These Kenwood Amps are a fantastic value..

[kthrash]

I know they are not Fusion, WetSounds, or JL Audio or the other High End stuff thats always touted as being the best, but I wanted a budget good sounding system so I installed two of these Kenwood KAC-M3004 Class D Amps to drive 5 pairs of speakers.. Holy cow the difference it makes..

I installed all new Polk DB651 speakers, ran the inside speakers to one amp and put it on Forward control, wired the tower speakers in parallel and the deck speakers to the 2nd amp on rear control.. and now I can control the volume being delivered in the boat and outside the boat..

Very impressed for the $$$ spent..

 

[thcobb1]

Where did you mount them. Next on my list is the sound system.

 

[Bruce]

@swatski just installed some similar, I believe they were Clarion, amps in his boat. I assume reference designs have been released for this new generation of class D amplifiers and we will be seeing a lot more compact but powerful amplifiers.

 

[swatski]

@kthrash Nice! As @Bruce mentioned, I've just finished an almost identical install - with 5 pairs of DB651s and two Clarion XC1410 amps (which show very similar specs, and price). I also have two of the pairs running on 2 ohms. Works beautifully.
Keep us posted!
I chose the XC as its been a tried and true micro amp in our boats, I have had one in my previous yammy and really liked it. Very robust and great on power consumption, which has been a main requirement for me. The XC has (almost) no adjustments, but does have speaker lines in and out, which I also like.

--

 

[Kevin107]

Best Buy is having this on clearance for $65.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/kenwood-300w-class-d-bridgeable-multichannel-mosfet-amplifier-gray/3500108.p?skuId=3500108

 

[kthrash]

@kthrash Nice! As @Bruce mentioned, I've just finished an almost identical install - with 5 pairs of DB651s and two Clarion XC1410 amps (which show very similar specs, and price). I also have two of the pairs running on 2 ohms. Works beautifully.
Keep us posted!
I chose the XC as its been a tried and true micro amp in our boats, I have had one in my previous yammy and really liked it. Very robust and great on power consumption, which has been a main requirement for me. The XC has (almost) no adjustments, but does have speaker lines in and out, which I also like.

--

Yeah I liked the adjustments on the Kenwoods.. I turned the High Pass filters on and set the crossover at 100.. Ordered a Bazooka 10" Powered Sub to attach to the Sub out on the radio that should make up for the bass loss on the 651's. It actually sounds damn good for a boat.. better than the Rockford setup I had in my 212X that cost 4x as much..

 

[kthrash]

Best Buy is having this on clearance for $65.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/kenwood-300w-class-d-bridgeable-multichannel-mosfet-amplifier-gray/3500108.p?skuId=3500108

Thats a better deal than Amazon.. exact same Amp I installed.

 

[kthrash]

Where did you mount them. Next on my list is the sound system.

I installed them behind the helm simply screwed to the fiberglass lip that stick up behind the speedo cluster..

 

[kthrash]

Yes I need to clean my boat..

 

[blacksapphirez]

hmm at $65, i may have to get one.

so my speaker sounds plenty loud(factory CMD7 + Infiniti 612M)... how will the amp change the sound?

 

[Bruce]

hmm at $65, i may have to get one.

so my speaker sounds plenty loud(factory CMD7 + Infiniti 612M)... how will the amp change the sound?

The CMD7 is rated at 19 watts per channel RMS with a 4 ohm load. This amplifier is rated at 50 watts per channel RMS with a 4 ohm load. I would expect at least a doubling of volume or more importantly removal of distortion at currently achievable volume levels.

 

[Scott griffith]

Dam I may have to grab one of these for that price I'm sure it would make my db651 sound good

 

[blacksapphirez]

The CMD7 is rated at 19 watts per channel RMS with a 4 ohm load. This amplifier is rated at 50 watts per channel RMS with a 4 ohm load. I would expect at least a doubling of volume or more importantly removal of distortion at currently achievable volume levels.

Sold!

 

[Bruce]

Sold!

Sold myself as well. Thanks @Kevin107. I had been shopping for a higher end amplifier but decided that two of the open box versions at $51 a piece was too good of deal to pass up.

 

[Kevin107]

Open box and get the geek squad protection for $10. Cheaper than the new unopened one.

 

[blacksapphirez]

I opted for the 4 yr protection. The environment the amp will be in, I better get the 4 year deal.

 

[blacksapphirez]

since the boats don't have a ground... do you ground the amp back to the battery?

 

[Scott griffith]

Just bought mine got the open box and two year protection

 

[Bruce]

since the boats don't have a ground... do you ground the amp back to the battery?

Yes

 

[firecap797]

Just ordered 2 from BB.

Now if I can just wrap my head around this whole stereo thing. I'm sure it's extremely simple, I'm just trying to visualize where everything has to go.

Assuming I need to run a heavy gauge power cable to one of the batteries? What gauge would be best?