Proposed Yamaha 242 Limited S E-series audio upgrade

[Kevin M]

@Nick Hughes - I did make most of the changes already, including adding a Polk PAD5000.5 amp and Polk DB1040DVC 10" sub. I powered the platform speakers and tower tweeters off the head unit and the bow, cabin and sub from the new amp. It makes a huge difference. It is hard to believe the stock Polks can sound that good. I was thinking at first that I would have to upgrade them, but I was surprised at how good they sound with the new amp.

@David Decker Where did you put that sub? I am getting ready to pull the trigger on this setup but am nervous about the sub. Any issues?

 

[David Decker]

@Kevin M - I described the install over in another thread, I've quoted it below. No issues with the install.

@ChrisP - I installed my sub today, and also the new 5-channel amp. I ended up selecting the same location as on the 242X.

I measured very carefully before cutting - there is enough clearance behind this spot for a Polk DB1040 sub, but there is not a lot of room to spare. Here is a shot of that area after removing the panel:
View attachment 33842

There is about 6" of space in there at the narrowest point, and the sub is 5 7/16" deep, so there's only about 9/16" gap at the narrowest point:
View attachment 33843

You can also see that the cupholders do not have any drain lines - I plan to add these so the sub doesn't get dripped on.

Here are a couple pictures after the install:
View attachment 33844 View attachment 33846

For those adding amps to 2015 or 2016 242's,note that there are already holes drilled in the panel - I just slit the carpeting and passed the cables though. I installed the amp here on the panel:

View attachment 33847 View attachment 33845

I pulled new cables for the bow speakers and for the cabin speakers. These were quite easy to pull once I figured out that I could pull them in sections and not "all at once".
I pulled the wiring on the port side by popping the port bow seat and running a "fish tape" back to the battery area. I attached the speaker wire onto the fish tape, and pulled it up to the bow.
On the starboard side, I worked from the cooler compartment first, fishing the tape up to the console area. I ran the port side wiring to the starboard side through the front wall of the engine
compartment, using split loom tubing to protect the wire, and zip ties, plastic cable clamps and stainless screws to secure it out of the way.

I still have some additional work to do to finish the install, but got the most difficult parts finished today.

 

[Kevin M]

@David Decker Thank you, nice install! Thank you for the great write up.

 

[Nick Hughes]

@David Decker Where is that wood panel that you reference as already existing? I haven't been able to find that. Was planning to get a slab of starboard and bolt it just below the exist helm electronics. Honestly probably just use a slab of nylon cutting board, but still.

 

[OperationROL]

@Nick Hughes - Take a look at what I just did in my 2015 242 Limited S:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/keep-the-mods-coming-living-vicariously-through-many-of-you.5411/page-2#post-152773

 

[David Decker]

@David Decker Where is that wood panel that you reference as already existing? I haven't been able to find that. Was planning to get a slab of starboard and bolt it just below the exist helm electronics. Honestly probably just use a slab of nylon cutting board, but still.

The panel is the "forward bulkhead" under the rear seat on the port side, next to the batteries. This is where the Polk head unit is mounted in my 242.

 

[OperationROL]

The panel is the "forward bulkhead" under the rear seat on the port side, next to the batteries. This is where the Polk head unit is mounted in my 242.

Ahh, now this makes sense. In the 2015 242 LS the HU is in the helm compartment.

 

[Nick Hughes]

@Nick Hughes - Take a look at what I just did in my 2015 242 Limited S:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/keep-the-mods-coming-living-vicariously-through-many-of-you.5411/page-2#post-152773

Looks great. I'm still waiting to pull the trigger on my order. Trying to justify the JL Audio amps. I know you probably can't compare, but is there any way you could justify the JL Audio amp over the JBL and Polk amps? Polk is 300, JBL is 100. JL Audio m6/600 can be had for 400-500, so thats 1000 compared to 400. Do I Bring Out Another Thousand?

 

[OperationROL]

If you can afford it go JL all day! I got the JBL for under $100 so thought that it would hold me over for now since it is pushing speakers I will rarely use (bow & swim platform). I eventually will switch it out for another Polk. I will not upgrade the amps to JL's unless I swap out all the Polk 651 speakers to something that handles higher wattage like some 6 X 9's. I believe I can adequately power the 651's wth the Polk amp. However, when I get my tower speakers, I will push them with a Wetsounds HT-4, which will give me 300 watts per speaker.

 

[Nick Hughes]

If you can afford it go JL all day! I got the JBL for under $100 so thought that it would hold me over for now since it is pushing speakers I will rarely use (bow & swim platform). I eventually will switch it out for another Polk. I will not upgrade the amps to JL's unless I swap out all the Polk 651 speakers to something that handles higher wattage like some 6 X 9's. I believe I can adequately power the 651's wth the Polk amp. However, when I get my tower speakers, I will push them with a Wetsounds HT-4, which will give me 300 watts per speaker.

Good call, i do plan to switch out the Polks eventually, so JL Audio it is. The price of their amps has been dropping for some reason lately.

 

[OperationROL]

Good call, i do plan to switch out the Polks eventually, so JL Audio it is. The price of their amps has been dropping for some reason lately.

You will not regret it. I bet, I will eventually go to 6X9's and therefore have to update the amp as well.

 

[Jace LaValle]

I'm trying to do a very simple upgrade. I would like to add a 4 channel amp and keep the stock wiring but the series and parallel is throwing me off. Does this mean the bow and tweeters are presenting a 2ohm load. And the cabin and swim platform are a 8ohm load? That doesn't even make sense to run it like that. But would explain why the tweeters are so loud.

 

[David Decker]

@Jace LaValle - yes, the bow speakers and tweeter crossovers+tweeters (not only the tweeters) are wired in parallel, but the effective impedance seen by the amp will depend on frequency. All the bass goes up to the bow for example (because it would damage the tower tweeters). So at low frequencies, the impedance will be close to 4 ohms. However, at high frequencies, the two sets of tweeters are effectively in parallel, so the impedance is then closer to 2 ohms.

Your reasoning for the cabin and swim platform speakers is correct - they are wired in series at the factory, and the amp will see a (more or less) consistent load of 8 ohms.

I don't know why Yamaha decided to wire the cabin and swim platform speakers in series -- it was also a surprise to me. Just guessing here, but maybe they found it put too much stress on the stock Polk amp to have them wired in parallel and they thought it might cause warranty claims for blown amps?

 

[Jeffrey]

Hey guys. Which wiring harness did you use to isolate the speaker wires? I saw the slampaks have one included, but I couldn't figure out the model number to order it separately. I'm replacing all 8 speakers (2016 242 Limited S E-Series) and adding an amp & sub, but will still use the factory wires for the tweeters/bow speakers in parallel. I guess I could find them in the bundle, but would rather not cut if I don't have to in case I need to put it all back some day. Thanks!

 

[JasonSchoenrock]

@Jace LaValle were you able to do your 'simple upgrade'? Can you provide details of what you did? I am looking to do the same type of thing, but really don't want to rewire the entire boat. Just looking to get a little more power to the existing speakers.

 

[fraserjr]

Hey guys. Which wiring harness did you use to isolate the speaker wires? I saw the slampaks have one included, but I couldn't figure out the model number to order it separately. I'm replacing all 8 speakers (2016 242 Limited S E-Series) and adding an amp & sub, but will still use the factory wires for the tweeters/bow speakers in parallel. I guess I could find them in the bundle, but would rather not cut if I don't have to in case I need to put it all back some day. Thanks!

I would like to know this too!

 

[Drift Away]

Have you made these proposed changes yet? Im considering something similar. Add a JL Audio M600/6, power the tweeters and swim platforms off the existing head unit, channels 1-4 to the cockpit speakers, channels 5-6 for a 10" IB3 sub. Really trying to justify if adding the amp will really bring the stock Polks to life.

Might want to put a little more power to your swim platform speakers. There is a huge diff between what an amp will make them sound like vs just the head unit power. I am pushing 6 JL 6.5 and a JL 10" off my JL 6 channel amp. Santa wife got me a pair of 7.7, another 10" speaker box and another 6 channel JL amp . The only thing i need to get will be another JL MX10.

 

[Drift Away]

Looks great. I'm still waiting to pull the trigger on my order. Trying to justify the JL Audio amps. I know you probably can't compare, but is there any way you could justify the JL Audio amp over the JBL and Polk amps? Polk is 300, JBL is 100. JL Audio m6/600 can be had for 400-500, so thats 1000 compared to 400. Do I Bring Out Another Thousand?

JL audio has a very low draw battery. I have cranked mine for 3 or 4 hours at about 3/4 volume and never had any issue with it pulling to much or having to start the boat to charge it up. Once i add my 2nd 6 channel amp it might be a diff story.

 

[Waveweaver]

The only thing I wish I had done with the 8 speakers on my boat is to install an EQ/Fader so I could more discreetly control the volume at each pair of speakers. In both your options, front to rear fading looks to be less than useful. If you ever put full tower cans in, you might want to do it then.

Looks like you should have plenty of power....just wonder if those tiny tower tweeters can handle 50w?

Ok so what EQ/Fader would you have selected. I'm trying to make decisions by tonight on tower speakers with an amp to eventually add a sub (maybe 2). I have a '17, 242 LTD S. Currently, 6 factory (sucky) Polk audios, and tower tweeters (not sure how to isolate the lows out of those). Not sure wether to run all new amperage to all speakers or keep factory amp and add amp for towers+subs??? So exhausted researching and trying to decide.

 

[Julian]

Ok so what EQ/Fader would you have selected. I'm trying to make decisions by tonight on tower speakers with an amp to eventually add a sub (maybe 2). I have a '17, 242 LTD S. Currently, 6 factory (sucky) Polk audios, and tower tweeters (not sure how to isolate the lows out of those). Not sure wether to run all new amperage to all speakers or keep factory amp and add amp for towers+subs??? So exhausted researching and trying to decide.

Everyone I've seen put one in has been the wetsounds 420.