Adding multiple amps and speakers to my 96 500 DA ideas and ?'s

HIFI said:
Which now leaves him with the only choice of mounting some drivers on or aft transom. I simply have not seen or thought of anything that would be acceptable to me. What do you recommend?
Click to expand...

Your concerns as an owner of a similar boat are different then mine as an installer. There are pros and cons to all the ideas mentions here. I think its best for me to not interject my personal feelings as to whats best for Steve, but rather to offer pros and cons to each idea and help provide some insight and guidance in order for what ever path is chosen, is executed to its fullest.

For some transom mounted speakers, that transom couldn't get any better ideal. Its a vertical as it gets on a boat, so the upward projection will be minimal. If there is room on the back side of that transom wall, I would seriously consider that route.
 
Wylie_Tunes said:
Your concerns as an owner of a similar boat are different then mine as an installer. There are pros and cons to all the ideas mentions here. I think its best for me to not interject my personal feelings as to whats best for Steve, but rather to offer pros and cons to each idea and help provide some insight and guidance in order for what ever path is chosen, is executed to its fullest.

For some transom mounted speakers, that transom couldn't get any better ideal. Its a vertical as it gets on a boat, so the upward projection will be minimal. If there is room on the back side of that transom wall, I would seriously consider that route.
Click to expand...

Well I don’t mind personal feelings and I will share mine.

I have seen many of this type of mount and nobody ever says that looks great. Most of the comments are opposite or people just keep their feelings to themselves. OK . . . I am done with the feelings.

Facts . . .

Not a good location at all.

It WILL adversely affect resale value of boat as people will turn away more quick/often.

Poor location for speakers that are playing to an audience down in the water. If you could mount them high enough and project downward to audience that would help. I would recommend a mono/summed mono output.

Poor location as people hang out on the transom area as well. They block the drivers/sound. The speakers, if loud enough to entertain water guest, are now blowing the transom sitters away.
 
Steve . . . Can you let us know if there is room to stack some drivers next to each other in the middle on the underside of your Radar Arch? The walkway is port side so I am thinking you have room. If so . . . what width of a speaker array can you accommodate?

If so I am sure there is a sound solution that will offer something for water born guest and at the same time improve the cockpit HiFi.
 
Yesterday I met a stereo install guy at the boat. We spent quit a bit of time going over the install and options. Here is what we came up with:

He was surprised with the sound quality with the current Concept amp driving the 4 Alpine speakers and the JL Audio Sub. We looked for another option for the Sub and couldn't find anywhere else that it would work as well. He was good with the positioning of the rest of the 8 X 6 1/2" speakers. He is confident that he can tune the concept amp and the JL audio amp to work well together and not have much if any difference running two different amps in the cockpit. He wants to play with the subs a little to see if he should run one sub off the 5 channel JL audio amp and the other amp of the 5 channel Concept amp.

We checked the power and ground wire run from the house batteries to the helm area where the amps will be mounted. We did find a nice spot to come up from the engine room to the dash. It looks like about 25' of 0/1 gauge wire running from the house batteries to the helm area. From there he wants to run separate power and ground distribution blocks going from the 0/1 gauge wire down to a 4 gauge wire to each amp. About another 15' of 4 gauge wire. However. I think I am better off running 0/1 gauge wire all the way from the engine room to the dash and shortening the 4 gauge wire to about 5' off the distribution block to the amps.

I do have to send him all the data on the amps and head units so he can determine the best way to link the amps together. He is not a big fan of Daisy Chaining the amps together.

Here is the big thing... He doesn't like the idea of adding 4 x 6 1/2" speakers on the transom. He suggests running a pair of Rockford 8" speakers on either side of the name on the transom. This gets them completely inside of the storage areas and he doesn't get into anything structural

ype2ana7.jpg


He has run these 8" speakers a couple of times and says they project very well and the sound quality is excellent. He also thinks that it will proportionately look better.

Here is what he quoted me
1-I supply all materials
2-install all power and grounds to the battery
3-mount and install all wire distribution blocks
4-mount and connect 3 amps including tuning
5-run speaker wires for 2 rear Alpine speakers
6-run speaker wires for 2 transom 8" Rockford speakers
7-cut hole and mount second sub in cockpit
8-cut holes and install 2 Rockford speakers in transom
9-run wires and install volume control on transom for separate volume control of transom speakers

He price is $400.00 cash

I am still not sure what I am going to do. I am almost at the point of just installing the 2 JL Audio amps and not using the concept amp at all right now and waiting and deciding if I want to add the speakers on the transom. I would still wire it for the 3rd amp. That way if I decide to add the transom speakers I can with out to much trouble. The only real reason for the transom speakers is that now that I am raising my 7 month old grandson and his need for sleep I won't be able to turn the stereo up loud enough in the cockpit to here it while we are swimming behind the boat and watching music videos on the cockpit mounted TV that I ran through the stereo system.

I have been searching the web for 0/1 and 4 gauge wire, distribution blocks and RCA cables. The pricing is all over the map. And I can't find a supplier that has everything. I hate ordering from different suppliers.

That is where I am at right now. I really appreciate everyone's opinions on this.

Steve Bone
 
Steve,
His labor sounds cheap to me and therefore, if he's qualified, it's a good deal. I do like the speakers moved up into the transom locker. That just seems to be a better location if you must install something there. Good luck & as always, keep us posted!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Steve, there is access from engine room to dash. Our boat has a panel starboard side at helm where VHF is mounted, Below that is a pop out panel. You can snake wires through there. You should see where all the dash wiring comes up into the dash. The wiring goes down back a little towards the arch. Took 2 people and about 15mins.
 
Thanks Bahama. I did find an area to fish through this past weekend. It is we're all the dash wires come through the starboard panel at the helm.

Today I ordered all my wire, connectors and distribution blocks. Still not sure about the speakers in the transom lockers yet. I found the Rockford speakers in line for a great price. Just another expense I may hold off on for a bit.

I still really want to see pictures of your 500 Bahama.


Steve
 
Steve, I would suggest using exterior surface mount speakers and use a mount that will attach them to the rail on the transom. You can install jacks inside the transom locker that you can plug into very quickly. There is no way in hell I would cut those big holes in the transom!
 
Steve500dancer said:
Thanks Bahama. I did find an area to fish through this past weekend. It is we're all the dash wires come through the starboard panel at the helm.

Today I ordered all my wire, connectors and distribution blocks. Still not sure about the speakers in the transom lockers yet. I found the Rockford speakers in line for a great price. Just another expense I may hold off on for a bit.

I still really want to see pictures of your 500 Bahama.


Steve
Click to expand...

Steve,
If you find a great deal online can you please share it with me either here or in a pm? I just finished purchasing the last of my stereo speakers for my upgrade to commence this early spring. I'm adding 6 pairs of JL Audio 6.5's, a 10" JL Audio sub all in the cockpit. Then I'm adding 4 JL Audio 6.5" coax's & 2 8" JBL subs in the cabin which I am driving with 4 JL Audio marine amps. So I will need some of that big wire & junction blocks too!! Thanks!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I got all the wire, distribution blocks and connectors from "The Wires Zone" nice guy and great prices. I think everything including shipping was $150.00. He had good reveiws and assured me on the quality of wire. My local hifi buys wanted over $700.00 for the wire and distribution blocks. They even advised me to buy on line.

http://www.thewireszone.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,188
Messages
1,428,244
Members
61,099
Latest member
Lorenzo512
Back
Top