twr spkr install

[yellow3]

new to the site, just bought an 03 20i with 20 hrs. on it. it has the clarion unit with the 4 spkr set up... my question is do i have to sacrifice my deck speakers to install tower speakers or can i have both??? and how??? thanks in advance.

[tigesinaus]

new to the site, just bought an 03 20i with 20 hrs. on it. it has the clarion unit with the 4 spkr set up... my question is do i have to sacrifice my deck speakers to install tower speakers or can i have both??? and how??? thanks in advance.

you can definatly have both, but u will need an amp. there are some sterio geniuses on this forum, they shud b able to steer you in the right direction.

[rogersbm82]

Like said before, use an amp using your rca outputs on your head unit and your golden.

[DieselPWR]

I'm not one of those geniuses, but go with wet sounds for sure. you will not regret it.

[philwsailz]

Get a pair of Kicker KMT6 and a Kicker amp; the ZX450.2 is a perfect match.

Mike, AKA Chpthril can help you; he haunts this site...

Once you get the tower speakers jammin, you will want to update the in-boat speakers and add an amp and maybe a woofer. Kicker has you covered there too.

Yeah, I might work for Kicker.....

[chpthril]

Gotta 2nd the KTM's, installed a set a few weeks back and they scream Best bang for the male deer

If you got deep pockets, and wanna spend a lot, go Wet Sounds.

[jwanck11]

I can't spend a lot.

Sorry if this is a hijack...

What are the thoughts on using a KTM in between two speakers on the tower? Can they be purchased individually??

[yellow3]

thanks for the replys guys... much help. I haven't even looked on the back of the head unit yet to see what ouputs there are. I've looked hard at the kickers, and wetsounds both already as well as infinitys. but i haven't seen any reviews for the infinitys and nobodys pushin em either. are they no good?

[da.bell]

You need lightning tower speakers... IMO, very, very clean and you can power 225 RMS watts per speaker... Built by Arc Audio...

www.lightningaccessories.com

Okay, you are going to get it from a ton of others on what speakers to get... IMO, listen to as many as you can and then make your decision.

[philwsailz]

Sorry Yellow, I have to share something....

da.bell is paid by Arc audio to post here in support of their products... He used to be a spokesman for Ultra 90 as well, so be careful...

Just kidding...

I do work for Kicker, and Tim from Wetsounds is in here a lot too. Mike AKA Chpthril is a marine audio installer. You are in good knowledgeable company.

da.bell is right. Go listen to as many as you can and make a decision based on what you think; not only based on what some salesman tells you.

You have a few choices; there is some garbage out there, but a lot of good stuff too. If you take your time, do your homework, and ask questions as they come up, you will probably end up with something that works for you in all ways, performance, cosmetics, and budget.

Oh, and remember, if it says Kicker on it, its got to be good....
(gratuitous paid product endorsement)

[yellow3]

ok, the back of my unit has the harness with the analog outs only. do i splice them and run them thru an amp to my twr spkrs?

[philwsailz]

ok, the back of my unit has the harness with the analog outs only. do i splice them and run them thru an amp to my twr spkrs?

Hmmm...

The answer is maybe. A lot depends on how you set it up. You are talking about bare speaker wiring only right?

IF so, most amps have a hi-level, (AKA speaker level) input, so that part is really easy. Just follow the directions in the owner's manual for the wiring and it will work.

The problem comes in when there is ALSO a speaker connected to the same output that you are running to the amplifier. A speaker and a "dynamic-style" microphone are largely the same thing; a coil of wire attached to a cone or dome, and suspended in a magnetic field.

It is possible under the right conditions for your speaker to not only play the music coming out of the radio, but ALSO to act as a microphone, picking up sounds in the boat and delivering them to the amplifier. The effects are various, but they will drive you nuts if you get into that situation.

The situation I describe is fairly common, but many times the effect is too small to be really noticed, so I say maybe try it. But... if things start sounding funny, like total loss of certain frequencies, or low continuous rumbling, or the squeal like you hear sometimes at concerts, know it is because of the speakers which are effectively connected to the input of the amplifier. A way to confirm if you have that problem is to turn the radio way down but not off, and go around and tap on your in-boat speakers. If all of the sudden you are hearing large thumps from one or two of the speakers, you probably have a speaker acting as a microphone.


IF it happens, get with us here, and we can offer up other ideas and suggestions and/or solutions...