Audio help/advice?

[blackcup]

Total newb when it comes to Marine/Car audio so I am just lookin for a little help/advice. Wondering what everyones thoughts are on the following brands? The local car/marine audio guy deals with these:

DC audio
-Subs /amps

Ct sounds
-Subs
-Amps
-Speakers
-Marine speakers
-Wiring

I want a 10-12" sub installed under the drivers helm and possibly replace the 2 factory Roswells and add 2 more tower speakers. I would need an amp as well (obviously)

Any thoughts/comments?

Thx

[blackcup]

oh and we will be using these mostly for surfing/floating. haven't boarded yet this summer so sounds like HLCDs aren't necessary for me?

[valleywine]

Never heard of either. I would stick w/ the known brands if your budget allows. Wet Sounds, Exile, etc..... Can't beat either but they cost. Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, JL Audio etc... Would cost a little less maybe?

[David Analog]

blackcup,
I think it's always important to support your dealer on the brands he sells, especially when you are dependent on him for the build and installation.
Certainly DC Audio and CT Sounds looks like decent equipment. But I question if your dealer has been catering to a different market than marine.
DC Audio appears to have mostly paper cone subwoofers which I wouldn't do in a marine application.
The CT Sounds coaxials have post-mounted tweeters and open voice coil gaps. Again, not my first choice in a boat.
Ask your dealer to inquire about distribution on Wetsounds and JL Audio. See how that develops.

[blackcup]

Never heard of either. I would stick w/ the known brands if your budget allows. Wet Sounds, Exile, etc..... Can't beat either but they cost. Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, JL Audio etc... Would cost a little less maybe?

Yah I hear you ... I have never heard of them either that is why I jumped on here to get your guys thoughts. I am a little skeptical as well.

He said he uses these brands all the time in boats and never have issues but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I check out Exile and Wetsounds and I think they are just too far out of my budget right now. I just want a 10" sub and amp to get me started and then I can add new tower speakers down the road when the budget/wife permits :D. You guys have any recommendations from those brands listed above?

[blackcup]

blackcup,
I think it's always important to support your dealer on the brands he sells, especially when you are dependent on him for the build and installation.
Certainly DC Audio and CT Sounds looks like decent equipment. But I question if your dealer has been catering to a different market than marine.
DC Audio appears to have mostly paper cone subwoofers which I wouldn't do in a marine application.
The CT Sounds coaxials have post-mounted tweeters and open voice coil gaps. Again, not my first choice in a boat.
Ask your dealer to inquire about distribution on Wetsounds and JL Audio. See how that develops.

Great info thanks a lot David. He said that the subs are "Front sealed" so they work really well in Marine Apps. Not sure what that means but he seemed pretty confident in the products even if they got a little wet.

We have another shop in town that does carry Exile/WS etc so maybe I will pop in there and see what their thoughts are.

I am already being quoted $180 for the sub, $250 for the enclosure, $370 for the amp and $100 for the amp kit. Plus about 5hrs labour = $300. So $1200 bones just for a sub. I was hoping to do sub/amp and tower speakers for 1500-2K max but I guess thats not likely.

[trayson]

Personally, I would look for something MB Quart or Rockford Fosgate. Just make sure the speakers have a rubber surround and don't have a paper cone as mentioned already.

As far as a sub, the best bang for your buck for an enclosure are the ones that are premade and come with a bedliner coating already on them.
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/4497470/vpcsid/0/SFV/30046
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/images/D/Single-12-Inch-RL112V-detailed-image-1.jpg
Mine is just a 10" sub, and I put it behind my playpen bow walkthrough and use it as a jump seat with a cushion on top.

Again, getting a sub from Rockford Fosgate, Phoenix Gold, JL Audio would be fine. As far as amps, all the major car audio lines typically offer a marine version. Personally, I got some used car amps off ebay and CL and figured that if they die a premature death because they're not "marine", then so be it.

I got a screaming deal on a pair of Bazooka compression horn 8" tower speakers. But you can't find the deal I got anymore. They have the 6.5" ones, but they're not the sweet price I found. Lots of options in tower speakers. I would probably look at the ones by kicker if I were you...

[David Analog]

Quote, "He said that the subs are "Front sealed" so they work really well in Marine Apps."

Yes, they have a full-covering front poly dustcap in some cases and the paper cones are simply coated on the front in other cases. But in a bass-reflex enclosure the rear of the cone, which is raw paper, is fully exposed to damp air. And paper absorbs moisture in a highly humid environment. This can change the parameters in the short run and weaken the cone in the long run. MDF is basically pressed paper and we all know the long term impact that moisture has on MDF.
In general, there is absolutely no performance advantage going with a paper woofer cone, and if there was, it was certainly negated when the cone is doped or covered with a poly cap. So just go with a poly cone subwoofer in a boat.

[blackcup]

Great info ... the fact that he is pushing me towards a product that is not ideal for a boat has me looking elsewhere now.

I found this enclosure which will fit under the helm of the Mojo perfectly without any other modifications. They enclosure is $250 on its own or it comes in a package like this:

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Kicker-CVR10-Rockford-PBR300X1-Amp-Marine-Boat-Custom-Fit-10-Subwoofer-Enclosure-Box-MS-R-CVR-AMP

or

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Kicker-CVX10-Rockford-PBR300X1-Amp-Marine-Boat-Custom-Fit-10-Subwoofer-Enclosure-Box-MS-R-CVX-AMP

Would either of these sub/amp combos work well together? I am assuming so as they are packaging it together but just wanted to double check.

[valleywine]

I used to have one of those 500W Kicker subs from Walmart which really performed well. Just wanted the depth of the 12" sub so I changed it out. I think I paid $150+. My thinking was .......how can you go wrong spending $150. Heck, a guy could afford to buy one every year at that price although I used mine for longer without issue. I put little rubber feet on it just to be safe.