Radio help - 205 sport

[Dave 205]

I looked at the manual... It shows only 2 speakers. I clearly have 4 speakers in the boat. Stumped again. ???

Some of this stuff changes over the years, and I've found several cases where the documentation is less than perfect, especially in the case of peripheral equipment like depth finders, stereos, seating options and the like.

Generally from what I've seen, the "base radio" had two speakers in the cockpit. If you had an upgraded system, you had four speakers, with two in the bow, probably an amp somewhere as well (another source for connections problems!). I've still got my original factory Clarion base radio set up with just two speakers - my observation is that this was the volume selling factory set up in most of the Sport Boats, so some of the documentation may skew that way.

My radio has a front / rear fader adjustment, and I would imagine four outputs on the back, but I've never had the bow speakers. Check for a fader, maybe it's all powered one way.

My radio does have the memory hard wire. All other power is controlled at the ignition switch. Can't recall the settings on the switch, it gets intuitive after a while. It may be as old fashioned as accessory to the left, off at the top, run to the right, and start at the far right. Radio should run at all positions except off.

Even with still low hours, my radio mount is falling apart in the glove box, and is just sort of hanging there. It does interfere with the removable face plate. You may very well be having some system integrity problems at the face place, or just about anywhere.

I did a few '80s vintage stereo upgrades my my cars, and the combination of a head unit, amp, four speakers and an ignition connection is pretty basic. You just have to trace all the components for power and proper connections.

Good luck!

 

[NorCalGlenn]

I've also been having problems with the factory stereo. I have the sound system upgrade, and this Spring noticed that my left front bow speaker wasn't putting anything out. I switched out the right and left speakers to rule out it being a speaker issue. It wasn't. Checked the connections to the head unit and amplifier (located in lower passenger gunnel) and all connections seem to be in place. Earlier on this same outing (first of 2013) I also discovered that my dashboard ignition was getting wonky and needed replacement. Fixing that required about eight hours of driving that I hadn't planned for, and at that point I had no motivation to deal with the stereo. I love my 190, but these kind of issues are a disappointment considering it's only been on the water for one Summer.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Some of these things tend to blend together, for me, after a while but I thought that the 205's had 4 speakers as a standard thing, whereas the 185/195 only had 2. I know for sure that we've had 205's with 4 speakers and I very rarely order the upgraded speaker package - but I couldn't tell you if it was for all the years that the 205 was made, or not. For what it's worth, the literature on Sea Ray's website states that the 2011 205 came with 4 speakers.

Besides, it's sometimes hard to know exactly what a previous owner has done.

Sounds like the pins/contacts of the faceplate may have just been dirty or bent?

Only two speakers... First - check the fade control on the radio. Second, yup - check connections at radio and speakers. If needed, you could ohm the wires.

 

[Volume]

It's the Sony. Face plate was definitely messed up. It powered on and off... Flickered. Wouldn't seat well... Take 5 mins to align and "click in" correctly. But I replaced with a new one...the next Model up. I tested fader and balance. When I pull fader back, it drops the dbs up front like it should, but nothing in the rear.

 

[Volume]

Got it!
Connections at the speakers were loose (couple were off). Nothing broken.
Wish I would have had more time last weekend to check, but soon as I got the other radio installed it started pouring... And I was the only boat out of dry stack.
Radio was definitely shot... But luckily the speakers were a simple fix.
Big thanks to all of guys again for lookin out.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Good deal!

 

[Shaun77]

No prob..