Budget stereo?

[swatski]

Does the amp hook to the swim deck stereo or the connects system?

2015-2018 240s have the Polk stereo unit under the helm/dash - to connect amps (or equalizer, such as WS420).
For example: https://jetboaters.net/threads/2016-ar240-budget-stereo-upgrade.7719/

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[Marvin willis]

Thank you

 

[Jgorm]

I have a rockville amp powering the sub in my boat. So far so good. I have lots of jl stuff in many different vehicles and i can't tell the difference. I'm building a "budget" stereo in my sxs.
Jvc deck, kicker 6x9s, RV amped sub, and the RV rdm18 mini amp for under 400 bucks. I laughed when i heard jl and budget in the same thread. My jl 6x9 pair cost almost as much as this entire system.

Best bang for the buck is to add an amp to the stock system. Upgrade the speakers next. Then add a sub and tower speakers with more amps. It can spiral into thousands of dollars very quickly.

 

[swatski]

I have a rockville amp powering the sub in my boat. So far so good. I have lots of jl stuff in many different vehicles and i can't tell the difference. I'm building a "budget" stereo in my sxs.
Jvc deck, kicker 6x9s, RV amped sub, and the RV rdm18 mini amp for under 400 bucks. I laughed when i heard jl and budget in the same thread. My jl 6x9 pair cost almost as much as this entire system.

Best bang for the buck is to add an amp to the stock system. Upgrade the speakers next. Then add a sub and tower speakers with more amps. It can spiral into thousands of dollars very quickly.

Let me add something here.

There is no point of putting an amp behind the Seaworthy (OEM) speakers in AR240s. Zero purpose of amplifying those, as those speakers are actually worthless.

The Polk DB651s or whatever those are called now are like $50 a pair and pretty decent quality for budget stereo. Will not last in salt environment but in fresh water that is by far the best budget speaker direct replacement for OEM that we know of. They can be amplified with anything but micro amps class D like the Clarion xc1410 are great as they have enough power, reliability, and won't drain the batteries too quickly.

The JLs are pretty much tried and true in marine environment, so saving a couple hundred bucks may not become actual savings over few short years in salt.

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[the MfM]

So you would pick the Rockville over clarion? I like the clarion for its tiny size but the Rockville has a ton of power. I just want it to last more than one season.

Read the Rockville thread

https://jetboaters.net/threads/audio-bargain-or-flea-market-junk-rockville-audio.17392/

 

[Peelz]

budget stereo... I'm all about it!

-JBL MA6004 320watt 4 channel amp. (discontinued?)

-amp is driving two kicker 6.5"speakers in either helm

-the rear channels are bridged and driving a Rockford 10"

-stereo is Pioneer car stereo....works

-up front, Two unamplified Kenwood 6.5 marine speakers driven by the head unit.

-I have a switch for the amp, to shut it off, and Use just fronts if just sitting, relaxing.

-think I paid 250-300$ for the lot, including a wiring kit.

-5th season on it...?

-wont win sound contests, but is plenty loud when I'm cruising along at 30mph. definitely good value.

 

[swatski]

budget stereo... I'm all about it!

-JBL MA6004 320watt 4 channel amp. (discontinued?)

-amp is driving two kicker 6.5"speakers in either helm

-the rear channels are bridged and driving a Rockford 10"

-stereo is Pioneer car stereo....works

-up front, Two unamplified Kenwood 6.5 marine speakers driven by the head unit.

-I have a switch for the amp, to shut it off, and Use just fronts if just sitting, relaxing.

-think I paid 250-300$ for the lot, including a wiring kit.

-5th season on it...?

-wont win sound contests, but is plenty loud when I'm cruising along at 30mph. definitely good value.

Man, basically you are like everybody wife's dream, lol.
Smart.

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[Peelz]

Man, basically you are like everybody wife's dream, lol.
Smart.

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my household is different than the standard stereotype... shed be totally fine with a huge stereo.

next boat will have one.

 

[Cambo]

My old boat... I was concerned that it wouldn't hold up in a salt water environment . Only issue was the wires that connected the tower speakers disintegrated 10 years of use . I switched to landscape wire no more issues . This thing was super loud and sounded great the eq was mounted in a water proof stereo holder by the dash this helps balance out the tower and cabin speakers and allows control of the bass due to recordings being so different. My buddies JL audio system did sound slightly better sitting on the sand but cost 5x the price

2 Hiphonics used amps from craigs list $200 added a third later on

2 used alpine r10 sub woofer in an enclosure 75.00

1/2 din EQ to balance out cabin and tower speakers and have aux input $30

Polk speakers in the cabin 60 per pair

bazooka tubbies front and rear firing 400 I had a few pairs one will work

cables and rca and distribution block

JL audio will sound great in a car but when these boats are running the back round noise cancels out the sound clarity

 

[redthumper9]

@Marvin willis ..... Since you are a fellow eastern NC owner and you are in the same saltwater I am, let me chime in. Typically I'd recommend the Polk dB speakers if you are on a tight budget, but they simply don't hold up as well in the salt environment. Go with JL MX650's or Wetsounds REVO the first time. Our boats do benefit heavily from adding a pair mid cabin, but you can add that later if you feel you need to. You may get lucky with non marine amps or lower end stuff, but I've been through a lot of different equipment in the past 8 years or so, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd start with the good stuff the first time and add as I could afford.

 

[afsigma21]

I have a Rockville 800w on my boat powering 6 speakers and a sub and I am VERY happy with it, it was not expensive and is plenty for our needs.

 

[Marvin willis]

I have a Rockville 800w on my boat powering 6 speakers and a sub and I am VERY happy with it, it was not expensive and is plenty for our needs.

How old is it?

 

[the MfM]

I have a Rockville 800w on my boat powering 6 speakers and a sub and I am VERY happy with it, it was not expensive and is plenty for our needs.

I have the same amp.

It’s good and I’d likely say the same. But it failed after a couple weeks and I had to scrape black goo of an undetermined origin off the circuit board to get it working again.

The warranty was useless as when I called them they said it would be more or less all summer before I got it fixed/replaced.

 

[afsigma21]

I installed it in August 2017 and used it partial season last year and all season this year, no issues. (About 60 hours on boat) I did run 4 gauge power and ground all the way to the battery. Mounted it in the compartment behind steering wheel.
212 Ltd S

 

[Drift Away]

Man, basically you are like everybody wife's dream, lol.
Smart.

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Until he parks next to someone with a full JL or wetsounds set up and he has to turn it off cause he cant hear it anymore.

 

[Marvin willis]

Last question before I start purchasing If I change out all the stock speakers with nice speakers will the be powerful to hear outside the boat without tower speakers or swim deck speakers. My wife isn’t too happy I wanted to cut holes in a boat we haven’t even been out on yet.

 

[BlkGS]

I have Rockford speakers running off my HU right now. You can hear them outside the boat... but not well. I havent installed my amps yet so I can't comment on how theyd work with more power.

 

[Marvin willis]

I put 6 kickers in the boat without a amp. Love the sound. Super happy

 

[Julian]

There is no point of putting an amp behind the Seaworthy (OEM) speakers in AR240s. Zero purpose of amplifying those, as those speakers are actually worthless.

I totally agree....those Seaworthy speakers are just that .... worthy of going in the sea! Even my wife heard the difference between them and Polks....and she's the type who rolls her eyes when you ask her to listen to the difference between one speaker and another. When I tried Polks vs Seaworthy speakers side by side I had to get my wife out to the boat to see if it was eye roll worthy.....WINNER....it wasn't....she's like "Man...those speakers suck...even I can tell you that!" LOL