First Born's Audio makeover

Highly likely that click is interference. Check to see what wires you have running next to your trim button.

Was the click in just one speaker, a pair or all?

Generally the only wires you REALLY have to worry about getting interference with are your pre-amp low level leads (RCA's). These run on A/C instead of D/C. Difference is that alternating current creates a magnetic field around it. I'd have to look it up, but how large the field is depends on voltage and amperage. Either way, in an auto application (boat, auto... same electrical), the field is generally not very large and a quality install will use twisted pairs for your low level feeds; these create a very high quality shielding effect.

Anyhow, my suspicion is interference on your low level feeds to the amp. IF by chance it's on your speaker wire (I can not tell you how unlikely this is... but anything is possible... just depends how well built the switch, pump motor and components are built)... Just replace it with shielded speaker wire (any specialty electronics store will carry it... and I'm not talking radio shack!!)


The other possibility is that your alternator doesn't put out enough amperage and the click you hear is the amp feeling the loss of power. But, I doubt your amp is drawing THAT much power... if it were, I suspect you'd be seriously over-powering your speakers (systems generally push the most power for running bass drivers; coaxial speakers usually top out in the 75-150 watts RMS range)...
 
Wes....pic of the subwoofer under port side cooler....

Thanks for posting that picture, I went to Sea Ray's website to watch the video of the 205 to better understand. They have the deeper dash for the 205 due to hiding the cooler which the 185 does not have. It would not look the same on the 185 as the person sitting on the port side would have to try to avoid stepping on/in the box. Supposedly the 2008 185 comes with an option for a sub would like to see where they install it from the factory but again after this weekend I don't think we need it. I caught myself turning it down several times. Maybe I am just getting old.

DSC_0293.jpg
 
Last edited:
One thing I do need to check into when I hit the trim button you hear a click in the speaker. No one else noticed it but I did; it was subtle but it was there and I can't think of what would be causing it.

When you find it please let me know! I have the same issue but no one (at the dealers or on the boat) can hear it but me either. I thought it had to be the switch but it was checked out for me.
 
btw... nice boat, and the install looks great!!! As I said in my thread... I'm a HUGE fan of JL!!

Yeah me too, it was kinda funny, up to this point I had always been a huge bose guy, no longer the case. Thanks for the idea about the interference I will see if I can track it down if not (I doubt I will) I will take it back to the shop and let them try and figure it out. This is why I paid to have the install I knew I would end up messing up more than it cost to install and I when something messed up I wanted to be able to say you did it, I paid you for it, now you fix it. :huh:
 
That's the single biggest benefit to forking out the cash for someone else to do the work!!!

Bose makes top quality surround sound systems, and their home stereo components are pretty damn good too. BUT, when it comes to car (boat) stereo type things; there's so much more out there. The factory bose car stereos are great factory units, they are tuned well and the sound is good. BUT, even at that, it's very easy to do better. Most of their car audio speakers are paper with foam (which distorts) where as high end aftermarket are almost exclusively a sort of plastic with some sort of rubber. This is where the tight, crisp sound comes from. Everyone thinks aftermarket stereos are so you can make people 100 miles away hear your bass... in actuality its so you can get the most out of your music. It just comes to life on quality equipment!!

Good luck on your issue!!
 
Thanks for posting that picture, I went to Sea Ray's website to watch the video of the 205 to better understand. They have the deeper dash for the 205 due to hiding the cooler which the 185 does not have. It would not look the same on the 185 as the person sitting on the port side would have to try to avoid stepping on/in the box. Supposedly the 2008 185 comes with an option for a sub would like to see where they install it from the factory but again after this weekend I don't think we need it. I caught myself turning it down several times. Maybe I am just getting old.
Aha...ok, brain freeze on my part thinking the models were basically the same layout in the sport boats except just a bit smaller. Didnt realize they would be completely different.

Im wondering if there is enough room there for them to cut out a rectangle and mount it there and if thats what they do for the sub in your boat :huh:

Dood, if it sounds fine already (which it very well may since you got good speakers) then dont worry about it, especially if your old arse is turning it down already :p

Either way, looks great, and Im sure is many times over better sounding than the original.
 
Thanks again for posting the picture Bill. According to Sea Ray you can get the 185 with a sub now so it would be interesting to see where they are putting it. Maybe I could get Dave to check at the marina and snap a picture. :huh:

Wesley
 
Thanks again for posting the picture Bill. According to Sea Ray you can get the 185 with a sub now so it would be interesting to see where they are putting it. Maybe I could get Dave to check at the marina and snap a picture. :huh:

Wesley

Ahhh good idea! But again, if it already sounds good, dont worry about the sub unless ya really want one. I can only imagine it HAS to improve the sound a bit. I can feel mine thumping even at speed.

Put the money into the tower dood!!!! :thumbsup:
 
Looks nice, I am about to do something similar to my 185 Sport. It looks like I have more options for the sub then you. They changed things a little between 05 and 06..
 
Looks good but where's the Subs. Without bass it can't sound that good. I mounted 2 subs under the dash.The rest of the install looks really good. You did a nice job I'll take some pics. of mine and get them to you buddy. JL audio is good stuff. It's what I used .2-10's and 4-6.25"
P1010054.jpg
 
Robb,

Thanks, if you read the posting you will see about the subs, we went back and forth, maybe something we add later on, but for now I am good.

Would love to see some pictures of that beast!!! :thumbsup:

Wesley
 
Hey bud! Looks good. Nice and clean.I'm just kidding about the sound. JL Audio is the best, the cleanest, the longest lasting.Nothing sounds better.
 
Last edited:
I def. need to get some neon on my boat. I would also like to get the lights under the swim platform. I would be concerned though about having my amp under the bow seat. I tend to burry the bow under a nice big wake when I have someone up front. Then right after I do it I realize all of my clothes are stored under their seat. Install loks realy good though.
 
It is a marine amp, I have checked it and have yet to find any water there but will continue to monitor it. Have yet to burry my bow I quess :grin:
 
Nothing is funnier that cutting a hard turn into your wake, and seeing the face of the person when they get soaked. I doubt it is the safest thing to be doing though. I should video it sometime.
 
Boat looks awsome, question i have though is what is the benefit you have with the 1 or 2 battery switch rather then running both in parallel 100% of the time?
 
jack,

I will give you my three theories, not sure if they are correct reasons but why I thought it was a good idea.

1st - when I told the guy at the shop I wanted a second battery this was the direction he went in, I figured since they specialize in this type of stuff he knew what he was talking about.

2nd - This way if I am at the sand bar and the battery goes dead, I can switch to number 2 and crack up and head home. If they were no switch and the battery goes dead...ruh roh.

3rd - I had read somewhere that if you have both batteries on and one has less juice than the other it will actually drain the battery (this is the one I am not sure about). I know I was told to never leave it in 1+2 with the motor off due to this reason.

Wesley
 
I can say for sure 1 bad battery in a group will kill the rest. In the heavy truck world they have a group of 3 or 4 batteries and when one goes bad it will pull the others down. Also if you are running on both for charging purposes and your volt meter starts climbing you want to check for a bad battery, bad battery will also cause alternator to overcharge which is not good for electrical or electronic components.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,865
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top