195S Audio Upgrade & Wet Sounds Soundbar Install

[TheArk]

Wasn’t sure if the HMX were going to be noticeably better than the stock HBX though, both driven at their RMS ratings

I had the same concern. I’m no sound/speaker expert, but here’s what I saw that had me convinced the HMX speakers would be a worthy upgrade:

• The OEM Hertz HBX 6.5s have a 88db rating; HMX 6.5s are more efficient @ 89db - HMX produce more sound with the same power input.
• OEM HBX speakers have tweeters mounted on a post that comes up through the middle of the woofer cone, HMX have grill mounted tweeters and an uninterrupted woofer cone - More surface area and stronger design should lead to better low frequency response.

Just running them off the head unit power, it was immediately apparent that the low and mid range frequencies were much improved.

I think the biggest improvement for us wasn’t upgrading the speakers, but adding the two additional cabin speakers - better sound distribution amongst the boat. This should have been the factory configuration for the 195S.

 

[Btsnhos]

When weight, power density, and space savings are critical, I’m on board with lithium. Great for a bit more usefully load / taking a few extra gallons of 100LL in the tanks. I had one in a Buell that made a huge difference in starting performance and I’ll be replacing my BMW GS’s battery with lithium in the near future.

But in the boat … we’re never anchored for much over 90 minutes, so we don’t really need that much reserve capacity. The space savings don’t have much impact and the weight savings aren’t crucial. For us, the benefits of lithium don’t outweigh the increased cost, both initially and over time (when a battery fails or reaches EOL).

I was saying you can’t use the blue seas kit with lithiums since the voltage of lithium is higher than the starter battery, the acr will try to continuously charge the stater battery.

 

[FattyMatty]

What did you use to mount your amp in to keep it off the floor?

 

[TheArk]

What did you use to mount your amp in to keep it off the floor?

I had some 1/4” HDPE sheet I picked up at Menards for another project and had a decent amount left. I considered using StarBoard, but it’s so damn expensive.

Menards also has plastic lumber available for a reasonable price as well.

 

[TheArk]

Almost forgot an important part of the project … the project manager:



She definitely has a preferred spot in the boat …

 

[FattyMatty]

When drilling through the floor in the back storage compartment where your sub and stuff is did you when any concerns of drilling into something or is that an ok place to put some screws into. I have a sub I need to secure to the floor in there. What about the other side where the battery is in that storage area, can you screw into that floor as well with no worries?

 

[TheArk]

When drilling through the floor in the back storage compartment where your sub and stuff is did you when any concerns of drilling into something or is that an ok place to put some screws into. What about the other side where the battery is in that storage area, can you screw into that floor as well with no worries?

No idea what’s under the floor in those compartments - I assume it’s foam and stringers.

I measured a few times between a common reference point (the floor of my garage), the bottom of the hull, and the floor of the compartment. From what I remember, it was about a 2”-3” difference between the top of the compartment floor and the bottom of the hull. Given the battery sits a few inches below the floor on the other side, I figured there was a bit of room of below the compartment floors.

I was pretty careful to limit the depth that I drilled to no more than 3/4”.

 

[TheArk]

Warming up to the look of the Hertz speakers - the perforations in the stainless grill give off kind of a prism/diamond in the sunlight.

 

[Dravell]

Your post made me finally get off my butt and install mine. Haven’t had a chance to really test them yet but hoping I’m happy with it all