Speaker Upgrade

[rick s.]

I have a Maristar 210 (dressed up like an x10) with the four standard Clarion speakers inside the boat, and I want to upgrade these speakers with new. I think these are 6 1/2 inches in diameter with white faces.

The upgrade needs to be "stealthy", any suggestions (other than tower speakers) out there?

[zberger]

I have a Maristar 210 (dressed up like an x10) with the four standard Clarion speakers inside the boat, and I want to upgrade these speakers with new. I think these are 6 1/2 inches in diameter with white faces.

The upgrade needs to be "stealthy", any suggestions (other than tower speakers) out there?

Polk Audio makes a nice set of marine grade speakers.

http://polkaudio.com/car/product.php?name=db650

Kicker has always been known for great quality, and awesome sound.

www.kicker.com

KM60 Marine Coaxial Features
For performance that leaves the others in your wake, you can bet you'll make a big splash with the new KICKER KM60. Like the KM10, it's a genuine KICKER driver with all the performance you'd expect plus added features that make it ideal for the wet set. The KM60 combines a half-inch tweeter with a six-and-a-half-inch woofer for great full-range sound. And you can't beat that nautical-but-nice white finish.

JL Audio has a line of speakers, amps and subs that would probably be what I would use most of the time when doing boat installs. They might be available in your area now..

http://www.jlaudio.com/press/Marine05.html

I would also highly recommend installing an amplifier for this setup also, a simple 4 channel, or 5 channel if you would like to add a sub would work out awesome!

[jpattigr]

Hi Rick,

I have a 197 with 4 Clarion marine speakers with the compent system (Tweeters and Woofers separate) and all I did was add a Sub and an amp and the speakers now sound great!! They seem to need the extra power of the amp to come alive and the Sub finishes it off.

Good Luck

[rick s.]

thanks for the recommendations and I'm going to upgrade to the Kicker's.

r

[Mag_Red]

I just replaced the factory speakers in my new F150 with a set of the Polks............unbelieveable speakers! :banana:

[zberger]

thanks for the recommendations and I'm going to upgrade to the Kicker's.

r

great choice, are you going to amplify them? or just use the head unit you already have for power?

Adding a subwoofer?

[Diesel]

thanks for the recommendations and I'm going to upgrade to the Kicker's.

r

Good move....... Kicker makes quality stuff ;)

[rick s.]

it's looking like I'll also add a sub and amp. Which leads to more questions... how many channels do I need on the amp for four in-boat speakers + the sub? If I add tower speakers in the future, how many channels would I need?

Should I enclose the sub?

[bucky]

You could get a 5 channel amp for the 4 speakers and sub, or two amps, or run your four speakers off of the radio and an amp for the sub, or a powered sub.
You will want an amp for the tower speakers, since you want to hear them loud and clear while skiing/boarding/toobing/whatever.
In my boat ('01 190 with tower) the radio runs the four speakers with a separate amp for the bazooka tower speakers. It sounds pretty darn good without the sub, but probably would step up to awesome with a couple hundred watts of bass.
It would irritate the boaters for half a mile, though, since they would have to listen to my tunes while I wakeboard.
Also, in my experience, the sub won't sound like much without an enclosure no matter how many watts you pump into it.

[zberger]

it's looking like I'll also add a sub and amp. Which leads to more questions... how many channels do I need on the amp for four in-boat speakers + the sub? If I add tower speakers in the future, how many channels would I need?

Should I enclose the sub?

yeah, enclose the sub for sure. just a sealed box designed around what the subwoofer requires as far as airspace..

the amp i would probably recommend is the JL 6450.. 6 channel amp, very flexible..

http://www.jlaudio.com/amps/e6450.html

[Ric]

Kinda off topic but I will post pics tomorrow.
On the factory tour, I learned that there is a pathway (for cables or whatever) that runs about floor level between the observer's underseat compartment to in front of the floor kick plate in a 197...........
It's about a 2" id tube that you can run wires from your passenger compartment to your driver's side sub and or speakers. It's hidden by carpet on the wall of the storage area near where that vertical rib of fiberglas is found in the passenger storage area right at the floor.

[RobertT]

I would really like to see that! I just ran a few wires from my head unit to my drivers seat (ipod), and had to fish them through where the heater duct runs to the observers snorkel.

So there is a better way?