|
subwoofer box for marine??
i have a ton of experiance with car audio and video but i have never done a subwoofer box for a boat. i cant decide if i want to stick with my bazooka base tubes or throw a pair of 10s in there. my issue is i dont know what kind of box to build for it since they are not in a trunk like in a car. i was thinking about mounting them under the dash where they will be out of sight for the most part and be away from kicking feet. there is a bunch of empty wasted space behind those panels under the dash so it is going to be the new home of my audio setup that was previously wasting space under the rear seat.
|
Hey MX20...I've done both...I had a bazooka under the rear seat and I now have a pair or Polk momo 10's built into the rear bench. Not sure which one will work the best for you...seems there are lots of compromises between cost/room/function when putting these suckers in.
Post some pics when you get done! Doug |
which one sounded better? i had 2 6" tubes last season, this year i was planning 1 ten in the rear seat area but now that i found this room i am thinking 4 6" tubes or 2 10" subs
|
My 2 10's sound better...mostly because these 10's are a higher quality speaker than the 8" tube was....the tube sounded a bit sharper but the 10's resonate wonderfully!
I have 4 6.5" polk momo's fed by a 1000w baja amp and the 2 10" Polk momo's are fed by a 2000w amp under the back seat. It puts out a TON of sound! The 10's have a pretty stout grill and a stainless steel cone...pretty tough speakers so I'm not too worried about someone kicking them. And we do a bit of beer drinking and floor stomping when it's turned up!! Doug |
so are they just mounted in there "free air" style or are they in a sealed or ported box?
|
just mounted to the bench seat frame....nothing fancy....a little reinforcing or boxing may help a little..but they sound really good! I'm always having girls walking over to sit on the seat while it's turned up!:D
|
Quote:
A lot of it depends on what type of music you listen to as well. A ported enclosure will give you the best bass for a limited amount of power. I would probably stay away from a sealed enclosure in a boat unless you have tons of power. |
Good thread, I was thinking of adding a sub to my setup. I currently have 2 6.5's on the sides next to driver and passenger and 2 6x9's under the rear set. I was thinking of putting a 10 in the center of the rear bench but not sure if I should build a ported box or leave it open air. Wouldn't having a ported box get you better low frequency bass response?
|
We did the first stage of our stereo system several summers ago and it sounds amazing. The system we have is:
We went with the sealed enclosure because most of the music we listen to has tight bass notes and the sealed enclosure makes them sound amazing. Not really fans of rap or hip hop with the long bass notes so this was the best enclosure. It's sized for the sub perfectly so bass ouput is perfect. Right now the amp is putting out 300w @ 4 ohms to the one sub, but the plan for future upgrades would be to get another 12" and run the amplifier at 2 ohms putting out 600w. We stuck the sub on the starboard side of the engine compartment as it was the only space where we could fit it. Closing the sun deck does muffle the sub a little bit, but we find ourselves turning down amplifier to it anyways, so not really an issue. In the future, we'd like to install it in a better spot somewhere else in the boat. Amplifier is installed behind the helm and i made a mounting panel that i screwed into the back of the foot board on the helm with about 12 short screws so that it was sturdy. In turn, 4 bolts were countersunk through the panel before installation to provide studs for mounting the amp. This allows us to easily remove it from the boat during the winter and store it in the house. I also used high quality StreetWirez cable for everything. A 0/1 gauge ground and 0/1 gauge positive run from the battery in the engine compartment to a 4 bank distribution panel under the helm. Here the sub amplifier is mounted and connected to one of the banks on the panel, with the appropriate fuse installed. This setup allows us to easily add more amplifiers and we only have to wire them to the power distribution panel a few inches away and never have to run power from the engine compartment for any audio upgrades. Future plans are to add 2 speakers to the bow as well as 2 on the tower and of course another sub. Also have to purchase a 4 channel amp to power the bow and tower speakers. |
1 Attachment(s)
Just to throw in my setup too, I've got a 10" sub mounted in a bandpass box behind my rear seats on the port side. I've always had great results with bandpass boxes, so that's why I went that route. I picked up a cheap one off ebay, and it's worked great. It's not permanently attached, so it makes it easy to remove for winter storage or if I need to climb back there for repairs. It fits really snug back there. The 600w amp is mounted on the exterior of the engine cover. I've wired it into an accessory switch on the dash so it can be switched on and off. I'm not much into the rap music, but it sounds great for all styles of music.
|
I'm not even going to comment on my radio setup. Ummm, you can hear it when the boat is off. :D
Otherwise this is my new "system" for the summer: http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/...CLZZZZZZZ_.jpg (not exactly.. but close) Moondance: I know you have posted pics up somewhere of your system..... Please post them up again !! :wink_thumbup: |
How is the sound with the bandpass box being being completely covered in the back? That would obvioulsly be the easiest set up and would not require any more drilling of holes underneath the rear bench. Just a little concerned the sound would be muffled quite a bit.
|
the sound is a little muffled, but honestly I don't notice it very much. with bass being non-directional, you can shoot it pretty much any way and still get full effect of it. Inside the boat it sounds great. I really only use it when anchored, tied up, or slow cruising.
|
Quote:
Oh man, 180diablo....ya gots to get with the times yo, it's got to have more power and an Ipod hookup so we thinks this ones da perfect one fo yous so here ya go! http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9156e2b6_o.jpg Hope it don't sink your boat... WetWilly :rolling_laugh: P.S. I used a portable for almost 5 seasons on our second boat! |
Quote:
The portable radio I showed above, I won it as part of a draw. So I figure I wouldn't use it around the house and would probably use it more on the boat. Then I wouldn't need to rely on the boat and can move it around if we are in the water etc. |
Ryan, I'll get some pics up this weekend when I get home. I don't have any on my laptop. I was excited this srping when I got it out, charged the batteries and everything worked!!
|
well i have figured out that i am going to be mounting a 12" alpine type r subwoofer under the dash on the drivers side, there was a ton of empty unused space up there that i found once i removed the panel going down to the floor. i was able to build a ported box that fits up there really well. this is great becasue i keep my boat in a marina and if someone gets into my boat i doubt that they are going to find the subwoofer up there. i am also mounting my 5 channel amp onthe backside of that panel which you have to remove to even access the amp so its all hidden! i will let you guys know how it works out once its all done.
|
By all means, keep us posted! Have you given any thought to how you're going to power that monster? Battery wise I mean...
|
Bazooka the way to go
Dropped a pair of 10" Bazooka self-amplified in my Jubilee. put one forwardin in the storage locker to the right. Put the second under the sink(mid boat) on the left. It sounds incredible. Try the theme from Pirates of the Carribean. Has a lot of range and boy it sounds great.
Considering putting an 800 watt amp in the boat for the primary speakers. Was thinking of mounting in the empty spaces between the console and the built in john. Was worried about heat buildup though. Any thoughts? |
I would be a little concerned with heat buildup, in a closed spot, however if there are any vents, that would help. An 800W amp probably doesn't put out a ton of heat, but you never know, and if it's got a thermal protection circuit built in, this will get real annoying when it keeps turning itself off. My 600W amp is attached to the port side of the engine cover, it has enough ventilation there. It's always getting air in and pushing air out due to the vents on the back.
|
MX20,
If that setup doesnt work for you, let me know, i have several enclosures and drivers left form my caraudio days that are just sitting in my shop. |
New installation
Hello Guys,
Thanks for all the information on speaker set up, I am planning on an installation in March, for the moment, my Mariah 182 has the standard speakers in the front and a basic CD head unit, I am going to install new speakers in the front and probably a pair in the rear next to the seats, looking at the questions and answers here, I think a bass tube or box and amp in the engine bay is the way to go, will I need a specific marine grade bass tube or will a standard car version be good enough, I remember reading somewhere that some pre run wires were fitted in Mariah's for extra speakers, is this the case? To be honest, I will probably replace the wiring during the instalation. I am planning on a simple 4 speaker, bass tube and single amp set up, any sugestions on the best type of pspeakers and amp? Do they need to be marine grade or is a car type bass tube and amp good enough? Which speakers give the best results in a boat, I have heard that Sony's are pretty good but would prefer to go for Infinity, any suggestions? Thanks for any advice, All the best, Gary |
Gary,
as far as brands go, anything of the major brands will give good results. Just make sure they have a ploy cone and a rubber surround. I have owned and used about every brand on the market and over the years and even been on a few factory sponsored teams(rockford fosgate & crossfire) when i was competing. Most people dont know it but there are only a few companies that "make" and assemble speakerparts. for coax and other smaller drivers, the parts and assembly method are basically the same. The Kenwood rep will never tell you that his product came out of the same overseas factory as the MTX stuff but it probably did.....or at least it did at once upon a time. As i said before, there are only a few overseas outfits that make this stuff. the basket that the speaker sits is stamped and when i was in the game full time ('99-'03) every company has the same one. they might have been powder coated a different color but they were the same. The magnet, voice coil, terminal, cone, surround.......same story. They are all jazzed up differently to fit in different price points. cool stickers on the magnet and dust cap, fancy colors on the basket and cone and some faux-CNC grille cover make a 50 dollar pair of speakers sell for over a hundred. Now i have been out of the game for a few years now but that used to be the way it was. when i was on my way out there were some guys that were trying to do everything in house here in the states. The Digital Designs woofers were assembled from a blend of overseas soft parts and hand tooled top plate, bottom plate and magnet. Hell, I still have boxes and boxes of cones, baskets, motors, dust caps, coils and all that stuff from my last few years trying to be louder than everybody else. Bass tubes are ok in the right application. If it were me, i would find out how much room you have to work with and then find an enclousre to fit your needs. Most big box stores offer packages on encloure and sub packages and have a varitey of things to choose from. Sealed is usually more efficient with less power and a ported box is pretty needy in terms of power. peel the carpet off the sum *****, hit with a d/a sander to get rid of the spray glue left on the particle board or mdf and give it a generous coat of resin to keep it from swelling twice its size form moisture. ok i will shut up now Gary. The best advice i wll give ya is to find somthin that will be in in your budget, looks nice and wont fall apart if it gets a little bit wet. Marine grade stuff is nice because it is all generally white and has the rubber surround and a plastic or ploy cone. But they cost twice as much as a good car speaker. if you want the all white and want to spend the cash, go for it. you can also just buy a nice car speaker scuff the grills with some 120 grit and shoot them with some gloss white from a rattle can. Hope i was a little help. good luck dude! |
Hello Barnzi,
Thanks very much for all the info, I am going to use your advice and locate the ploy cone with rubber surround to make water-proof, I could not care less about the looks, I am ony after a decent sound while chilling out with the wife and kids on a hot summer day (well as hot as it will get in Loch Lomond, Scotland). There is a pretty good car audio outlet near my home town that I have used in the past, i may tow the boat down there and see what they have, to be honest, I am quite looking forward to setting it up myself as the access is obviously pretty easy for wires etc. Thanks again for all the advice, I will let you know how it all works out. Cheers, Gary |
Thanks Barnzie
Hello Barnzie,
Well that is all speakers bought, I have went for the enclosed self powered sub woofer (JBL Basspro) and also for some 6.5" Poly P with rubber surround speakers complete with cross-overs and tweeters, the sub box is an all in one plug and play unit, I took your advice on the power issue and decided on this unit as oposed to seperate amps, I will install the speakers and tweeters directly into the head unit, I think the sound will be perfect. I currently work off shore and get back home to Scotland in March, I will complete the installation then (depending on the weather) and let you know how it all goes. Thanks again the advice was invaluable. Cheers, Gary |
Not a fan of bass tubes at all I personally would recomend getting real subs. Currently my boat has 2 6x9s and 2 6.5s this summer my mariah will be getting 2 12's in the engine compartment a 1,000 watt sub amp, 4 6x9s on my tower and 2 8' subs on my tower along with a 400 watt speaker amp for the 6x9s. But if i were you i would really forget the whole bazooka tubes thing.
|
No problem Gary. Cant wait to see how your project turns out! I am now reading what i posted the other day..... Guess i should proofread what i send. Sorry that reply looked like a third grader wrote it!
|
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Regarding the size and setup of a marine application you really need to determine when you're going to be using the radio. A system to listen to anchored down enjoying some cold beverages is totally different than what you might need to hear while running the lake wide open.
If you're just listening to tunes on the hook, the factory speakers and a decent head unit with a small bass tube would be perfectly adequate. But, with wind noise, water noise, and engine noise that same system would be hard to hear at above planing speeds. For instance: I have a Sony head unit with 10 disc changer, Kenwood EQ in the tape holder DIN spot, the four factory full range speakers, and 2 12" Kicker CompVR's on a 600 watt 4 channel amp. Between the head unit and EQ, I pull most of the low end out of my full range speakers so I can drive them louder without distortion. When cruising at 35 to 45 mph, I can hear the tunes fine and at a decent volume. At WOT (55 to 60 mph) the four barrel carb is open, the wind noise is much more noticeable and the system can barely be heard, even though others can hear the bass a quarter of a mile away. My setup is great when hanging on the hook, swimming around the back of the boat and relaxing, but I need to upgrade/rearrange some things to get the sound I want for above cruising speeds. My subs are on either side of the engine under the sunpad, and I would guess I lose 1/4 of my bass when I close the sunpad. It's going to be tight, but I plan on putting them both under the dash up front. Also, I want to upgrade the factory speakers to 6x9's and add two speakers in the bow. And just like all the other electronic junk in our lives.... Don't Forget the Batteries! Once you start installing subs and amps, the current draw on your batteries increases dramatically. My setup at 3/4 volume will kill my Optima Blue top in about 2 hours. The best solution ( and what I have done myself) is to add another battery with a switch. I have a deep cycle just for playing tunes while we're anchored down. All I do is flip a switch from the starting battery to the deep cycle and crank up the music. I don't have to worry if the boat will start when we weigh anchor to leave. If you're lucky, the boat will start on the deep cycle and charge it back up for tunes later, but if not, just flip the switch back to the cranking battery and no worries, the boat starts and you're on your way. |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
We have a very similar setup on our boat and went back and forth on sub and amp placement for a while. Ultimately decided to install the amp under the dash with a high amp distribution panel for future accessory install and put the subs under the sun pad. The subs definitely do not sound as good under the sun pad, but i really don't see anywhere else to put them with all our other storage needs. I would love to get them out into the open, but as i said, no realistic place to put them without them getting damaged or wet.
Quote:
Thanks for the info:wink_thumbup: |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
I too plan to install my Amps under the Dash but was considering installing my Subs on the base of my back seat (bench) so they would be facing out into the boat.
Does anyone have their Subs mounted here? If so do you have any issues other than the loss of some storage space! I would rather sacrafice the storage here vs. under my dash. Mike |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Quote:
When I posted to this thread earlier I was sitting around the house thinking of what I was going to get into day. So, I decided to get the Mariah out and see what I had to do to put the subs under the dash. It was actually easy as my existing boxes fit, very tightly, but they fit. I had to remove the kick panels, slide the boxes in, re-wire the amp (it was in the back with the subs before), and then put it all back together. The subs sound a lot better up front and I'm glad to get the storage space back they took up in the rear. My only concern now is the vibration on the 10 disc changer that's mounted in the little compartment in front of the glove box. I emptied the cartridge last fall and didn't bother loading cd's to test it yet. Hopefully it will play without skipping. While I had everything tore apart, I managed to get my "sea temp" reading adjusted so it's now right +/- 1 degree. Joining this forum was well worth it just for that one tidbit of info about the adjustment pots. :wink_thumbup: |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Hey guys,
I have vacation in a couple weeks and want to improve the sound system in the boat. I put a new Sony head unit in last year. It is a 208watt (20w RMS). It does fine for sitting around and swimming but can’t here it at slow cruise without distortion. I am not looking to have a huge system I just want to here it over the noise at cruise speed. I also want to add a self powered bass tube. Here is what I am considering. I have seen PYLE in several boat supply magazines but don't know much about the brand quality. http://www.xplodsony.com/marine/amplifiers/XM-604M or http://www.pyleaudio.com/itemdetail.asp?model=PLMRA420 or http://www.pyleaudio.com/itemdetail.asp?model=PLMRA620 and http://www.pyleaudio.com/itemdetail.asp?model=PLTA10N I have found few amps and have some questions (I have never put in amps before). If you add an amp do you have to change the wire to the speakers? The pervious owner upgraded the speakers but kept the factory wires). The max current draw of the 1000w(4 x 35watts) amp is 20A. The 6 Channel 2000w(4 x 100 Watts + 2 x 250 Watts) is draws 30Ax2. If it takes the 35watts per channel to hear it at cruise the 1000w amp would draw 20A.. So if I used the 2000w amp with only 4 speakers x 35watts at cruise (total possible output of 900watts RMS) using 15% of total, would it only draw 15% of the max current(.15% of 30A x 2)=9amp from battery?:confused: Thanks for any info! |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Sure, I'll help design my next stereo.... I mean YOUR stereo :yes_grin: (Yes, I'm still waiting on your offer to sell me that beauty!! :rolling_laugh: )
Pyle is on the lower end of sound quality. I really like my Kicker amps, they're marine rated and probably mid to upper grade and don't break the bank. Sony and Clarion are decent as well. What are the current speakers? What brand, size, and rated power? You'll want to keep that in mind when selecting an amp. If the speakers are rated for 100 watts RMS, you don't want to go over that with the amp. I think the Mariah furnished speaker wire is a pretty good grade of wire, so you shouldn't need to swap that out. Check out Kicker's MX350.4. You shouldn't need more than a four channel amp (if you're planning to run four speakers, obviously) since the sub will be self-powered. I'll leave the amperage question to someone else with more knowledge on the matter. I just stuck 2 batteries, 2 amps, 4 speakers and a sub in mine and let it eat. No battery failures... yet!! Depending on the current speakers, adding an amp will do wonders! You'll love it and easily be able to hear the tunes while underway. BTW - did you ever order that extended swim platform for my... I mean YOUR boat?;) |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
indykoch,
The previous owner had added two 6x9's "Boston" brand speakers in the bow and replaced the factory speakers in the cockpit with Boston 6x9's also I don't know the watt rating. They are siliconed and screwed in, but I will try to get a mirror and see from behind. If needed I may add two more in the side kick panel of driver and passenger. That is why I am considering a 6-chan. amp. I am going to stay away from PYLE since I haven't herd anything good about them. I have contacted Z275 about his setup. I haven't ordered your "I mean my" swim-platform yet. With this economy I thought the money would serve me better in the bank (if it don't bankrupt).:shakehead: But I will be sure to add it before I sell the boat to you.!:D Thanks John W. |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Boston Acoustics make a great speaker, and having the 6x9 size should provide great sound. I would definitely add another pair in the cockpit - Having just one pair wouldn't do it justice. That's strange though - I thought all Mariahs over about 18' already had 4 speakers in the cockpit.
I'm guessing those 6x9's are rated at 60W to 100W RMS and will need a 50W per channel RMS amp at the bare minimum. That's probably why you're getting so much distortion - 4 bigger sized speakers are just too much for the indash to handle. Those should sound great with a real amp pushing them! Keep us posted on what you end up with. A good 6 six channel amp and self powered sub will make a great setup that I'm sure you'll be pleased with. |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Glad to hear I have good speakers!
My 210 Talari had only two speakers new they were in the side panel at the driver and passenger's feet. I added two in the bow and two at the rear seat area. The z275st has the two factory speakers and two 6x9's in the bow and the two 6x9's in the rear seating area(not including cabin speakers). Here is one more affordable 6-Channel Marine Amplifier (Nautic Series MB Quart NAU 660). Anyone know of this brand? http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...t+NAU+660.html If I can't find a 6-channel I will probably go with the Sony or Kicker http://www.bargainunlimited.net/serv...E-AUDIO/Detail I will be mounting in a dry area in the cabin so I could probably use a auto amp but I guess a marine would last longer. |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Yes, MB Quart is also very good.
I would highly suggest a marine rated amp, even if it's in a dry area. There's a lot of humidity trapped in a boat after the day's use and a cover over it. When I bought my boat, the previous owner had an auto in-dash and CD changer. Both looked like they never actually had water on them, but neither worked. Upon closer inspection (my curiosity got the best of me), I ripped them apart and the circuit boards were covered with corrosion. I've heard from others that it's very common to see that when used in boats, which is why marine rated electronics are covered in "potting" material, better grade components, corrosion resistant connections, etc. |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Well, the parts are here, I went with the MB Quart NAU 660 amp(OnlineCarStereo.Com no tax plus free S&H).When I ordered it was almost 70 degrees out, now its low 40's.:shakehead:
In my searches I found these sub-woofers that don't require an enclosure. One powered and one passive. I am not going with either but thought I would post them here for others to consider. http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...e+MPS1000.html http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...C-W254MRW.html |
Re: subwoofer box for marine??
Hi there, I've always had marine speakers (clarion) but never a marine headunit. I have never had a headunit last more than 2 seasons due corrosion of circuit boards. Now I have just bought a 218, i'm looking to fit a decent stereo, so have chosen my setup as follows:
Sony HSMW MP3 headunit Alpine V12 amp 2 channel Alpine V12 amp 4 channel (I chose V12's because I managed to get a steal on ebay £70 for the two thats approx $110-120, and I also managed to fully immerse some V12's two years ago, they worked fine!!) Speakers - this is where I need some feedback. In the UK marine speakers are WAY overpriced, so I am looking at the Fusion True marine range. On inspection, they appear to be really good quality and very reasonable proced. Has anyone fitted these? As far as subs go, looks like I will have to import from the US. I have my eye on a Rockford Fosgate 10". Again any feedback would be welcomed! By the way, great thread, but would love to see some pics!! |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 01:46 PM. |