‘24 AR250 Audio Replacement - feedback?

[Erinpatricksmith]

Looking for feedback and experience from y’all. Before I write a big check for this system.

Current plan:

(6) RF M2 6.5” cabin / swim speakers
(1) RF M2 10” DVC subwoofer
(2) HERTZ 4.900 amplifiers (6x160W for 6.5” and bridged 500W to 10” at 2ohm)
HERTZ HMR20 receiver for zone control/signal/BT
RGB controller for speaker lighting
All wiring upgraded and Stinger/Mesa connections

All installed for $6k.

I listened to a boat yesterday with 4 8” RF and a single 900.4 with no sub. Volume and clarity was incredible. Can’t imagine the difference in adding another 900.4, (2) 6.5”and a 10”.

Thoughts?

 

[thedon]

why a 10 ? what type of music do you listen to?

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

We have kids 16, 13 and 7 so we listen to everything - country, pop, Christian rap/hip-hop, etc.

Are you saying it’s too much or too little?

 

[thedon]

We have kids 16, 13 and 7 so we listen to everything - country, pop, Christian rap/hip-hop, etc.

Are you saying it’s too much or too little?

Just a question. I have 2 12” JL subs in my truck and I can’t wait to put a couple in my boat!

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

Do it! 2 12”s would be pretty intense.

I figure I can add more later, like another 10” and 2 towers on a 3-channel amp. But I bet this will be more than enough for our family (yes, I mean my wife lol).

 

[BlueBulls]

For 6k I would want some tower speakers of some kind. I wasn't a believer until I finally sprung for some Rev10's; I had a warranty issue with an amp this summer and the month they were offline it was absolutely a different sound profile and the wife complained the whole time. The big difference is the projection to the rear of the boat - I spend a majority of my boat time floating behind the boat and staring at a blue sky with a beer in my hand - and music is clear and loud literally a thousand feet away while the 4 pairs of Revo6's inside aren't really able to be heard more than a couple of boat lengths away. They are also on a separate zone so I can let my angsty teen daughter hang out inside the boat with the volume a little lower while the Rev10's pump the party out the back.

The kids like to listen to the music on tubes and boards and that would also be impossible without the tower speakers. If you mainly stay inside the boat and nobody does watersports then tower speakers may not add much to the experience. 6x 160w speakers will be more than enough to overpower the engine noise and still be heard floating around fairly close to the boat.

Good call on putting in a new receiver instead of trying to hook up to the Connext.

 

[drober30]

Price seems inline with that high end equipment and labor.

Something to consider is adding a pair of speakers mid-cabin/helm area because you can't hear music while underway without cranking the volume and thus blowing away the passengers.

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

For 6k I would want some tower speakers of some kind. I wasn't a believer until I finally sprung for some Rev10's; I had a warranty issue with an amp this summer and the month they were offline it was absolutely a different sound profile and the wife complained the whole time. The big difference is the projection to the rear of the boat - I spend a majority of my boat time floating behind the boat and staring at a blue sky with a beer in my hand - and music is clear and loud literally a thousand feet away while the 4 pairs of Revo6's inside aren't really able to be heard more than a couple of boat lengths away. They are also on a separate zone so I can let my angsty teen daughter hang out inside the boat with the volume a little lower while the Rev10's pump the party out the back.

The kids like to listen to the music on tubes and boards and that would also be impossible without the tower speakers. If you mainly stay inside the boat and nobody does watersports then tower speakers may not add much to the experience. 6x 160w speakers will be more than enough to overpower the engine noise and still be heard floating around fairly close to the boat.

Good call on putting in a new receiver instead of trying to hook up to the Connext.

Thanks for the great feedback. I absolutely love that your parties stretch 1000’ behind your boat. Mine definitely stay within a couple boat lengths - at least until my kids get older.

My thought is to run this next year, see how it fits us, then next year add a 500W mono RF amp to take on the 10”, and use the the freed-up 2 channels on the Hertz 900.4 to run two tower speakers.

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

Price seems inline with that high end equipment and labor.

Something to consider is adding a pair of speakers mid-cabin/helm area because you can't hear music while underway without cranking the volume and thus blowing away the passengers.

I considered this - and I know that @NoFla21 did an extra set in his and is happy with them. I might be able to fit 8” RF’s in the stern seating area. Which would help. I’m just trying to figure out how to do it all and not totally kill a budget. .

 

[NoFla21]

I considered this - and I know that @NoFla21 did an extra set in his and is happy with them. I might be able to fit 8” RF’s in the stern seating area. Which would help. I’m just trying to figure out how to do it all and not totally kill a budget. .

Keep in mind I initially bought 1 12" sub for mine but my installer said there was no way it would fit in the back storage area where I wanted it. That is why I ended up with 2 10". And the two additional speakers are 100% worth it along with zone control for all the speakers. We decided against the towers for now but could possibly add in the future.

 

[thedon]

Keep in mind I initially bought 1 12" sub for mine but my installer said there was no way it would fit in the back storage area where I wanted it. That is why I ended up with 2 10". And the two additional speakers are 100% worth it along with zone control for all the speakers. We decided against the towers for now but could possibly add in the future.

Wow - no where for a 12" sub in an AR250? that never occurred to me

 

[NoFla21]

I believe someone was able to put a RF in but my JL was way too big.

 

[BlueBulls]

Wow - no where for a 12" sub in an AR250?

This little guy slides perfectly into front pocket of the starboard side rear storage - and still leaves most of the compartment usable. I didn't want to cut another hole for a free-air sub but now have the stock free-air 10" and a sealed 12".

Sorry! Something went wrong!

 

[BlueBulls]

I absolutely love that your parties stretch 1000’ behind your boat.

With great power comes great responsibility - I generally have days off through the week and my wife and I can go hours without seeing another boat come through but like to consider ourselves fairly considerate when sharing the area.

It is nice being able to drown out and run off Pubescent Pete in his daddy's wakeboard boat when needed though.

 

[WiskyDan]

I considered this - and I know that @NoFla21 did an extra set in his and is happy with them. I might be able to fit 8” RF’s in the stern seating area. Which would help. I’m just trying to figure out how to do it all and not totally kill a budget. .

I added a pair of JL 7.7" M3's next to the captain and co-captain seats on my last boat and it helped some while we were underway. Not as much as I had hoped but sound is directional and they were mounted about calf height. The system on my new-to-me boat is being installed this week and I'm adding an extra pair of JL 6.5" M3's by the captain/co-captain seats in addition to JL 6.5" M3's to replace the six stock Polk speakers. Also adding a JL 10" M3 sub and a pair of JL 7.7" tower speakers and a pair of Rockford Fosgate amps to drive it all. If the sound while we're underway still isn't up to snuff I may add a powered WetSounds sound bar on the tower - point it down while we are underway, point towards the stern when we are floating.

 

[WiskyDan]

Keep in mind I initially bought 1 12" sub for mine but my installer said there was no way it would fit in the back storage area where I wanted it. That is why I ended up with 2 10". And the two additional speakers are 100% worth it along with zone control for all the speakers. We decided against the towers for now but could possibly add in the future.

I wish I would have added tower speakers on my last boat. If I wanted to turn up the volume loud enough to enjoy it while I was floating I just about killed anyone left sitting in the boat.

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

With great power comes great responsibility - I generally have days off through the week and my wife and I can go hours without seeing another boat come through but like to consider ourselves fairly considerate when sharing the area.

It is nice being able to drown out and run off Pubescent Pete in his daddy's wakeboard boat when needed though.

Love it man. We have those kids on Lake Erie too. Luckily there’s enough lake to get away from them (most of the time).

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

Looking for feedback and experience from y’all. Before I write a big check for this system.

Current plan:

(6) RF M2 6.5” cabin / swim speakers
(1) RF M2 10” DVC subwoofer
(2) HERTZ 4.900 amplifiers (6x160W for 6.5” and bridged 500W to 10” at 2ohm)
HERTZ HMR20 receiver for zone control/signal/BT
RGB controller for speaker lighting
All wiring upgraded and Stinger/Mesa connections

All installed for $6k.

I listened to a boat yesterday with 4 8” RF and a single 900.4 with no sub. Volume and clarity was incredible. Can’t imagine the difference in adding another 900.4, (2) 6.5”and a 10”.

Thoughts?

Decided to swap the mid-cabin 6.5”s with 8” RF M2’s. They fit great, and can be crossed-over at 40Hz giving more low end than a 6.5”. Should have it powered next week.

 

[adrianp89]

Fair price - I'd be in the 2k range alone just for labor.

 

[Erinpatricksmith]

Fair price - I'd be in the 2k range alone just for labor.

Thanks @adrianp89 - that makes me feel a lot better. They have ~20hrs quoted at $119/hr. I think it’ll take all that time. Great technician that really knows boats.