Stereo questions
 

Stereo Questions
#1 Have a NON DIM stereo in boat, patch up hole or what?
#2 In Cabin, Do you HAVE to have a marine stereo???
#3 wire or wireless remote for stereo?????
#4 Amps, Where to put em?
#5 outdoor speakers? regular subs? How do you set up your speakers for best sound?
#6 on a budget, Have 2 amps, 2 ten inch pioneer subs and 2 6 inch JL subs that I have accumulated over the years
the 10's are muddier which I like but the JL's are considered by some to be one of the best subs on the market (dual voice coils ect -- damn things weigh about 12-14 lbs each)

What have some of you done with your stereo's and the like?
I was thinking the following;
No need for marine stereo when it is mounted down in cabin nice and dry
would like to get a small CD changer so head unit has to be accomidating
Definately need either a wired or wireless remote that I can velcro or stick at helm so I dont have to jump down in the cabin when a dumb song comes on that I cant stand
or I can adjust the volume ect or change cd's without having to stop boat and do this and come back up and get underway
I will be doing some LONER boating this year (going out solo just myself with no friends/family)
I dont think my dog is smart enough to learn how to flip through stations or adjust volume so Im basically in need of a remote

anyone have suggestions, pics of install, ideas of where to place the amps, speakers ect?
Can I put speakers in my radar arch?
Or is the gunnell okay for that?
I have 2 stock speakers in back seat facing forward, I was thinking of placing the SUBS there since it is an encosure like a sub box but if these subs get wet I think they will fall apart
Suggestions please/????
Thanks much to all
Jason

I do not understand # 1 are you saying non dimmer or non din. If it is a shafted radio and it is in the location you are planning to use you will just have to make the opening larger to accept the din model.Your assumption that the radio is high and dry in the cabin is true form getting soaked down but ther is always some moisture in a boat. A non marine radio will last for a while but no one ever knows when it will fail The radio is always exposed. That being said, Clarion makes nice marine equipment for not much more money than a standard auto stereo. I is also capable of 2 wired remotes linked to it. I like the wired remotes over a IR. Amps need to go in the cabin. I would go with marine speakers. 4 5.25 or 6.5 speakers should do. The 6 inch subs will not be enough, you can use Clarion or Babb, I have not heard the Bazooka marine yet but I was told they sound good. Personally I like the babbs. You did not state the configuration of your amps 2 channel or 4 channel. Subs Polyplanar or Clarion. They sound good and they come with grills most manufacturers have not figured out the marine speakers need nice looking grills to go with their product as the subs are very rarely concealed. I hope this helps, Forrest

jayl13

marine components are spec'd for the environment, but i have done like you are suggesting, using car audio equipment that i currently own. i have had good luck so far (4 years in this boat, 3 years with other equip in previous boat) if you could sell what you own to buy marine, then maybe, if you have the cash, go marine, otherwise what do you have to lose, use the equipment you have. I boat in fresh water and that probably makes the biggest difference.

my sony car amp (80wx2) is in my shirt closet (formula 272 sr1)
sony head unit with preamp output in cabin
sony diskman velcro'd to the helm when in use. (can change cd's safely while driving, trolling out the channel.)
2 cerwin vega three ways in gunwhales near bolsters.
plan to buy another amp, and subs in small boxes for when the gunwhale doors are opened. don't want to cut up the formula .
my previous boat (211 liberator) had a pair of 12" car subs (poly, not paper cones) cut into the rear bench support, and a 250x2 amp.
should have kept them. the boat rocked!

my $0.02

My 10 inch subs are poly (pioneer)
I just did not know how they would hold up in damn boating conditions
The amps and head unit would be down below in cabin so I would figure they would last a few years just imperative that I have a remote for the helm.
most of the boat is plywood backing under the vinyl stuff so cutting small holes for 6x9's or 5x7's should not be a big issue and wiring, no biggie either really, the gunwhales are easy to tuck stuff up underneath and wiretie
Might have to visit best buy or someplace to get a new head unit and trim ring
Any cd players (din) have multi disk changers in them these days?
Maybe I should talk to AudioFN on this???
Thanks for the input
Jason
ps 1 amp is coustic 4 channel 350w
second amp is planet audio 500w 2 channel (sub amp)
had the planet audio pushing the 2 subs (10 inch pioneers) in my pickup truck before I sold it and man did they thump
Im not looking to have this bass machine either like the ricer cars
Just want to enjoy the music over the sound of the twins once in a while
the coustic is okay nothing great like a Fozgate but it should work just fine (boat cockpit is not the most acoustically perfect spot either being open)
i was thinking 2 6x9's down below, 2 5x7's in gunwhales, 2 subs in rear seat support and maybe 2x 4-5 inch in v berth (i think there are 2 there already cant remember)
Jason

I would not want the pioneers to rust and bleed on your interior. You did not give a budget but I would still consider the polyplanars or the clarions for subs. If you want to save so money and the system should sound good use the infinity marine or the clarions. If you do not mind spending some money on speakers buy the babbs as you will never have to replace them. Your amps should be fine. As far as amps go I do not use the marine amps for customers as i can not get the power they require. I use PPI because of the regulated power supply. Forrest

i use waterproof baffles with non-marine speakers in areas where water/moisture will not directly hit the speaker.
-the baffles protect the spider/tinsels from ambiant moisture
-poly cones, other than sounding better than paper, also do not absorb moisture like paper cones would

for subs i use a sealed box to protect the rear-magnet, voice coil, etc- and the cones i assume will hold up
-speakers are in a recessed enclosure under rear bench, so that way splahes that come over the side do no hit the speakers

all i fresh water though

now my question, how important is it to put the amps in the cabin. with a 25' cabin space is limited

First off as I remeber from Biggus's boat you have a kind of stack deal in that boat. So you will have to make a plate to fill the space. As far as Marine Vs. Car. I am a salt water guy. So I can speak for salt environment that you are in. Will your car stuff last for a while? Ya probably it will. However the salt air gets into EVERYTHING!!!! Personally I like to do things right and do them once. However I uderstand your aproach hear. Just make sure that what ever you use is not going to stain your interior, and the worste that will happen is you have to replace it. Make sure it is plastic or stainless or alluminum. Anything else will rust and stain your interior!!!

Jon

Game over: Poly cones are actually about the worst cone you can have for sound. Pulpe paper cones are much stiffer pound per pound then polly cones. They are also self damping so they do not resonate. If you look at most really high end speakers they are paper cones. This is due to the fact that paper is self damping. Hope that helps ya a bit. Obviously paper is not an option on a boat :D

You need to keep the amps in the cabin. Audio I know you run into the same problems the marine amps are not up to the job that is becoming a requirement in boats. I never said you could not use non marine speakers that is your choice but there are high quality and great sounding marine speakers on the market. I will not install non marine speakers in a boat as I will end up paying for it when the speaker gets rust stains on the interior. That being said there are some speaker manufacturers that have polymer frames that do not rust and will not ruin your interior.(MB Quart) and there are others. Forrest

guess i've been straigtened out. thought i remember reading that poly was better than paper somewhere? maybe not