Want to install a kick *** sound system

Got this 30' Suntracker Pontoon w/ top deck, and want to install a pretty serious sound system without breaking the bank. I want to keep it some what simple, work off the boat's batteries, and use a waterproof deck, like a car stereo system, with the necessary amps. I would like to permanently mount 4 or 6 speakers on the boat for normal activities, but when it came to the good parties I would like to be able to plug in some more horsepower. Does anyone have any ideas on maybe adding on a Bazooka tube, or any other portable speakers that would up the bass. The girls love to hear their favorite dance song with a lot of bass. If anyone has any ideas, Id love to hear about it. Thanks, Mike

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

You sure can, but depending on how far you want to go with it expect to spend from 500.00 up.and about 250.00 plus of that will be in batterys and charging.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

I'll be the "stick in the mud" and say out loud what some folks are thinking.

Just maybe everybody else on the lake doesn't want to hear what you consider music. I happen to enjoy the peace and quiet out on the lake. If I want to hear loud music with too much bass, I'll sit in traffic in town.

Now that I've typed my "rant", you do have as much right to be on the lake as everyone else. All I ask is that you are considerate to those around you.

Thanks
Jeff

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Hi Griggsmars, a good set of truck boxes that fit behind a bench seat in a truck work well for that type of install. Being that it sounds as if you want them to be portable, plus they do not take up alot of real estate. The draw back is they are not water resistant, so sunny, and dry is recommended.
The other speakers, and amps are all up to you! I dont myself recommend going to nutz on a ton of gear. I would guess you have an outboard motor, and charging 1-2 batt(s). will be difficult, unless you want a TON of batts. taking up valued real estate. Even with some major batts. on board, sooner or later they will go dead with a small charging system.
One trick I learned with all my years running karaoke on weekends is to place the speakers as high up as possible!!!! The reason for this is the higher the speakers are, the less obstacles are in the sound wave path to the ear. Thus, less speakers are needed, and a lot less power too.
Whatever you do, just make sure your system is split up on its own power supply, and not in loop with starting batt., or you someday will be using the recoil start on motor. Good luck

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

A kick ### sound system requires a kick ### battery bank to power it. That requires a kick ### charging system to keep the batteries (note that is said "batteries" -- as in plural -- as in more than one). When you have more than one battery you also have a battery swtich and ACR to contend with so you can protect the starting battery while you are running this thing. You will also need at least a dual bank on-board charger to charge the batteries while at the dock. No -- the engine will not charge a deeply discharged deep cycle battery on a 10 - 20 minute run back to the dock. So much for doing this on a budget huh?

Does this barge have a stripper pole too? Sorry just had to ask. I think the budget is going to be the big question... that is going to determine everything.

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Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

It is going on a boat so you are in for marine components, car stuff simply won't last on the water, marine grade stuff is pretty big dollars and as several pointed out it will require at least 2 batteries in addition to the one you have and batteries have gone through the roof in the last year,

Rockford makes a very nice range of stereo stuff including amps and subs and some larger head units, mine is 160 watts but as I said it is spendy, you can have a cheap stereo or a really good stereo but not both.

And I am with PA Jeff, if you are going to be blasting music you better not be drinking because someone WILL cll you in and load music is like DNR bait, it gets noticed in a hurry.

I use the one song rule, we listen to the stereo all night and pick one song to blast.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Thanks for the responses. Taking everything into account, I don't need anything too serious, hope just to work off the dual batteries, an extra amp and maybe some good speakers. I was looking for any custom ideas that people have already used, specifically on a pontoon boat, but I definately don't need a concert PA.
As I said most of the time we would only use the simple sound system, and on the right occasions up the power. I want to assure anyone concerned that I would never purposely do anything inconsiderate towards others, especially blare loud music around others. We are not on a lake, but in Shark River Bay and are at the far end away from any traffic.
Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, good or bad, we don't have any stripper poles. Thanks, Mike

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Too bad on the stripper pole, would of like to seen some pics....

But as to system the things you need to remember are your safety and what you want.

Safety is having your starting battery on another curcuit, possibly switched if needed. We fishing guys do this with our electronics. That way we can always get home! Can never be too safe.

As to what you want, I am interested in this as well and have been doing some investigating into this. As I understand it, you will need a basic head unit, marine preferably. Water/spray-mist is hell in any marine enviroment. Don't go max'd out on the head unit for power. The higher power units cost a ton and the lower grade units that say they have the power get alot of distortion.

Go with a muti channel amp. Some thing that will power each speaker's required Average RMS. Not peak. If you think you are going to run your speakers at Peak then your sound will suck! They are rated for continious RMS that is what you should plan on. Also might want to look into built in cross overs. I haven't figured this portion out yet. Don't quite know what a cross over does. Maybe some one will chime in.

Speaker are where it is at. Without quality speakers your whole system will shound horible. Again when picking speakers, pick the continious load rating (RMS) not peak you want. Again its all about distortion at high output. Wheater you pic component or multi way speakers it is your preference. With component speaker you move around the location/direction of your sound ranges in your boat. But keep in mind if you want that Boom you will need a base speaker and amp for that. I am leaning on JL Audio for speakers. They are pricey but the sound quality at high power inputs sound superior to me. But hey, I'm not the expert.

Base sound is again is a separte speaker and amp. Normal the feed for this either comes off the other amp or the head unit is there are ports for it.

I would recommend you going to a Mickey Shore or other car/boat sound system installer. Talk to them and listen to the components that they are recommending to you. Go to as many different place as you can and sample what they are recommending with the display setups. This will deffinately help you decide what you want. Hell I'm trying to build a system that I can here when I out 15mile from shore running ball to the wall with a 225hp 2 stroke at full throttle. Not to many people around to bother with my "Noise" so I don't have that problem. I just want to be able to hear my music over the motor instead of hearing my teeth rattle as I drive.

Hope this helps.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

That is an awesome reply, and very informative, good luck on your quest.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Griggs , seriously look into some Rockford Fosgate or Infinity speakers, I have listened to alot of speakers and so far they blow everything else away, I am with Bennington so we get alot of vendor supplied speakers, they all end up upstairs in R&D and eventually on my boat, this week I have tried some JBLs and they were pretty good but still not there and last night I came into a pair of Kickers, they will be going into my daughters car, still haven't found anything even close to the the Rocks, I have the Rockfords in the front and the Infinities in the back and they sound very similar.

These things will pump Rush with all the bass out at 140 watts and sound excellent and I just have the 4 6'' 2 ways, I have been on work boats with the sub an amp and 6 speakers and it is just phenominal, took out a company boat for my daugters birthday and the song they chose to jam to...Ice Ice Baby, UGH, sounded excellent though.

As I said, put most of you budget on speakers, a really good speaker will sounds really good even with a low level head unit.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Thanks man, this is the kind of info that will keep me from trying out a bunch of crap before I find the good stuff. Thanks again, Mike Griggs

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Was at Mickey Shores, local car audio super store, this afternoon after work talking with them about this issue of speakers and amps. I was told that Rockfords are more for R&B and rap (more bass music styles), the JL Audio was for more instrumental (Rock like Tool and Pink Floyd). Also with either of the speakers they really rock. They had the equivelent car speakers on the wall hooked up to 100 what RMS 4 channel Amps. They rocked loud and clear continously for a the minute I had Tool one.

Ever seen a Detroit Black man try to sell a Marine JL Audio system with "Tool" Cranked? I think he was digging it there for a while at then end!

Anyways between the Rockford and the JL the JL audio did not have the bass capacity of Rockford's. But the true instumental was all JL. I think when I do my system I'll go with JL and just ad a Sub if really needed. The system componets are expandable.

Also on the note between the JL and Rockford. I was told the Rockford love your batteries a too much. They eat power due to the bass.

Hope this helps. But please remember this all comes from the sales man. Might, might not be true. My ears tell me JL for what I listen to musically.......

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

I have been looking at both the Rockfords and the JL speakers, both are quite pricey. Does anyone have any opinion on the Bose 151 speakers. I have the older 151 model speakers in both my jeep and other boat, and they have been out in the weather for the last 10 years and still sound good. The problem is that I have never compared them to another speaker like the Rockford or JL. Let me know if anyone has experiance with both speakers, and is the performance worth the price difference. Would have loved to been there for the Detroit black man listening to Tool. Thanks, MIke

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

Have you looked at Polk Audio db651's? They are not known as a marine speaker but are marine rated which means you can pick them up for car speaker prices at $60/pair. They are rated at 60w RMS. I have an 240w RMS MB Quart marine amp driving 4 of the db651's. You should have more than enough juice to power a setup like this if you have a good, high capacity deep cycle and a charger.

db651's 2 pair x $60= $120
240w RMS MD Quart=$100
8 amp dual charger =$100
Various other crap =$100
Total =$420

This is about the cheapest you can possibly get with a system that will last more than a season and still hear the music while under way. Anything that you add beyond this and your costs will keep on going up as you have to upgrade your electrical system even more.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

The one thing I didn't see mentioned is that you're going to be in an open space so sound will be very directional, easily blocked and will never come back to you. Think of it like standing on a stage in an open air concert. The guy's on stage have to wear headsets to hear what they're playing. I'd put some serious thought into that during your speaker selection process. You could spend a lot of money on a few speakers when you should have spent less per speaker and just bought a lot more of them.

As for charging, forget the batteries just go with a generator. Honda makes some really quiet but powerfull models that will never be heard above the music. The cost will probably equal out over time.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

My 2cents - make sure you get a Marine Grade Stereo. Marine Grade means that the electronics are coated with special water protectant that helps keep water from building up internally which would normally blow a "Car" stereo. Keep in mind that you are on the water and there is a lot of humidity. A hot stereo as it cools down draws in humidity so think of it as a cold beer on a hot day - and all those beautiful water beads that glisten on the can....... it will do the same inside your stereo, amplifier......... I know, been there.....

As for power, I have two batteries on my toon. One strickly to run all the electronics and one for the OB. I have a portable generator too, but I don't have to use as long as I remember to just run the electronics off the 2nd battery once the OB has been shut down.

Being a Captain of a vessel has a lot of responsibilities - you are in charge of the safety of all your passengers and the electronics of your vessel - have a great time.

Re: Want to install a kick *** sound system

I would make my own bass tubes, use some 8 or 10inch pile subs and put then in a plastic buckets with lids.
peaple nock pyle but for the price you cant beat theese speakers
make sure you seal the buckets up tight, for the best sound, 4 bass tubes will be plenty!
find a good 4 chanell AMP AT a pawn shop you want one with the highst RMS watts you can find...
you will want to keep the amps to a minimam they will drain youre power fast.
then install some mids and tweaters off the head unit.
Done right you will have very little mony in the system and hell it ill sound great
the pawn shops are full of 12 volt audio gear for cheap just put the stuff in a place were it will stay dry!!!