Sadler
Member
- Nov 29, 2006
- 907
- Boat Info
- 2005 Nordic Tugs 37 FB
Mercury RIB dinghy with Honda 2 hp 4 stroke,
sold: 1997 290DA,
- Engines
- Cummins QSB 380
Once I got an iPod running directly into the head unit and working well, the pitiful speaker system that came with my 290 really stuck out and needed improving. I installed a new speaker set in the radar arch--which I described earlier. The last improvement needed was a front set in the cockpit to compliment the radar arch speakers. The front speakers that came with the boat are down below in the salon. I would leave those as is, but tie into their connections.
There's really no good place to put front cockpit speakers on the boat I have. I could have put one in the side of the boat, below the throttle, but there was no place to put a complimentary left speaker, since the left side in that same general location is taken up by a storage locker and shelf. Up on the dash was the only spot that worked. The sound would be better up on the dash, since the speakers would be at a proper distance and angle for the listeners. I chose the smallest waterproof speaker I could find with a power rating (100 watts) that matched the other four speakers in the cockpit. I wish they were smaller, but the next size down is half the power and not that much smaller.
To get to the front speaker outputs in the salon, I lucked out and was able to poke a stiff wire lead through from the shelf containing the inside original front speakers along a hidden wireway, popping out in a wireway access hole up under the dash. This was the only difficult part of this mod, but once I found this path for the wires, the rest was easy. I had to use a right angle drill for the mounting holes on the dash. The canvas anti reflective dash cover made hiding the wire run from behind the gauge panel to the speakers easy.
I'm not sure I'll end up liking the way they look up on the dash in the long run, but I figured I'd give it a try and relocate them if not. They look totally non stock and stuck on, but maybe the sound improvement will make them palatable. They did start to look a little better to me after they were on a couple of days. Maybe we just need to get to know each other better. The speakers can come off in a couple of minutes if it turns out they are in the way for extended trips.
I'm am very happy with the sound now. The stereo effect and the directional high frequencies are dramatically improved. The effect is more car-like in that you are surrounded by sound.
I used Poly-Planar MA9060 Speakers.
Sadler
There's really no good place to put front cockpit speakers on the boat I have. I could have put one in the side of the boat, below the throttle, but there was no place to put a complimentary left speaker, since the left side in that same general location is taken up by a storage locker and shelf. Up on the dash was the only spot that worked. The sound would be better up on the dash, since the speakers would be at a proper distance and angle for the listeners. I chose the smallest waterproof speaker I could find with a power rating (100 watts) that matched the other four speakers in the cockpit. I wish they were smaller, but the next size down is half the power and not that much smaller.
To get to the front speaker outputs in the salon, I lucked out and was able to poke a stiff wire lead through from the shelf containing the inside original front speakers along a hidden wireway, popping out in a wireway access hole up under the dash. This was the only difficult part of this mod, but once I found this path for the wires, the rest was easy. I had to use a right angle drill for the mounting holes on the dash. The canvas anti reflective dash cover made hiding the wire run from behind the gauge panel to the speakers easy.
I'm not sure I'll end up liking the way they look up on the dash in the long run, but I figured I'd give it a try and relocate them if not. They look totally non stock and stuck on, but maybe the sound improvement will make them palatable. They did start to look a little better to me after they were on a couple of days. Maybe we just need to get to know each other better. The speakers can come off in a couple of minutes if it turns out they are in the way for extended trips.
I'm am very happy with the sound now. The stereo effect and the directional high frequencies are dramatically improved. The effect is more car-like in that you are surrounded by sound.
I used Poly-Planar MA9060 Speakers.
Sadler
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