Boat Stereo???

[Treybiz]

I think it's about time I gutted and re-did my boat stereo..

As it sits I have the clarion CD player and four speakers from 2002. Boat is about 20' with fairly easy access to the existing wiring looms. I have no desire to spend a mint on this stuff but I will pay for quality.


The clarion has served us well but I want something USB/ I phone compatible.
I have a transom remote but giving that it's from 02 I'm going to guess ill have to upgrade that to match.

Suggestions on a head unit? I think the cutout in my dash is single din.

Speakers? I think I will replace all four. I've had alpine and JL in past vehicles with great sound. Both sell marine versions. Suggestions? I have a tower but don't care to add speakers up there.

Amp or amps?
Nothing in the boat currently. So I'd need to factor in $$$ to wire an amp or amps. Which isn't a huge deal since I plan to add a second battery and switch in the next few weeks. With a single sub and 4-speakers can I get away with a single amp?


Sub?
Music needs bass. But, I have a buddy with an x45 with 3-12s and like 14 total speakers elsewhere in the boat.... Complete waste of space, weight, and money if you ask me. I think I'd like to stick a single 10" under the passenger console. I should have room for a decent enclosure.... Or maybe I should mount it into the kick panel of the console?


Other questions:
Marine only equipment?
Wire gauge and fuse/breaker size for what I'm thinking about?

[lincolnboy]

people still able to launch their boats at the lakes. with the lakes being low.

[Treybiz]

I am going to assume you mean that as a question...

Yes, you can still launch your boat on most of the somewhat local lakes. Anything near the panhandle, far west, or central Texas is suffering pretty bad. I think Lake Travis is 50' + low but people are still using it. There are a few west texas lakes that have dried up completely.

My house is on whitney and we are at 11' low which is within 2 feet of what we were this time last year. We've used the cove at our house down to about 16' low when we had the horrible summer a few years back with no rain at all and consistent 100+ degree days. The main river channel is close to 100' Deep in places when the lake is at full pool so we should be okay this summer. But, I've got my fingers crossed the two months are a turd floater and the whole state gets soaked.



Back to the Stereo:
Edit: Note, Links are just for reference... I like supporting local businesses and board members... I've only used Alpine and JL since my first car and other than maybe one AMP I have always purchased my stuff from Auto Sound.

After a bit of shopping yesterday:

Still Undecided on the H/U.

Amp:
JL M700/5

Speakers: (x4)
JL MX650 (Do I really need these? I looked up a few of the boat builds on the Auto Sound Website and they had used Alpine SPS-600's which are half as much per pair)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_136MX650CW/JL-Audio-MX650-CCX-CG-WH.html?tp=61755

Sub: (X1)
JL MX10

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_136M10IB3W/JL-Audio-MX10IB3-CG-WH.html?tp=61750

Working on Ideas for an Enclosure on this guy.

In addition to this stuff: I'm going to add a second battery with a selector switch. Ordered a dual battery tray and blue sea selector switch late last week.

[EW]

The Alpine SPS-M600 are a great budget marine speaker. No need for the marine amps for a fresh water boat especially if it does not stay in a slip all the time. The Sony MEXM70BT is the newest marine deck with iphone and bluetooth. They also make a non-CD (or mechless) unit with the same features but lower price. Remotes are available but no display as of yet.
A 5 channel amp can run the entire boat. The JL XD are great, the Alpine MRX-V70 is good for a basic system as well. You should have at least two batteries and three would be better if you expect to play the system without the engine running for hours. On board chargers/maintainers are also an important part of proper battery maintenance. If you want sound outside of the boat, the towers are the only way to go. You can spend a ton on them but the Bazookas with horn tweeter blast and are much less expensive. Run big power and ground wire.

[Treybiz]

The Alpine SPS-M600 are a great budget marine speaker. No need for the marine amps for a fresh water boat especially if it does not stay in a slip all the time.Awesome, I wondered about that. We pull our boat out every night and it gets "dried out" before I park it under cover in the barn for the time we aren't down there so it sounds like Auto Stuff would work for me.. Should I consider the same thing for the Sub or stick with Marine Equipment there? The speakers I will stick with marine for sure since they are in somewhat high traffic areas of the boat.

The Sony MEXM70BT is the newest marine deck with iphone and bluetooth. They also make a non-CD (or mechless) unit with the same features but lower price. Remotes are available but no display as of yet.
I'll look them up shortly.

A 5 channel amp can run the entire boat. The JL XD are great, the Alpine MRX-V70 is good for a basic system as well. You should have at least two batteries and three would be better if you expect to play the system without the engine running for hours.
I don't see us running it for hours on end. My boat sees more family cruising time than anything. Not exactly sitting at party cove raising my BAC anymore.
On board chargers/maintainers are also an important part of proper battery maintenance.
I have a dual bank from my center console I sold last year I plan to mount when I mess with the batteries in a few weeks.
If you want sound outside of the boat, the towers are the only way to go. You can spend a ton on them but the Bazookas with horn tweeter blast and are much less expensive.
I'd consider adding some to the tower but down the road. If the kiddo shows an interest in Skiing/Boarding as much as the wife and I did when we were growing up we will probably upgrade to a direct drive in the next few years so I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on this boat just yet. The 12 year old stuff is just in need of freshening up.

Run big power and ground wire.
Planned on it so we can upgrade later if we so desire.

See Above in Red.

[Treybiz]

Having EW Chime in reeled me back in a little....

Now I'm Thinking:

-Install my maintainer/ Dual Battery Set-Up
-New H/U with USB and/or I-Phone hook up.. (I like the sony suggested.)
-Alpine MRX-V70
-Big Power and Ground for the amp... Suggestions there?

Speakers: SPS-600 for budget or go for broke with JLs at double the cost? Will I ever care if I'm not trying to blow bikini bottoms off at party cove?

Sub: Marine or Auto?
One Specifically designed for Free Air? I.E. Mount the sub to a flat wall or build a box?

[davbrucas]

Wetsounds...

[Country cracker]

people still able to launch their boats at the lakes. with the lakes being low.

Almost everyday I launch my boat at eagle mountain. 7.5-8ft low just go slow until you learn all the sandbars or it will turn out to be a bad deal. I see people slam into this one sandbar almost daily. 1 was very bad a couple of kids took out his brothers brand new z9 and ran into it at 60+. It threw 1 kid out and the other piled up into the steering wheel, fucking up his ribs.

[kpc01]

what did you end up doing with this system? we have a 26' four winns and just put a couple polk db651 (I think) in it with plans to add another pair and possibly a sub. mainly wondering what sub you did? I plan on hitting up EW when I do it but trying to figure out how many and what I want for now

[Treybiz]

what did you end up doing with this system? we have a 26' four winns and just put a couple polk db651 (I think) in it with plans to add another pair and possibly a sub. mainly wondering what sub you did? I plan on hitting up EW when I do it but trying to figure out how many and what I want for now

Nothing yet sadly,

I did have EW and crew install a Dual Battery Setup with Switch, 2nd Battery, and a maintainer... Great install and it made my life easier.

The fun stuff should start in the next month or so when I can drop the boat back off to them.
I still haven't decided on a HU but the rest of the system will be:

4x Alpine SPS-M600s in the stock locations
1x MRX-V70 Amp
1x JL Audio M10W5-SG-WH 10" marine woofer

I was going to buy it piece by piece and install some myself when I had time. I had planned to have the AutoSound Guys build an AMP rack and box for the woofer. But, lately I have more money than spare time (which I'm not complaining.. It's a good problem to have) so I really just need to make enough time to drop it off and let them have at it.

[kpc01]

let me know how that sub works out. we were next to a guy with a yamaha 242. looked like a factory stereo setup and all I could see is it was JL. his stereo sounded great. Definitely made me want to invest in a sub or two