I want to upgrade my stereo - any advice?

skunkman

skunkman

Active Member
May 27, 2014
452
Longboat Key
Boat Info
2014 330 DA sold
Current boat 2021 Formula 350CBR
Engines
Triple 350 Mercury Verado
I have a new 330 Sundancer and feel the stock stereo is a bit weak. I'm no audiophile but I would like a bit of an upgrade. Any advice on what I should start with? I wouldn't mind getting some sound to the bow and transom and would like more bass and clear volume.
 
I would start with the head unit. If it has pre-outs in the back (red and white RCA connectors for front and rear) you can use your existing head unit to run a multi-channel amplifier.

If you have room for a 6 channel amp, you can run 2 sets of 6.5"s or 7.7" coaxials (I use JL Audio amps and speaks) on 4 channels. For the remaining 2 channels you can bridge a 10" Subwoofer.

The key to your install is getting power to the amp from the house battery. You will need 4awg tinned copper marine cable for pith positive and negative. An inline fuse will need to be run on the positive side, no further tan 18" from the battery.

I'll bet your 2014 DA has pre-outs on your head unit.
 
I agree. Spend the money on a good multi channel amp and some JL speakers. The 6.5's are plug and play. They are an exact fit to your current speakers although the 7.7's sound better and hold more bass. Adding a sub woofer will do wonders as well.
 
It depends on your budget. You can improve the sound by replacing the stock speakers with JL 6.5s. If you really want to juice it up you need to add one or more amplifiers. As mentioned above by Ollie, the JL M600/6 amp plus two pairs of JL 6.5s or 7.7s and the JL 10" subwoofer would be a well balanced system.

I have the same boat as you and didn't feel the above system was adequate for the sound I was looking for so I added two additional pairs of JL 7.7s and a JL M500/3 amp and an EQS Gray Preamp.

Now I'm happy with the sound.
 
Thanks for the input. Where would you typically place the sub?
 
Under the rear facing seat across from cockpit sink.
 
I can't answer that question but I've seen on the larger SR's, subs have been placed under the passenger seating area if available. If you do something of that nature and do not use sub box, be sure to order an "Open Air" or "Free Air" sub. The M Series from JL is designed to be used with an AMP. If you want to upgrade your existing speakers then use the MX Series.

Keep in mind that you probably can keep your existing speakers running as well. They currently should be attached to the head units speaker wires/internal amp. So your potential is 8 coaxials and 1 sub.

The M Series of AMPs also has a level control knob (separate) which can allow you to turn down the AMPs volume. For instance; If you have your existing speakers in your cabin, you can attach those directly to the head unit - Install the remaining 4 and sub onto the AMP (this would be good in louder areas like the cockpit and transom). Now, essentially you have 2 different zones. At night, in your cabin, turn down the AMPs level and use the head unit only to control the speakers attached directly to it - During the day, in and on the water, turn up the level on the AMP and tick off your neighbors..... Just kidding about the latter.:grin:
 
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OK - I'm starting to get educated. Thanks for the help. If I change things out, I might as well go with the M series JL 7.7s. Can I use the stock wiring that my current speakers have?
 
skunkman said:
OK - I'm starting to get educated. Thanks for the help. If I change things out, I might as well go with the M series JL 7.7s. Can I use the stock wiring that my current speakers have?
Click to expand...

If you're really ambitious, add LED rings to the speakers. You can get them on ebay already precut for the speakers. I purchased blue and in the evening when docked are great cocktail lights......can you hear the dollars flying out of your wallet??????

The 7.7's is what I upgraded to and they sound great. You won't be disappointed.
 
Obviously the 7.7s will need larger openings. Any advise on how to cut them. I'm pretty handy but I'd hate to mess up a brand new boat.
 
magstang1 said:
A roto-zip cuts fiberglass surprisingly well. Prepare to be itchy.
Click to expand...

+1... Also, Duck Tape removes fiberglass dust/splinters from your skin very well (along with any hair you have, as I found out)... The second time I did fiberglass dashboard rotozipping, I had someone holding the shopvac hose right next to the bit. Much better but not foolproof.


Edit -- One more thing... Have several bits handy. I did my rotozipping with a dremmel tool and rotozip dremmel bits. The bit gets exceedingly hot (including so hot it got a blueish heat-stain on the metal) and as it gets hot it dulls down, which then makes it harder for it to cut, and gets hotter. Having a second (or more) extra bits on hand makes it go quicker and more easily. Just don't forget to remove the hot dulled by gripping it with plyers vs your fingers.
 
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All very good advice! You did mention getting sound to the bow and transom. That would take a little more doing, but nothing bad. You would have to route cables and make holes in the transom if you chose to mount them facing the water, which I have seen (and heard) done and it's great!

JL makes great products. The sound is first rate and will withstand the riggers of marine life. Keep us informed how you go about it!

Btw, congrats on the new boat!

Mstt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Pay attention to how deep you plunge with the rotozip bit. The flutes don't go all the way to the shank of the bit. If you go too deep you won't be on the cutting surface, much less clearing debris. It's easy to overlook when you are focused on where you are cutting, not how you are doing it. That will heat up a bit faster than anything.

Take a look behind before you cut for wires or other things you don't want cut.
 
Also - when roto'ing out the holes, it is good to masking tape the area first, copy your cutout with the template, and then cut. The masking tape will help with not scratching/chipping the surrounding gel coat.
 
If you're researching marine audio upgrades, and you haven't found Wet Sounds, you aren't doing it right! JL has some good stuff, but Wet Sounds is about as good as it gets on the water. JL vs Wet Sounds in a showroom will both sound good, but when you crank them up on the water, JL sounds very tinny, while the Wet Sounds stay pleasant.

Regardless of what speakers you go with, make sure it's powered properly. That includes batteries, wiring, amp(s), minimal splitters, etc etc...

I've been there done that on my boat, and started with a $2,500 system, wasn't impressed, upgraded to all wet sounds for $4,000 total, but still wasn't impressed despite everyone saying that I wouldn't find anything better than WS. I hated the system for the next year, and finally took it to a professional shop to see what was wrong. It took another $1,000 in labor to pull out all the old wiring, and install proper wiring. Now it sounds amazing, but I sure did waste a lot of money getting there. Do it right the first time.
 
Qflyer gives great advice here, get all the wiring done right the first time. Remember, it's all a "system" which includes battery, connectors, wire, fuses, speakers, etc. each piece can "attenuate" the sound and often hamper it. Plan a budget for wiring, I'd say roughly 15% of the total, if not more.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
skunkman said:
OK - I'm starting to get educated. Thanks for the help. If I change things out, I might as well go with the M series JL 7.7s. Can I use the stock wiring that my current speakers have?
Click to expand...

I'm curious to hear how your project goes. This has been on my to-do list with my 2010 350 for the past two seasons.

When I spoke to the tech at our dealer who handles the electronics installs he said the stock wiring is fine to use. It's really difficult to rewire it on the 350, and I would assume the 330 as well.
Thankfully our amps are really easy to access.

For head units, look at Fusion. Their head unit allows you to create zones and control them individually. I second everyone else's recommendations on the JL speakers. I've also heard good things about Clarion's marine speakers.
 
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