Speaker Placement Feedback

[Prophetdeafening]

I’m upgrading the sound system on my ‘21 AR190 by adding two midship 6.5” speakers and a 10” sub. Here’s what I’m thinking:
Sub slightly behind captains chair

6.5 at the captains knee
The port side 6.5 is a little more tricky I was thinking under the lounge seat, but we tend to toss stuff under there.

I’m not an audio or boat expert so I’m happy to take ideas if these seem off for some reason.

 

[Prophetdeafening]

Ok, port side re-do, up high on the storage compartment.

 

[Acard7]

All look good to me, as long as you can access easily to wire them. I’d get a cardboard cut out of the proper hole sizes and place them where you want just to make sure. If you don’t already have a dual battery I assume you’re getting one to power all this. Placing the amp in the helm compartment would make sense to run less speaker wire, but make sure you have a thick power wire to run to the battery. Or have the amp closer to the battery and run good speaker wire to it.

I’m no expert either but looks good!

 

[Prophetdeafening]

Dual battery is also part of the project and it will be nice to have a house battery.

I waffled on amp placement but decided on keeping it at the helm. Crutchfield had an affordable 20’ wiring kit.

Pulling the cup holder insets at the captains chair and rear seat make for really easy access. I’ve read that subs benefit from reinforcement behind the mounting. Is 3/4” plywood with the edges sealed good enough?

 

[Acard7]

Is 3/4” plywood with the edges sealed good enough?

I’d say that’s probably good enough.

 

[Marvin willis]

If you can get the 6.5s higher up it will help you hear them while driving.

 

[tdonoughue]

And just make sure if you go with the lower option on the port side that you have enough depth for the speaker to fit. Starboard has plenty of room back there, but not so much on the port side. Obviously on the head compartment you don't have that issue (but then may want to do something to protect the back side of the speaker depending on how you use the head compartment.

On the support: many people say to use starboard or similar. I found that too expensive (if purchased) or wasteful (if I bought a block and made them). I wound up with a speaker ring that was just particleboard, purchased for cheap. I put about 27 coats of paint on the puppy, then some 4200 in the holes when I mounted it. So far so good going on 10 years (fresh water, nothing too serious)... So I think you are fine with the sealed plywood--just do well sealing it and don't forget the mounting holes.

 

[Jerlane]

You can often find small pieces of Starboard on ebay for a reasonable amount. That's what I did and used for the mounting ring behind my sub.

 

[Prophetdeafening]

Of course. I was planning to use a PE panel to mount the amp, makes a lot of sense to use it for sub support too. And thanks for the eBay intel.

I might cut some holes and run some wires today.

 

[Jerlane]

Of course. I was planning to use a PE panel to mount the amp, makes a lot of sense to use it for sub support too. And thanks for the eBay intel.

I might cut some holes and run some wires today.

That’s exactly what I did.

 

[Prophetdeafening]

I got three holes cut and all new speaker wire run to the helm. Happy with the head compartment (can we call it that on a 190?) speaker placement, it’s up and out of the way so it doesn’t hurt storage and should be pretty safe. The bow and new midship speakers are run parallel for one channel, the rears will get one channel, and 5/6 will be bridged for the sub.

Plan to mount the amp behind the bow seat backrest in the helm compartment and planed my power cable run. But I think dual battery install needs come first.

 

[Prophetdeafening]

I got the sub support glued and clamped, and the amp board mounted behind the starboard bow backrest. The amp power wires are run and things should tidy up nicely in the helm compartment.

But hit a snag. I was planning to use the blue sea add a battery with ACR. Also decided to use a mid-grade amazon Lithium battery for the new house battery. Guess I should have spent more time planning, because now I’ve read those are incompatible.

Am I right in reading that I can move to a BEP dvsr as long as I tap the little red wire into a switched hot wire? Can I mate that to the stock battery on/off switch? My goal is to be lazy when we anchor and float and not have to mess with a battery switch, but not drain the starter battery. Are there any other methods that I’m overlooking?