$9-10k for a stereo system??? Woa, wasn't prepared for that quote

hughespat57 said:
And those are the folks that will need the hearing aids.
There is quality audio and there is rock concert loud audio...

At home I enjoy and old school set of tower EPI Magnus speakers with a Pioneer amp.
High Fidelity does not have to be ear shattering.

I upgraded the OEM Clarion to a Fusion RA205 I picked up used for $100 and an NRX200 remote for the helm which gives me NMEA 2000 integration.
Just 50 watts of built in power and the five OEM speakers and it can be to loud to carry on a conversation.
I will likely add a sub and upgrade the cockpit speakers eventually to improve the quality a bit.
But just cant see the need for 200 watts of power.
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True, it's quite easy to equate MOAR POWRRRRR with Quality Sound.

Sadly, I have a hard time appreciating Quality Sound these days since I do actually wear hearing aids. Quite strange going to the occasional show these days. I tend to wear ear plugs so my ears don't ring for days, but then I can't wear the hearing aids to improve the sound quality. Genetics plus lotsa years of running equipment sans hearing protection. Now I make my kids wear it when they mow the lawn.

Anyway, @SeaNile, seems like you're getting some good suggestions for alternatives to that high quote. If you want to pay the man to do the work so you can go boating, maybe talk to him about options? I'm also curious if the cost is due to shortages.
 
b_arrington said:
I tend to wear ear plugs so my ears don't ring for days
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Same here. I was in rock bands for years and it took a little while to realize I should start wearing earplugs which I did -- even now for things like running a shop vac, let alone table saw, nailers, saws etc. Now I can't really tolerate the volume of a stereo past a certain point.
 
Oh don't worry, there is no way I am going with this setup for that much $$. My gut was telling me 5-6k at absolute most.

Going to look at different brands and maybe for now just swap out the non working Kenwood headhunt and slowly go from there. Without the ability to A/B things I am more than confident that no matter what is installed it will sound great. And no, we have zero desire to be THAT boat that blasts the music. Just wanted a nice sounding system where we can enjoy music while on the boat. 10K...LOL not happening!!
 
Like Mike said, 3 subs is way overkill on a Sundancer.

I upgraded mine a bit at a time... I now have:
Fusion RA670 head unit w/Wireless remote
4 WetSounds 6.5"
Cerwin-Vega 1200W 4 channel amp
Boss Audio 10" sub, w/Boss Audio 1500W mono amp

I have about $2,300 in it. Installed it myself.
Sounds awesome!
 
Wow. I replaced the deck and 4 speakers in the cabin for about a grand and it’s plenty. Ran new wiring to the cockpit but don’t think I’m going to bother installing speakers out there.

I’m looking at amplified 12V Bluetooth sound bars for the cockpit for about another 6-8 hundred. Some of them are impressive.

We like CDs in the cabin or can use Pandora/Spotify via Bluetooth but outside I use the phone exclusively.
 
I would look at the fusion stuff for your receiver, its way simple so you are not messing around with settings all day. My wife and I's favorite sound system improvement was the little Fusion ANT remotes which bluetooth into the receiver. No wiring and they just stick in place. Lets you control volume and track from anywhere on the boat, we like them so much that we ended up buying 3 for our little Sundeck 220:)
 
ColoSR said:
I would look at the fusion stuff for your receiver, its way simple so you are not messing around with settings all day. My wife and I's favorite sound system improvement was the little Fusion ANT remotes which bluetooth into the receiver. No wiring and they just stick in place. Lets you control volume and track from anywhere on the boat, we like them so much that we ended up buying 3 for our little Sundeck 220:)
Click to expand...

I love the little remote but I'm cheap - do you know if we can buy the extra mount plates? I'd like to put one on my transom and then move it when we're swimming and such
 
Strecker25 said:
I love the little remote but I'm cheap - do you know if we can buy the extra mount plates? I'd like to put one on my transom and then move it when we're swimming and such
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LOL @ cheap all things considered.

I had a similar conversation with a dock neighbor recently who was too cheap by his own admission to do something important but was obsessed with the appearance of his swim platform.

That platform is in my garage for repairs.
 
Guys in the high end center consoles are spending 25k
 
Soulshine said:
LOL @ cheap all things considered.

I had a similar conversation with a dock neighbor recently who was too cheap by his own admission to do something important but was obsessed with the appearance of his swim platform.

That platform is in my garage for repairs.
Click to expand...

LOL so true. I spent about 1000 on hose clamps but I dont want to spend 50 on another remote...
 
nealtrombley said:
Guys in the high end center consoles are spending 25k
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Well the guys in the 1996 Sea Rays are not!

I'll look around today for some alternatives. I might try to swap out the head unit to a Fusion RA70 which I have laying around. If I can get some sound out of what is currently in the cockpit which is a 10" sub and 4 6.5" speakers I can take a step back and figure out what would be a sensible upgrade.

The cabin is an old AC powered unit which is not working at all.

The back of the kenwood head unit should be color coded? Match the colors to the new Fusion and give it a go?
 
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Fusion head unit will be fine.
I did;
Fusion r470
Rockford Fosgate 1000 watt amp.
4 RF speakers
I RF 10" sub
Came to 2100 for parts. 750 for install.

Spend your first $ on an amp. Even if you listen at low volumes (which I do) it gives the punch for good sound.
Next the sub woofer.
Then replace speakers.
 
It seems like a lot. I am just completing an upgrade as well. All Fusion Signature Series. USD shown.

Apollo RA770 Head Unit: $700
5 Channel Amp: $600 (about to order)

Bridge
6.5" 2-way Speakers: $450
Component Tweeters $75
10” Sub $350
ANT remote $50

Cockpit
7.7" or 8.8” 2-way Speakers: $450 or $500 (last thing to do)
Component Tweeters $75
2 x ANT remotes (one on swim platform) $100

The component tweeters are unnecessary, but the holes were already there from the factory system.

Less than $3K total including some new wiring, etc. Doing it over a couple of seasons.

At the end of last season I was still running the factory Clarion amp, Polk/Momo sub and cockpit 6.5s and it already sounded really good.

I don't blast it, although a bit of volume on the bridge is necessary while underway on plane. I find a better quality system needs less volume to be heard well.
 
I have 12 JL 7.7 speakers, 2 JL 10" subs, three JL amps, a DSP and a Fusion RA 70 HU. I have no idea what I spent. 4 of the JL 7.7s and one amp were installed by the prior owner. The rest of the system was installed over several seasons. My goal is not to be the loudest boat in the cove or on the dock but to achieve clear and accurate sound at low to medium volume. I achieved that plus it does rock at high volume when I occasionally crank it up.
 
JimT said:
I have 12 JL 7.7 speakers, 2 JL 10" subs, three JL amps, a DSP and a Fusion RA 70 HU. I have no idea what I spent. 4 of the JL 7.7s and one amp were installed by the prior owner. The rest of the system was installed over several seasons. My goal is not to be the loudest boat in the cove or on the dock but to achieve clear and accurate sound at low to medium volume. I achieved that plus it does rock at high volume when I occasionally crank it up.
Click to expand...
12 x 7.7" speakers! Where do you fit them all? :)

You must be able to burn through a lot of battery power over the course of a day!!
 
Something to keep in mind (and if this has already been mentioned forgive me but I didn't read all the posts) is that while you may love to blast the bark off the trees from two miles away, the rest of the boaters around you would probably have a nice quiet day on the water without having to listen to some idiot's stereo blasting away.

Nothing person, just sayin'
 
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