than under the seat.

 

[Wing Down Under]

I have thought of that Budoka , i mean i do prefer the i-pod over cd's i guess that would be the easiest way. But then you have payed all that money and not use the cd's, i think i'll just leave it as it is and use the front jack for the i-pod and spend the money i have just saved on something else before it burns a hole in my back pocket.

 

[RKP000]

Wing Down Under,
I don't have a CD player on my '10. I used my IPOD Touch, set to shuffle plugged into the AUX jack. Wished I could change songs via handlebar controls.

I was looking at the Soundgate item a while ago. Read alot of reviews. Some good, some bad. It was on backorder a few months ago when I was looking. Here was the clincher for me - Soundgate recently went out of business. They say you can still get warranty support but after that?
http://www.kicker.com/soundgate

I ended up buying this:
http://wingstuff.com/pgroup_detail/227_CB_CD_Audio/29640_J_M_Honda_GL1800_Digital_Music_Player_Changer/?goto=/pgroup_list/gl1800/227_goldwing_CB_CD_Audio/des/

Easy to install, took less than an hour and works flawlessly on my 2010. It does plug into the CD player connector under the seat so you could not use the player at the same time. With this unit you can control volume and track from handlbar controls. It will hold 999 songs which is a bunch of CD's. Only thing it will not do is shuffle. Lot cheaper than Soundgate device. Be advised, some with earlier model GL1800's have had issues. J & M was very helpful with my questions before I bought it and assured me they would support me if I had issues.

Only hassle and not a big deal to me is you have to buy an SD card, then load it with your songs. Easy to do in Windows - just drag and drop songs into folders on the SD card.

If you did go this route, I don't think you'd want to use your CD player anymore or lug around a bunch of CD's. Maybe you could sell the CD player?

No more thinking about turning IPOD on and off, charging it, locking it up on trips etc. Overall I am very happy with this item.
Rob

 

[budoka]

I agree with what Rob says. That and the fact that if you get a longer cable/plug that can be zipped to an easy access point, you still have the cd option. If you go with the aux hook-up, you will likely find (as I did) the loss of volume with the aux...I think about 25 % or so and have no handle bar control. Your call though.

 

[rcwing]

I have one on my mtc and installed three units for others. Just make sure to use a 4th gen nano ipod as all others have little problems that get bigger as time goes on. Remember all controls up front then work your ipod. You can take all or any of your cd's and transfer to the ipod. Works much better and you have control over selection of tunes.

 

[calbigbird]

I bought a Soundgate just after the first of the year. It worked great and did almost everything I wanted it to do for about two months. It then started not working. The Soundgate would light up and take over the iPod, but the bike stereo would not recognize it was plugged in. I didn't even get the beep when I tried to switch from FM to CD. It was like there was nothing plugged in to the system. As someone else said, there was a long back order and I waited several months to get my replacement. The second unit worked perfect for about two months. It is now dead. As of last week the repair shop at Wingstuff was waiting for Soundgate to get back to them on the repair. Reading above that Soundgate is out of business is disappointing. I guess I now have an expensive paper weight.

 

[rcwing]

There a number of ways that sometimes fix your problem. If you plug your 4th gen Ipod into your computers Port and go to the Itunes site you can ask them to update and restore all the factories settings. Its free fast ( 15 sec ) and it works to cure alot of the problems. I don't know why but it has for alot of folks. Also if your units dead hit button 6 on your radio it sometimes resets and starts the unit again. Also reinstalling the unit with the enclosed start up instructions gets your unit up and ID'ed to work. Don't know why these work but they have for some ................soundgate has a web site and they still have C/S there. Toby is the man in C/S and is a tech .

 

[Wing Down Under]

I originally wanted to keep my cd changer and thought the the soundgate unit worked from the auxillary socket, but if that means i loose my cd changer or even if i put a switch inbetween to make it work is too much hassell .The fact the the company went out of buisness and problems that other people have had with this unit has changed my mind. I'll just play the ipod through the aux. socket and spend my money on a spoiler for the trunk instead

 

[rcwing]

Company did not go out of business, it just handed off the soundgate product to another company to handle. It still services and warrenty cover the soundgate. A small ipod can record about 312 cd's and break them down into 3 or 4 seperate programs.......

 

[calbigbird]

Thanks for your suggestions RC. I completed a restore of the iPod, no change. Hitting the "6" on the stereo only works if the unit is in the CD mode, since the unit does not recognize there is anything plugged into the CD circuit, it will not go into CD mode and therefore hitting 6 only changes the radio station. I sent Soundgate a message this morning, we'll see what happens.

 

[RKP000]

rcwing,
Don't want to start a war here, but Soundgate HAS gone out of business for now.

This link clearly states Kicker has discontinued the Soundgate product line.
http://www.kicker.com/soundgate

"There are many fine Authorized Dealers that still may have some of these exceptional SoundGate products available to fit specific applications."

Yes, they will still provide warranty service, but it does not state they will provide anything else.

Kicker does not mention another company picked up the line? Do you know what the new company name is, or a web site for them? Rumor I heard was Kury was going to pick them up but can't confirm.
Rob

 

[rcwing]

Ok , should have said the parent company Kicker is not going out of business. Like when Hummer was out GM did not go out of business. Kicker still providing support and warrenty work. Called Toby and confirmed this. Kury does have Soundgate featured in their new catalog ( page 13 ) . I ask Chris at Kury ( Wis Office) if they where going to take it over and was told no final dision made or shared with her yet. Was not trying to give a corporate report before, just passing on what I knew and was told and by who...

 

[RKP000]

RC,
Got it, thanks for the update.
Rob