4bus

iTrader: (4)

One other thing, do not skimp on the power. You will want your system hooked to at least two 1000 amp batteries, so you will need 3 in your boat to leave one as a starting battery.

You are going to have two large amps, you will need 0 gauge power and ground wire running to a high quality distribution block that breaks it down to 4 guage, this block should be as close as possible to the amps, the main fuse or breaker should be as close as possbile to the battery. You can also find caps with distribution blocks built in if you like. I would suggest a high grade capacitor seeing that you will be running your system with the engine off vs a car.

Be careful buying wire off the internet, read the review because many claims are not what they should be. Keep in mind if you buy a kit you will still have to buy a long run of ground wire, car auido kits come with just s short gound because they can use the chassis. I am not a fan of the kits, but some are good, again...read the reviews.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/cat_i...-amp-kits.html


These things work great for wire stays, you do not want any of your wire groups touching, you may get noise. They stick on and then you run a zip tie through them, for the heavy wire run a ss wood screw in the middle after you stick http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/el...ack-100-pieces

MILD THUNDER

iTrader: (3)

I agree. To get anywhere near the quality of components that were put into those old school Made in USA hi end amps, its almost impossible without spending a fortune.

Gimme a old Soundstream Reference amp, and big old Orion, US Amps, pheonix gold, etc and Im a happy guy. Most of this new stuff is chinese junk.

Rambocj7

Actually forgot to say that I picked up an amp wiring kit as well, one on SONICELECTRONIX actually for a pair amps. Same as you said : 0 guage, then a distribution to 4 gauge. So at least I got that right! lol

The Polks would be good then for the highs? Add those tweeters too? Or would the polk components be enough. Sometimes I dont like the PIERCING sound of tweets! lol

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Good job, take you time on the wiring, solder where you can, even the crimp connectors I just solder them.

Tweets only pierce when they are set up wrong. Those horns are the difference of you playing the stereo at half volume or full volume for everyone to hear in the water, they are that good and sound great. With horns in the right area, tuned right, you can talk over your music on the boat but people in the water will be able to hear it clear.

Those horns do not sound like the cheap treble blasting you are used to, in fact without seeing them most would not know you have horns. Mine are on their own channel of the amp. so balancing them out is easy.

I am more into sound quality than just being loud. I spend a lot of time blalancing and tuning my systems, I will help you with that once you get everything wired up.

Rambocj7

OK so get those horns and the Polk MM6501. Done! lol

So gimme a run down of amps, from cheapest to most expensive, 4 channel. I know you said no to Mb Quart ONX, but I've been reading some good reviews on them....

86Capri

I am all about budget stereo's and this is what I did and they sound great.

Kicker Mids and Highs from hifi sound connection
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/S...id/0/SFV/30046

Kicker Comp 12's
here is a pair from sonic electronix for $100.00 shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Kicker-10C...item53ef2c2fe8

5 channel kicker amp. This is for a car so just don't put it below the water and you should be fine.
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/S...id/0/SFV/30046

That is a total of $535 shipped to your house and a very nice loud system.

Although I did 4 in my last boat and will do the same in the new.
[IMG][/IMG]

ChargeIt

A couple more thoughts..........

An equal length of 1/0 neg wire will still need to be ordered. That is one weakness of buying car install kits. A car grounds to steel anywhere solid, boat needs an equal direct run back to battery.

I would never waste money on a capacitor, they are only effective in a scenario where the batteries are artificially above their resting voltage (12.8, ie due to alt running) and if you are concerned with headlights flashing. On a boat - zero value. Spend the money on more batteries.

The Lanzar is just as the amazon title states, a super tweeter. I have no expreience on how it sounds but it is definately not a horn.
Compression horns (HLCD) are another entire degree of efficiency = loud. WetSounds, Exile, Bullet and their knock off Krypt are some examples. I run WetSounds on top and Krypt in boat because they can be purchased raw, without a can enclosure. HLCD is not budget but they will dominate!

If you want one amp for the highs that can deliver quality power for the dollar; Rockford Fosgate Power T600.4.
Bridged to 2 ohm on all 4 channels, it will deliver more than 100w to 8 speakers. I have run one for 3 years. It will get HOT but have not had any thermal protect issues with a fan blowing and I frequently play 6+ hrs straight.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

I disagree for passing on a cap in a boat, for two reason. One is the batteries are a long way from the amps, that alone will cause voltage drop on big hits. Second most of us run high resistance marine batteries, which are great for long periods of steady power, but suck at delivery of quick burts of high amp power. The low resistance of a cap fills this gap and keeps the music clean on bass hits, without the music gets muddy any time high amp draw is called for. My cap keeps my power above 11.5 at all times, before the cap I was seeing voltage drop in the 10's with big hits. Huge difference when trying to sustain clean sound.

Look closer at the "super tweeter" compared to a conventional tweeter. It is a cross bewtween a tweet and horn, the sound carries similar to a horn, but still retains sound quality, instead of sounding like a PA speaker like some horns. They are a must in a boat IMO, you just have to hear them to uinderstand

Suprised you are having a heat issue on that RF amp, what ohm load are you running? I installed one of the Rockford 8004T that runs 8 speakers at 2 ohms with no fan in a closet, no issues. Those amps are one of the few 4 channel amps that are one ohm stable.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Love those subs, my second choice in subs if one doesn't want to spend the big money on solobarics. My first choice in subs if one wants to run free air. I had 4 of those mounted in the walls of my cruiser running free air all summer, they were amazing and held up great to a pounding and weather. The new owner of the cruiseris still running them today, and he is not nice to them either.

Those mids that you suggested I am not a big fan of, for a few bucks more you can have the next step up in kicker marine comp speakers, the 6250 and have a huge difference in sound and power handling. http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-09KM625...onent+speakers

86Capri

I have to agree with what a lot of you are saying. Kicker l7's would be nice but take way to much power. On a boat you need it to be efficient and not require tons of power. That kicker 5 channel amp I showed will run my 4 kicker comp 12's and all the mids and high almost to the max. Which means only having to power one amp which will draw less on your batteries. Also if you can push speakers to the max you would be surprised with the sound quality that will come out.

"Those mids that you suggested I am not a big fan of, for a few bucks more you can have the next step up in kicker marine comp speakers, the 6250 and have a huge difference in sound and power handling. http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-09KM625...onent+speakers"

The ones you are suggesting are just the newer model still the component series. Personally I would just run the regular 6.5 kicker marine coaxials. Remember I was talking budget you could buy 2 pairs for the price of your 1.

Over the years of messing with stereos I have found it better to power match. All I was giving was my opinion on a cheap but still nice sounding stereo. That will run on just 2 batteries for a while.

You want to be able to hear the stereo while you are running not just sitting still.