How Do You Hook Up Marine Speakers?

Where do you install boat speakers?

Ideally, you always want to mount your full range speakers as high as possible for the best quality sound. Avoid mounting them under seats or down by your feet. On larger boats, and wherever possible, you should consider mounting speakers above your head. Subwoofers, on the other hand, are just the opposite.

What kind of amp do I need for marine speakers?

If you have a bigger boat, or just like your music loud, you should look for an amp offering 75 watts RMS per channel at least. A difference of 5 or 10 watts either way won’t matter much, but somewhere in that range is the sweet spot. Your new speakers will each need to have a top RMS rating of 75 watts RMS or more.

Where should a subwoofer be placed on a boat?

If you want a subwoofer, place it in a stowage locker in the bow, amidships or stern. “Also, if you have space available, installing the subwoofer in a well-built enclosure will almost always improve sound quality and output,” Brumbaugh adds.

How do I install pontoon speakers?

Cut a hole for each speaker using the cordless drill and the jigsaw. Mount one speaker in each hole using the hardware included in the kit. Attach 12-gauge wire to the back of each speaker and place the wire inside the seating on the boat deck. Identify an area on the pontoon boat control panel for the stereo.

What does a Marine amplifier do?

Amplifiers Increase Volume In An Open Environment
Boats, particularly open cockpit ones like runabouts, deckboats, center consoles and ski/wake boats, challenge many marine audio system’s output, especially when cruising along at speed.

Do boat tower speakers need an amp?

yes, it’s absolutely necessary. Yep. You will need an amp for those tower speakers.

How do you run wires on a boat hull?

Baby powder—talcum powder–provides lubrication without making a greasy mess of your wiring. It allows wire and cables coated with it to slide more easily past obstructions and around corners. Simply fill your palm with powder and then pull your cable through your hand before you pull it through the boat.

What is the best way to cut up a fiberglass boat?

A cut-off wheel with a thin, abrasive disc is or metal disk with a fine-toothed edge is a great fiberglass cutting tool. In fact, it’s very similar to a doctor’s method of cutting off fiberglass casts, only you’ll be using an angle-grinder instead of a small rotary tool.

What size hole do I need for a 6.5 speaker?

Most 6.5 are 5 inches to 5-7/8ths inches. Keep in mind the holes don’t have to be perfectly round. Since the speaker will have some layover.

Where do you mount a subwoofer?

Placing a subwoofer in the corner of a room can increase its output, making it sound louder. The great thing about a subwoofer (especially a wireless subwoofer) is it can be situated almost anywhere on your floor space. There is no formula for locating the best spot. And, it’s truly your personal preference.

Where does the yellow wire go on a boat stereo?

The black wire is the ground wire, connected to the negative terminal. The yellow “memory” wire should always be connected directly to the battery, and a blue wire to connect an external amplifier if so desired. The remaining wires are for connecting the speakers.

Where do you put the speakers on a pontoon boat?

Pontoons are good candidates for speakers pointing aft away from the back deck, as passengers may gravitate toward swimming or floating on tubes when the boat is beached or at anchor. Look for stereo systems with zone controls so you can turn these speakers off when underway.

Do RCA go to input or output on amp?

Your amplifier gets its input signals from the receiver’s output typically via RCA cables. RCA cables come in stereo pairs, in various lengths. When running new speaker wires from your amplifier’s output to the speakers, any size wire from 18- to 14-gauge will work fine.

Do you need a marine amplifier?

Most marine stereos have an amplifier built in and some of them are surprisingly powerful. It is very possible to get good quality sound without an external amplifier. For most people, I encourage them to try their stereo without an amplifier first, because you can almost always add an amp later.