Amazon affiliate here: If you click any Amazon links on my pages and purchase any products I get a small commission from within the original price. Thank you!
If you are looking to upgrade your radio on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H is a great choice. It is a robust, high quality, durable and waterproof stereo designed to be an upgrade or replacement for Harley-Davidson models from 1998 to 2013.
Lets get this warning out of the way now, this is a very in depth Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H Review so maybe you should grab a beer or pour a cup on coffee for this one!
As the built-in radios of older Harleys don’t offer many features, one can consider this replacement that offers Bluetooth, MP3 and USB media receiver. It comes ready to use with mounting brackets and can be plugged directly into the wiring harness. It can even be used with the factory handlebar-mounted audio controls for extra safety and convenience.
In this post, we review this Aquatic media receiver in detail and take a closer look at its features and offerings.
Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H Review
Providing an exceptional value, the Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H digital media receiver works as a direct replacement for Harley-Davidson factory radios. It is compatible with the factory mounting hardware and plugs into the wiring harness to be ready to use anywhere, anytime!
Specifications
Power Rating – 24 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms
Frequency Response – 20-20,000 Hz
Current Draw – 6mA
Features
The Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H is designed to be ready for anything with a hidden pocket behind the water resistant fold-down front panel.
One can simply connect the phone using the USB port to start charging it and insert it into the body of the radio and shut the front panel.
This ensures the phone is secure and lets you listen to your favorite music from iPod or iPhone device or through Bluetooth connectivity.
The integrated protocol displays the album details on the full-color 3-inch LCD screen. It also includes 1/8” stereo aux input, rear harness RCA auxiliary input and MP3 file playback from USB stick.
The receiver is marine-certified with a detachable ABS front panel that can be carried when the receiver is not in use. It is also salt-fog resistant.
Bluetooth audio streaming allows wireless audio playback and control of a Bluetooth-enabled device like a tablet or smartphone. You can stream audio wirelessly from stored music and apps from the device to the receiver.
You can also control options like Play/Pause, Previous/Next, Fast Forward/Rewind, and Volume Up/Down from the front panel of the receiver.
The receiver features an IP55 dust and water intrusion rating to keep the connected device secure, safe and dry. The circuit board also has a coating that prevents it from being damaged due to humidity and moisture. The removable face is UV-resistant and withstands bright sunlight.
It also comes with a large control knob that makes it easier to control the music when driving and even allows managing the music right from the motorcycle’s handlebar controls.
The mobile device compartment features a charging port and aux input. You can easily store the mobile device in the hidden compartment that measures 5.5” x 1” x 6.5”. It can fit any smartphone and can even accommodate two phones at once.
The AV AQ-MP-5BT-H comes with an integrated AM/FM tuner with preset, seek and manual tuning. It allows storing up to 12 AM and 18 FM presets making a total of 30 tuners presets.
It is possible to choose between European or US tuning. The built-in 4ch amplifier is capable of powering up to 8 speakers or a combination of speakers and subwoofers.
The 3-inch front-panel LCD screen lets you view the album, artist and song information from a source device and other details like volume level, source inputs, AM/FM station numbers and menu selection.
This screen also displays the current time. It is also possible to dim or brighten the display.
The optional waterproof wired remote can be used to carry out 2-way communication with the receiver to be able to control it while viewing the track, song and other info on the back-lit screen of the remote.
Performance
The Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H offers a preamp output of 4V for front and rear and for dedicated subwoofer channels. It performs great with a high-rating amplifier. With 2-ohm speakers, it can generate up to 72 watts per channel.
With this receiver, the music is far clearer and louder in comparison to any traditional car audio unit. You can choose from 8 EQ presets – Pop, Rock, Flat, Classic, Vocal, Dance, User and Jazz. You can manually adjust the Bass and Treble with the User mode. It also offers balance and fader control.
Pros
- Simple plug n play installation
- Support for MP3, USB and Bluetooth devices
- Charging when connected through USB
- Works with existing factory stereo connectors
- Supports Android and Apple phones
- Handlebar controls available
- Comes with a 2-year manufacturer warranty
Cons
- Somewhat difficult to mount
- Little on the expensive side
- Difficult to expand
What Comes In The Box
The product includes:
- Marine digital media receiver
- Rear speaker harness
- Face-plate
- User manual
Conclusion
Spice up your Harley Davidson music system with the fully-featured Aquatic AV AQ-MP-5BT-H media receiver that lets you play your favourite tracks wirelessly from a Bluetooth device.
This plug and play unit uses the existing factory stereo hardware and can be easily used as a replacement or upgrade to the factory stereo to update the older Harley Davidson motorcycles.
