Easiest way to add/amplify music at the helm

[FloJet]

Mounting the subs into the fiberglass or gunwale will make it difficult to isolate any vibrations or rattling. All the wiring, bolts, screws, and other details all sit back there along side port and star. The vibration is traveling thru the hull and all, so I think it's like chasing a needle in a haystack. Would be alot of work to isolate and contain.

 

[fraserjr]

OK, so with the warm weather here over the past few days I was able to get back out and finish up the install. All of the speakers are working and the amp is all wired up but as you can see I still need to clean up some of the wires. Here is a pictures of the compartment with the batteries and amp. A question though, it is idiotic for me to put the amp right next to the batteries? I like that it is on the slidable tray and would be out of the way but don't want heat to be an issue for either the batteries or the amp. Let me know what you think.

Also, when testing the speakers it seemed like I had to get the volume up to about 80% before it got "loud" then it seemed to be exponential after that. 50% and below seemed like the speakers were pretty quiet and 25% it was like they were barely on. Does that seem right?

 

[Mainah]

The pre amp on these headunits sucks. There is a loudness setting or something similar in the head unit settings. Turn that on and that should fix your gain issue.

 

[fraserjr]

The pre amp on these headunits sucks. There is a loudness setting or something similar in the head unit settings. Turn that on and that should fix your gain issue.

OK, I tried it with the loudness on and off. I will leave it on and see if it makes a difference. Should I mess with the level or frequency settings on the amp at all?

 

[FloJet]

What kind of amp are you using? Sounds like it's under powered? Remember you are trying to match the voltage reading of you headunit to the amp. Would help you can tell us how your amp is set up. What are the features of the amp. In my opinion I would never mount an amp or sub next to your batteries.

 

[FloJet]

Yes frequency matters too. high/low pass.

 

[FloJet]

If properly powered and tuned right, loundness is not required and that actually might introduce distortion. But that really matters in how hard you are pushing the amp too. Keep everything flat on the connect. You should be able to go to 95% volume without distortion. But that all depends if you are using bluetooth, aux in, usb and the source of music it's coming from. Just too many variables.

 

[fraserjr]

What kind of amp are you using? Sounds like it's under powered? Remember you are trying to match the voltage reading of you headunit to the amp. Would help you can tell us how your amp is set up. What are the features of the amp. In my opinion I would never mount an amp or sub next to your batteries.

I am using a MB Quart NA540.6 with 6 speakers (6 x 60 @ 4 Ohms) which matches the 60 watt Polk DB651's it is powering.

And noted on the amp next to the batteries.

 

[fraserjr]

If properly powered and tuned right, loundness is not required and that actually might introduce distortion. But that really matters in how hard you are pushing the amp too. Keep everything flat on the connect. You should be able to go to 95% volume without distortion. But that all depends if you are using bluetooth, aux in, usb and the source of music it's coming from. Just too many variables.

I had it all the way up to 100% and only had barely discernible distortion. At 95% there was none.

 

[Drift Away]

OK, so with the warm weather here over the past few days I was able to get back out and finish up the install. All of the speakers are working and the amp is all wired up but as you can see I still need to clean up some of the wires. Here is a pictures of the compartment with the batteries and amp. A question though, it is idiotic for me to put the amp right next to the batteries? I like that it is on the slidable tray and would be out of the way but don't want heat to be an issue for either the batteries or the amp. Let me know what you think.

Also, when testing the speakers it seemed like I had to get the volume up to about 80% before it got "loud" then it seemed to be exponential after that. 50% and below seemed like the speakers were pretty quiet and 25% it was like they were barely on. Does that seem right?

View attachment 50942

The only issue you may run into with placing the amp that far back because running your RCA jacks and if they run next to anything that carries power you make it a hum through the speakers. Not 100% sure why but I had something to do with the insulation on either the power wire or the RCA jack. As far as it not being very loud until it's turned up I have the same thing going on with my boat it's the way the amp is tuned might need to turn the gain up but then you're running the risk of over powering your speakers. I have a guy coming tomorrow to put my other 600 watt 6 channel JL amp and my boat I'll send you some pictures of where I'm out in mind. The one 6 channel jail if I have right now is mounted behind the helm and the other one will go right next to it so there's a very short run for the RCA jack.

 

[FloJet]

Well to be honest @fraserjr I believe those speakers are being under powered. First without putting a multimeter on your amp to see how much voltage is coming from them, it hard to say if you are really getting 60 watts to each channel. If that amp is rated for 14.2v than no you are not and won't get that until you get on the water and get the charging system to get voltage up. One reason I went with JL as that's rated down to 11.4 or so. Also turning gain up doesn't always mean better power. A gain is to match voltage sensitivity not wattage. So get the volts and then can calculate to see what the wattage is.

 

[FloJet]

My amps behind the helm. I will clean up the wiring this spring.

 

[FloJet]

Batteries only in the compartment

 

[FloJet]

If you feel like the amp setting is good, play with the high pass filter. Not sure what you are using for mids and bass but I would set those DBs to nothing less than 100-120 high pass. That will take out the any thing lower which can give you more volume as it don't have to work so hard for the mid bass to bass. You can set the subwoofer's amp to low pass at whatever cut off under the high pass. Be careful to not distort them so you don't destroy your equipment. 100-90 low pass on sub should be a good starting point.

 

[fraserjr]

If you feel like the amp setting is good, play with the high pass filter. Not sure what you are using for mids and bass but I would set those DBs to nothing less than 100-120 high pass. That will take out the any thing lower which can give you more volume as it don't have to work so hard for the mid bass to bass. You can set the subwoofer's amp to low pass at whatever cut off under the high pass. Be careful to not distort them so you don't destroy your equipment. 100-90 low pass on sub should be a good starting point.

No sub yet, but I will keep this advice in mind for if (when) I add one. I guess I will need to go back out and test the voltage draw on the amp. I couldn't find the stat in any of the MB Quart literature. Also, I assume that when the boat is running purely off the batteries, we won't see 14.2v but more like 12v correct? But maybe that wouldn't matter as much since the loudness is more to overcome the sound of the engines. I doubt I would need to have the speakers about 80% while at anchor.

Also the reason the amp is in the battery compartment, is that is where the head unit is located in my boat. I figured it made sense to run all the speaker wires and RCA's from there rather then back to the helm. That would also require a much shorter power run from the batteries to the amp.

@Drift Away the RCA's are only running about 2-3' to the head unit since it is located in the battery compartment. I also have it running over and behind the amp, so hopefully it they should be getting any hum. I didn't hear any when I was testing anyway, but I will listen more closely the next time I am out.

 

[FloJet]

Correct you will see 12.3-12.6~ volts when the boat is not running. With the Connext, you should be able to start getting good volume at 75%. If you are getting loud volume at 80% you have the amp turned up too high. Shoot for best volume around 85-90. I can max out at 95% for subs 100% for highs/mids but I don't go higher than 92% to keep me in the safe zone at all times.

In regards to the amp in the battery compartment, it's just not signal noise you will have to worry about. Batteries need proper venting or gassing or they could cause problems. You don't want to damage your amps from this. I'm not saying it will for sure, but better safe than sorry. There might be too much humdity in the area while playing and could be a problem later on. Too many electric issues with that kind of setup too.

Don't worry so much about cable runs if you get big enough wires. Try running 0 awg wire to a distribution box than from there run power to your amps with smalller wiring. But really if you don't have a sub you could get away with 2 or 4 awg wires as you main power cables. But I always say for the main run go the biggest the budget will allow as it leaves you room for upgrades later down the road without having to run new power wiring when you decide to add more equipment like a subwoofer.

 

[K.C.]

Great reads here. I plan on adding an amp and two speakers this spring. I had planned on putting the speakers on the wakeboard tower, but after reading here I'm re-considering. We pull kids on the tube and stuff, but we do more cruising than watersports (so far). Any opinions on choice between 4 cabin + 2 tower versus 6 cabin speakers?

 

[swatski]

Great reads here. I plan on adding an amp and two speakers this spring. I had planned on putting the speakers on the wakeboard tower, but after reading here I'm re-considering. We pull kids on the tube and stuff, but we do more cruising than watersports (so far). Any opinions on choice between 4 cabin + 2 tower versus 6 cabin speakers?

@K.C. Welcome!
I'm debating the same! same boat as yours. I'm leaning towards 6 cabin - using @fraserjr placements (in black side panels). Also may add 2 in the transom.
I've just mounted a controller for my trim tabs and had to cut a hole in one of those black panels - found out those are MUCH thinner than the white fiberglass interior, and very easy to penetrate, which is not a deciding factor but a bonus.

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[swatski]

Great reads here. I plan on adding an amp and two speakers this spring. I had planned on putting the speakers on the wakeboard tower, but after reading here I'm re-considering. We pull kids on the tube and stuff, but we do more cruising than watersports (so far). Any opinions on choice between 4 cabin + 2 tower versus 6 cabin speakers?

Also check out @Drift Away awesome install - towerless!
https://jetboaters.net/threads/jl-audio-upgrades-finally-done.12239/
My plan is to go with Polk 651 DBs though, don't have the kind of money to put 8 JL 7.7s in the cabin, LOL.

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[K.C.]

Also check out @Drift Away awesome install - towerless!
https://jetboaters.net/threads/jl-audio-upgrades-finally-done.12239/
My plan is to go with Polk 651 DBs though, don't have the kind of money to put 8 JL 7.7s in the cabin, LOL.

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Thanks for the info Swat, I'm leaning toward 6 cabin as well. Have a couple months still to decide before the weather will be good enough to take the boat out anyway . . .