Stereo/ Subwoofer Recommendations AR SX 230 2005

[chesbay007]

Looking to upgrade the audio on my 2005 AR 230 and need recommendations. I have the amplifier purchased which is a JL Audio m600/6. I am have narrowed the speakers down to the Polk UM651mm, WetSounds XS650 and JL Audio MX650's. Waiting for a good deal on one of those and will pull the trigger. I really need recommendations on which stereo receiver is the best option for this boat. I need the head unit that goes in the passenger glove box and two remotes for helm and swim platform. I am looking for a unit that will offer built in bluetooth, 3 zone controls and marine grade. Lastly, I am looking for a sub woofer recommendations. I was looking at the 10" Bazooka tube or the jl audio infinite baffle. I have heard conflicting reviews on the JL IB.

Setup
JL Audio Amp
4 -6.5 Speakers receiving 75 watts
1 - 10 Inch Sub receiving 200 watts

Steven

 

[kthrash]

Whatever has 3 preamp outs, is marine rated, and has Bluetooth connectivity... Kenwood, Fusion, etc...

Wired remote capability is nice as well..

 

[Scottintexas]

@chesbay007 welcome aboard, glad you found us, sorry I know 0 about stereos but we have plenty of others that should be able to chime in,

If you update your profile page with your zip code or location it will show us where you are and also automatically put you on the member map,

 

[redthumper9]

I recommend the JL mx650's. As far as head unit goes, look at the Fusion ip700. It's on my wishlist, but like kthrash said, any of the name brands that have the features you are looking for.

 

[MikeyL]

@chesbay007 ......... So glad you found us. Pull up a chair, grab a cold one, get ready for a lot of fun, and let us know how else we can help you.
Steven .... Best Wishes from all of us here, your way. Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

 

[redthumper9]

As far as the subwoofer goes......if you are going to go infinate baffle, I'd go with nothing but JL. If you are going to go with an enclosure and a dedicated sub amp, the possibilities are endless. If I'm not mistaken, I think Wetsounds makes a sub with an onboard amp built together. That may be a good route for you.

 

[David Analog]

Steven,
For absolute accuracy and musicality I like the JL Audio MX650s.
Conflicting reviews on the JL Audio IB sub are going to be from exposure to bad execution and/or bad tuning. If done right it sounds pretty darn good. The JL Audio is the best of the IB subs. If you are looking for a dominant jackhammer a single 10-inch IB is not for you. If you are looking to extend the bass region and have balance it's a great choice.
The Bazooka might give you more singular-note 'thump' if it was out it in the open and loaded against a boundary. But it is not a musical sounding subwoofer by any means. Some ported subs have great SQ but not this one. It is more about being sensitive and easy to drive.
In some boats I might select the Bazooka based on application and what the boat gives me. But in the Yamaha boat the Bazooka will need to be concealed in a console and vented with a grill into the open listening area. The losses are great and the SQ definitely suffers. So I would go with the JL Audio M series IB 10-inch because it is direct radiating into the listening area. You'll get its best with no losses.

 

[kthrash]

My Rockford Fosgate IB 10" sub sounds great..

 

[txav8r]

I have had the M10iB5 JL 10" IB sub, and it is an outstanding sub for true reproduction of music. Like David said, you get the bass but it isn't built to give just big thump. It is very subjective, and what sounds good to you may not sound good to someone else...and some are just not even in the same league with each other. I have buddies with the "thump" and they love it...but it has much less correct musical reproduction. I want a sub for several reasons and thump is only a small part of the equation. Music, speech, sound is reproduced in a frequency range and our ears can detect only so much of it. That thump actually covers up and distorts much of the other parts of music if overloaded to the low side intentionally. But what a sub really does for you, is take on the lower frequency responsibility, and that frees up your coaxials to reproduce the music more efficiently and cleanly, from the mid bass to the highs, instead of having full range responsibility. That means more performance out of those drivers, longer life, and better sound. Again, subjective.

 

[David Analog]

Yeah, it certainly is subjective. For example....
I listen mostly to music from the classic rock era which makes upfront and pure midrange top priority. In that age bass was created with real instruments by real artists so great bass tonal construction is extremely important to me.
But if you listen to club mixes and mostly more contemporary music then you are likely to be listening to a synthesized bass line, and not a particularly creative one, that was created on a laptop. And then nothing but punch and thump matters much.
Sometimes we have to first establish that we are speaking the same language even though it's all English.

 

[txav8r]

And besides agreeing, I think besides the "type" of english...maybe the age of english is also key. We Will Rock You!

 

[leeatmg]

I have the M600/6 along with the JL MX650's and they sound great together. Could not be happier with them.

 

[octavio3311]

Everyone has there preferences - no doubt. But I am extremely happy with my WetSounds IB sub.
As for a head unit - I'd go with a Fusion. The built in zone control is huge.