Cicada Audio RR3TM 3-inch Ring Radiator Tweeter Motor

The 3-inch neodymium compression driver for Cicada RR3WG waveguides — 110dB sensitivity, 300W RMS, Rain or Shine™ all-weather design

The Cicada Audio RR3TM is a 3-inch ring radiator tweeter motor designed to pair with Cicada Audio's range of RR3WG acoustic waveguides. Sold as a pair and complete with passive 3kHz crossovers and Nanofram™ horn covers, it delivers 110dB sensitivity from an N35SH neodymium motor — one of the highest sensitivity figures available in any motorcycle tweeter format. This is the motor that turns a Cicada RR3WG waveguide into a horn-loaded tweeter system capable of projecting clear, powerful high frequencies at highway speed.

The RR3TM is the 3-inch neodymium upgrade from the RR2TM (2-inch ferrite). The larger voice coil provides greater power handling and greater surface area for the ring radiator diaphragm — translating into higher SPL, extended low-end reach into the upper-midrange, and more consistent output at sustained high volume. The 8Ω impedance makes it a direct match for bridged or high-current amplifier outputs. If power handling and ultimate output are the priority, the RR3TM is the choice; if budget or system simplicity is the deciding factor, the RR2TM provides the same motor architecture at a lower price point.

Who This Is For

Riders building a serious high-output horn-loaded tweeter stage who want the maximum sensitivity, power handling, and frequency extension available from a Cicada compression motor. The RR3TM is the top of the motor range — the driver of choice when the rest of the system is already high-spec and the tweeter needs to keep pace with a powerful amplifier and full-range speaker installation. It pairs with any Cicada RR3WG waveguide — the 6×9" series for saddlebag positions, the 6.5" flat for fairing installs, or the 8" flat for Tour-Pak and custom enclosures. A waveguide is required to complete the install; the motor alone is not a finished tweeter.

What This Is Best For

• Maximum sensitivity — 110dB @ 1W/1M — 110dB efficiency means the RR3TM produces more output from less power than virtually any alternative in the motorcycle tweeter category. At 110dB, a 1-watt signal produces output that most conventional tweeters need 10–20 watts to match. In a motorcycle system where amplifier power is finite and wind noise is a constant challenge, efficiency is everything. On the road: the RR3TM cuts through 110km/h highway wind with authority at volume levels that would clip or thermally protect a conventional tweeter — without drawing disproportionate power from the amplifier.
• 3-inch ring radiator diaphragm — extended output and reduced distortion — The ring radiator architecture distributes the diaphragm's moving mass in an annular pattern around the voice coil exit, reducing the resonant modes that cause distortion in conventional dome diaphragms at high frequencies. The aluminium dome construction extends the usable frequency range and maintains consistent output to 20kHz. On the road: clean, detailed high-frequency reproduction that doesn't collapse into harshness at high volume — the system stays accurate as the volume goes up.
• N35SH neodymium magnet motor — N35SH is a high-coercivity, high-temperature neodymium grade — it retains full magnetic strength at elevated temperatures that would cause conventional neodymium to partially demagnetise. On a motorcycle in direct Australian sun, motor temperatures well above ambient are normal; an N35SH motor maintains consistent sensitivity through conditions that would cause standard N-grade magnets to soften. On the road: consistent output and sensitivity on a 40-degree day in direct sun — the motor doesn't lose efficiency as the install heats up.
• OFC copper voice coil — lower resistance, better thermal transfer — Oxygen-free copper has lower DC resistance than standard copper wire, which means more of the amplifier's power reaches the motor as acoustic output rather than being dissipated as heat in the voice coil. The improved thermal conductivity also helps transfer heat from the voice coil to the motor structure more efficiently. On the road: the combination of high sensitivity and efficient voice coil means the motor runs cooler at equivalent listening levels — improving long-term reliability for sustained high-volume riding.
• 300W RMS / 600W MAX power handling — The 3-inch voice coil provides the thermal mass and surface area to absorb 300W RMS continuously — significantly more than most motorcycle tweeters. This is the headroom to pair with a powerful 4-channel amplifier driving full-range speakers and not have the tweeter be the limiting component. On the road: drive the system hard on a long freeway run without triggering the crossover's protection mode or thermally cycling the motor — 300W RMS is genuine continuous capacity, not a peak figure.
• Passive 3kHz crossover included — direct install — Each motor ships with a matched 6dB/octave passive crossover set at 2.9kHz. No external crossover components are required — wire the crossover inline between the amplifier output and the motor, and the high-pass filter is handled. For active crossover systems (DSP or active x-over), the passive can be bypassed in favour of the active solution. On the road: correct high-pass filtering from day one — the motor is protected from low-frequency content that would overexcite the diaphragm and damage the voice coil.
• Replaceable aluminium diaphragm — The aluminium dome diaphragm is a serviceable, field-replaceable component. On a motorcycle exposed to vibration, UV, extreme temperature cycling, and occasional physical contact during maintenance, diaphragm replacement extends the service life of the motor indefinitely. Replacement diaphragms are available separately. On the road: a mechanically damaged or acoustically fatigued diaphragm can be swapped without replacing the entire motor assembly — the expensive neodymium motor is preserved.
• Rain or Shine™ all-weather design with Nanofram™ protection — The RR3TM is engineered to operate in wet conditions. The Nanofram™ horn cover (included with each pair) provides an additional physical barrier against direct water ingress at the motor mouth. For saddlebag installs that regularly see rain, the combination of all-weather motor construction and Nanofram™ coverage provides genuine protection. On the road: the system performs identically in a downpour and on a dry outback highway — no condensation-related crackling, no corrosion-related sensitivity drop, no failure from water ingress.
• Cicada CHDLID and 24CHDLID lid kit compatibility — Designed to install directly into Cicada Audio's 2014+ and 2024+ Harley-Davidson lid kits without modification. The CHDLID ecosystem provides engineered mounting points, correct cutout dimensions, and factory-fit aesthetics for the RR3TM + RR3WG combination in standard touring saddlebag lids. On the road: clean, rattle-free, factory-look installation in a standard touring bike saddlebag — no custom fabrication required.

The Bottom Line

The RR3TM is the highest-output compression motor in the Cicada Audio range — 110dB sensitivity, 300W RMS, N35SH neodymium, and an all-weather build designed for the demands of Australian motorcycle touring. Pair it with any Cicada RR3WG waveguide and the result is a horn-loaded tweeter system that outperforms conventional motorcycle tweeters in efficiency, output, power handling, and durability. Available at MAA as Australia's authorised Cicada Audio dealer.

Fitment

The RR3TM is a compression driver — a specific type of high-frequency motor that builds pressure at a narrow exit throat rather than radiating directly into the air. This compressed, high-pressure output is then fed into an acoustic waveguide horn, which converts it into a broad, controlled, high-efficiency radiated pattern. The combination of compression driver and horn waveguide is one of the most efficient acoustic transducer systems available, producing dramatically more SPL per watt than conventional dome or cone tweeter designs.

On the road: the 110dB sensitivity figure is not a theoretical maximum — it's a 1W/1M measurement. At typical crossover output levels from a well-set-up amplifier, the RR3TM produces output that a 90dB dome tweeter would need 100× the power to match.

Ring Radiator Architecture

In a conventional compression driver, the diaphragm is a solid dome attached at its apex to the voice coil and around its perimeter to the motor. In a ring radiator design, the diaphragm is annular — it radiates from a ring-shaped surface area distributed around the voice coil exit rather than from a single central point. This geometry distributes mass more evenly around the radiating surface, reducing the bending modes that cause distortion peaks in solid-dome designs. The result is lower distortion in the critical upper-midrange and high-frequency region where the motor operates.

On the road: at high volume levels, conventional compression drivers often develop a gritty, compressed character as the diaphragm excites internal modes — the ring radiator architecture significantly reduces this behaviour, keeping the sound clean under sustained high-output conditions.

N35SH Neodymium Magnet Motor

The N35SH grade designation specifies both the energy product (35 MGOe) and the temperature stability class (SH — high-coercivity variant rated to 150°C). Standard neodymium grades begin to lose coercivity at temperatures above 80°C, which causes permanent sensitivity reduction over time in high-temperature environments. The SH grade retains full magnetic performance at the elevated temperatures that a directly sun-exposed saddlebag install reaches in Australian summer conditions. The 35 MGOe energy product provides a strong, dense magnetic field in a compact motor structure — contributing directly to the high sensitivity figure.

On the road: sensitivity measured at standard temperature is the sensitivity the motor delivers after two hours in direct sun on a 40-degree day — the N35SH specification is specifically chosen for environments where thermal stability matters.

Aluminium Dome Diaphragm

The aluminium dome is the primary diaphragm material for the ring radiator structure. Aluminium provides an excellent stiffness-to-mass ratio — high enough to maintain pistonic motion to 20kHz without the resonance breakup that occurs in softer materials at lower frequencies. It also dissipates heat from the voice coil more efficiently than composite alternatives. The diaphragm is a factory-replaceable component — it is retained by the motor structure in a way that allows field replacement without specialised tools, significantly extending the practical service life of the motor.

On the road: the aluminium dome provides consistent, extended high-frequency response from first install through years of hard use — and when it eventually reaches the end of its service life, a replacement diaphragm restores the motor to original specification without replacing the N35SH motor assembly.

OFC Copper Voice Coil

Oxygen-free copper (OFC) has lower DC resistance than standard copper due to the absence of copper oxide inclusions in the wire. Lower voice coil DC resistance means higher damping factor from the amplifier, which improves transient accuracy — the motor responds more precisely to the amplifier's signal and returns to rest position faster between cycles. The improved thermal conductivity of OFC also helps conduct heat from the voice coil gap to the motor pole piece, reducing thermal compression at sustained high power levels.

On the road: tighter, more precise transient response — hi-hats and percussion remain crisp and articulate at high volume rather than blurring together as the driver thermally compresses.

Passive Crossover

Each RR3TM pair includes a matched pair of 6dB/octave passive crossovers, set at 2.9kHz. The crossover provides a high-pass filter that protects the motor from low-frequency content below its operating range. A 6dB/octave slope provides a gentle transition — sufficient to protect the motor from gross overexcursion while preserving the upper-midrange content that horn-loaded tweeters reproduce with particular efficiency. For systems using DSP or an active crossover, the passive crossovers can be bypassed in favour of the active solution, which allows finer control over slope and crossover frequency.

On the road: with the passive crossover in circuit, the motor is protected from low-frequency content that could damage the voice coil — critical on a motorcycle where vibration and road noise can create transient low-frequency inputs that a tweeter motor is not designed to handle.

Rain or Shine™ & Nanofram™

The RR3TM is built to Cicada Audio's Rain or Shine™ standard — the motor construction, materials, and sealing are designed to withstand direct exposure to rain without failure. The included Nanofram™ horn covers provide an additional physical barrier at the motor exit, preventing water and debris from entering the throat directly. For saddlebag lid installs that see regular rain, this two-layer approach — waterproof motor plus physical horn cover — provides genuine long-term weather resistance rather than cosmetic treatment.

On the road: ride through a downpour, park in the rain, and run the system immediately after — the combination of Rain or Shine™ construction and Nanofram™ coverage means water ingress is not a failure mode.

Technical Specifications