Starting my sound system update journey. Please bear with all the questions that will follow

[Julian]

Well. After reading tons of threads and was watching some YT vids my mind is still a jumbled mess. I plan to do a stepwise approach mostly due to funds.

My first question, how do I find out how my boat is wired? I don't think I've seen a 2018 LSE post . I'm confused because some other LSE posts tall about a factory amp. I'm almost certain I don't have one.

Back to your original question....I was going to say you definitely have an amp, but then I pulled up the schematics and it doesn't appear that you do:



Looks like one (Fusion?) head unit with 6 speakers (Bow, Cabin and Swim platform). Looks like that HU is 4 channel, so Yamaha ran some speakers in series. I would be looking at the wiring and determining (based on their printed labels on the wires) which are in series, add one 4 channel amp (or a 5 channel for a sub too), take one pair of speakers out of series, add one pair of speakers at the helm, and potentially add a sub (depends on your budget).

I do like the JL 650s over the Polks and have been replacing them slowly in my boat.

 

[tabbibus]

Back to your original question....I was going to say you definitely have an amp, but then I pulled up the schematics and it doesn't appear that you do:

View attachment 177718

Looks like one (Fusion?) head unit with 6 speakers (Bow, Cabin and Swim platform). Looks like that HU is 4 channel, so Yamaha ran some speakers in series. I would be looking at the wiring and determining (based on their printed labels on the wires) which are in series, add one 4 channel amp (or a 5 channel for a sub too), take one pair of speakers out of series, add one pair of speakers at the helm, and potentially add a sub (depends on your budget).

I do like the JL 650s over the Polks and have been replacing them slowly in my boat.

Thanks man. So yeah. I looked at wiring. Stern and cockpit are in series. Bow and shitty tower tweeters are in series as well.

Would the MX280/4 be too puny? Vs the MX500/4

 

[Julian]

I've be visiting your neighbor and taking this stuff off his hands if he hasn't already sold it!

https://jetboaters.net/threads/jl-audio-equipment-complete-set-up-atlanta-ga-area.36694/

I came so close to buying it all....but I already have 3 amps!!!! My boss would kill me!

 

[tabbibus]

^^ I would go with the Kicker's over the M3s all day long. Save some money for similar speaker.

Hey brother which kicker would you suggest to compete vs Polk and the JL650? Nothing too fancy

 

[tabbibus]

I've be visiting your neighbor and taking this stuff off his hands if he hasn't already sold it!
A

https://jetboaters.net/threads/jl-audio-equipment-complete-set-up-atlanta-ga-area.36694/

I came so close to buying it all....but I already have 3 amps!!!! My boss would kill me!

Nice. I messaged him. Old post tho

 

[jthackman]

i put 4 sets of these in my boat...great price and i think they sound great

Kicker 6.5" White Marine Speakers (QTY-4) 2 pairs of OEM replacement speakers

This package contains two pairs of Kicker 6.5 Inch KM OEM Marine Speakers with white grilles These speakers do not come with a retail box or other accessorie...

creativeaudio.net

 

[tabbibus]

i put 4 sets of these in my boat...great price and i think they sound great

Kicker 6.5" White Marine Speakers (QTY-4) 2 pairs of OEM replacement speakers

This package contains two pairs of Kicker 6.5 Inch KM OEM Marine Speakers with white grilles These speakers do not come with a retail box or other accessorie...

creativeaudio.net

Oh my. These look sturdier than the polks and about the same price

 

[212s]

I was set on the polk DB 652, great price on amazon. But started to look at the JL MX650 a bit and may do these. But I just noticed that the JLs are rated 60 W RMS, vs 100 for the polks!

The Polks are 60w RMS 100w peak...confirmed by Polk technical support. The advertising shows 100/300 and so does the box, but apparently it's wrong or relates to peak and max power levels.

Does this make a bid difference in real world?

Not at all...about 2.5dB louder which is barely audible. In the real world the main thing is having a solid 50w or more of clean power to get the woofers moving.

As stated above right now I'm between the JL MX240/4 or the MX500/4 amps to drive a total of 8 speakers. If I buy the 650s I would go with 1 or 2 pairs of these in the cabin (zone1), and leave polks at the bow and stern (zone 2).Thoughts?

The JL's are cleaner with better defined mid-bass and smoother mids and highs. They do sound nicer, but unless you're after LED lights or have a finely tuned ear, or boating in saltwater, you don't necessarily need to spend the extra for them. The Polks are pretty good sounding speakers and I'm an audiophile. If we lived in Florida with year-round boating, I'd get the JL's for the extra durability and better sound. But for our 5+ months of boating weather up here, it's not really worth it for us.

If the Polks fail down the road, I'll upgrade to JL's...but I just don't need them right now.

 

[212s]

Hey brother which kicker would you suggest to compete vs Polk and the JL650? Nothing too fancy

Between Kicker and Polk, I prefer the sound of the Polk better. But the Kicker is more marine oriented with it's construction. The JL's are better than both.

 

[212s]

Would the MX280/4 be too puny? Vs the MX500/4

The 280/4 has plenty of power and reserve for dynamic power, well over 50w/ch. If you're going to do mid-cabins for a total of 8 speakers, I would suggest you go with a pair of 280/4 and drive each speaker directly, and leave the tweeters wired to the head unit as it doesn't need much power. The advantage of using two amps allows each channel to drive to full power with reserve headroom and greater damping factor at 4 ohms. This helps to contribute to better mid-bass punch.

This also means you don't need to wire in fuses or breakers as the 280/4 has inline fuses, which saves you money, time and hassle. The 500/4 and most other similar amps require you to wire in a 50 amp fuse.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

On the Crutchfield website there is a box you can check within each speaker that will allow you to compare the sound from different speakers. I have no idea if it’s accurate but it’s interesting none the less.

 

[RNYCLV]

i put 4 sets of these in my boat...great price and i think they sound great

Kicker 6.5" White Marine Speakers (QTY-4) 2 pairs of OEM replacement speakers

This package contains two pairs of Kicker 6.5 Inch KM OEM Marine Speakers with white grilles These speakers do not come with a retail box or other accessorie...

creativeaudio.net

how was creative audio to work with? I have some speakers in the cart but havent pulled the trigger yet

 

[adrianp89]

Hey brother which kicker would you suggest to compete vs Polk and the JL650? Nothing too fancy

Since saving they money I would go with the LED model.

KICKER | 2018 KM654 LED Coaxial

KICKER produces high-performance car audio, vehicle specific solutions, marine audio, home and personal audio, and power sports products since 1973.

kicker.com

 

[jthackman]

creative is great..
i've ordered a few times from them...good prices, free koozies, fast shipping

 

[RNYCLV]

creative is great..
i've ordered a few times from them...good prices, free koozies, fast shipping

If I go with the LED option over the non, is there extra wiring required do you know....not a big audio guy still learning the ins and outs...the wife and kids want LED but I'm not the greatest with wiring.

 

[jthackman]

yes, and you need to purchase a controller.
i actually bought the led models...just haven't wired up the lights yet.

 

[84rzv500r]

yep i have 6 x 6.5 kickers and 1 x 10" Kicker 4 ohm free air sub a JVC head and a Pyle 3000W peak 8 channel bridged 6+1... and SXM Sat radio piped into the the AUX on the JVC form my Garmin (out of cell range)... and BT from the iPad... I'm happy... Blond Beach Barbie is happy... Life is good..

 

[RNYCLV]

yes, and you need to purchase a controller.
i actually bought the led models...just haven't wired up the lights yet.

So I should just pull the trigger on the LED models and can hook up after the fact ....I do not need to have the controller set up for them to work

 

[toddaltpeter]

Would the MX280/4 be too puny? Vs the MX500/4

Just completed an install of a single JL MX280/4 to go with the 4 Kicker 45KM604WL that I installed last year in an AR190. Still using the cheap Jenson head unit. All in, I was below $500 for the 4 speakers and the amp. Probably added about another $100 bucks of Wire/Connectors/Etc.

At 50% volume I can clearly hear music over the engine at 6,000 RPM which was my desired result. With 2 of these and 4 more speakers, you will have more than enough for most people! One thing I did that I really liked was I bought this Molex connector which was the same as what was used in my 190. I made a wiring harness that connected the amp to the speakers and the other 1/2 to the power/Ground and remote from the radio. That way if there is any issue I can just unplug and restore back to stock. I didn't have to cut a single wire in the stock setup. I did have to run power wires to for the LED's and I wired them to the courtesy light switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SXZD5M/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_5R6ZQ76FYT2Z35SVDPHX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[RNYCLV]

Just completed an install of a single JL MX280/4 to go with the 4 Kicker 45KM604WL that I installed last year in an AR190. Still using the cheap Jenson head unit. All in, I was below $500 for the 4 speakers and the amp. Probably added about another $100 bucks of Wire/Connectors/Etc.

At 50% volume I can clearly hear music over the engine at 6,000 RPM which was my desired result. With 2 of these and 4 more speakers, you will have more than enough for most people! One thing I did that I really liked was I bought this Molex connector which was the same as what was used in my 190. I made a wiring harness that connected the amp to the speakers and the other 1/2 to the power/Ground and remote from the radio. That way if there is any issue I can just unplug and restore back to stock. I didn't have to cut a single wire in the stock setup. I did have to run power wires to for the LED's and I wired them to the courtesy light switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SXZD5M/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_5R6ZQ76FYT2Z35SVDPHX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

View attachment 177723

was it difficult going to the courtesy switch?