2021 AR195 on order...thoughts on Premium Audio package?

[TexAg16]

I have a new AR195 scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year. Has anyone purchased the Premium Wet Sounds audio package from Yamaha and if so, what are your thoughts? The price is steep but it makes sense given that it's Wet Sounds speakers, amp, and head unit.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I’d buy it outside Yamaha and install yourself, I’d imagine you will save well over 1k

 

[Crob83]

If your head unit is in your glove box like on my '18 hooking up an amp and running wires in this boat is so easy it's ridiculous. And switching out the speakers is nothing

 

[TexAg16]

If your head unit is in your glove box like on my '18 hooking up an amp and running wires in this boat is so easy it's ridiculous. And switching out the speakers is nothing

Good to know. The head unit in the new model is right next to the Connext screen...not sure if that makes it more difficult or not.
But I was mainly looking to see if anyone else has the package and how it sounds...etc.

 

[lgparra]

Been wondering the same thing myself @TexAg16. Its my understanding that the MC-2 head unit will fit where the stock radio unit is so no cutting required. I also love the dual zone control on that head unit to adjust the volume on tower speakers independent of the 4 inside the boat when I eventually add them down the road. This is the one you are referring to right?

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[TexAg16]

Been wondering the same thing myself @TexAg16. Its my understanding that the MC-2 head unit will fit where the stock radio unit is so no cutting required. I also love the dual zone control on that head unit to adjust the volume on tower speakers independent of the 4 inside the boat when I eventually add them down the road. This is the one you are referring to right?

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I'm actually looking at the Premium one because I want the subwoofer as well. The MC-2 looks larger than the Clarion so I wasn't sure. Like I said, I've scoured the internet looking for any builds or reviews on this package and haven't been able to find it. Do you already have your boat and if so, how is the stock sound system? Can you hear it while the boat is at cruise RPM?
Wet Sounds 19' Family Fun Premium Audio Kit

 

[lgparra]

Yes, it'll definitely fit. I've seen someone with a 190/195 over on one of the facebook forums install the MC-2 head unit in their boat. Just spent a few minutes trying to find the post but I couldn't locate it. Here's a picture of the JL unit I stole off fb. Obviously not the same one but its similar in size which gives you an idea.

I got my boat about two weeks ago. Taking it out on Tuesday for the first time so I'll definitely report back and let ya know how it sounds under cruise RPM but from what I've gathered, the stock system leaves a lot to be desired under power. I've heard nothing but positive reviews from anyone who's upgraded aftermarket head units/speakers from the stock system.

 

[lgparra]

@TexAg16 I finally had a chance to take the boat out today. To answer your question about the stock system...it was more or less about what I expected based on just reading through the posts that it isn't bad by any stretch but it isn't anything special that will blow you away either. In the driveway it sounds pretty solid. But put to the test out on the water with wind and engine noise it left a decent amount to be desired. Just cruising around at about 5500ish rpm's which is 25mph or so and the stereo up pretty high you can hear the music well enough but can tell the speakers lack a bit of that umph you'd get with a premium or aftermarket sound system. Wide open throttle going 45-50mph and the stereo cranked at max volume you can hear the music and have a conversation with someone next to you but again you can tell the sound/power the speakers are putting out isn't anything great. Again, not bad but not great either overall. Basically just average IMO.

I'm about 95% sure upgrading the head unit, speakers, and adding an amp will be on my to do list this winter. I think the wet sounds audio kit or some combination of doing the things in the package with even another brand would make a world of difference. Just my opinion but I suspect you'll probably feel the same way about it as I do. Hope you get your boat soon!

 

[TexAg16]

Okay good to know. Thanks for the report! My boat should be coming in next month so I'll have to wait for a heatwave to test it.

 

[white2kstang]

I'm actually looking at the Premium one because I want the subwoofer as well. The MC-2 looks larger than the Clarion so I wasn't sure. Like I said, I've scoured the internet looking for any builds or reviews on this package and haven't been able to find it. Do you already have your boat and if so, how is the stock sound system? Can you hear it while the boat is at cruise RPM?
Wet Sounds 19' Family Fun Premium Audio Kit

The MC2 fits in the factory location on the 2019 model for sure without modification. I would assume it fits the 20 and 21 model years fine as well. The MC2 and a WS transom remote will likely be my winter upgrade and likely my last audio enhancement.. maybe.

The Clarion unit has been great for two season for me. The first season I used it with the 4 factory polks with no amp and it was also feeding a WS micro4 amp driving two WS Icon8 towers. I couldn't hear anything at cruise speeds at the helm at reasonable volume. You'll find similar complaints about not hearing audio while under way from the captains chair unless you damage everyone else's hearing in the boat.

This last season I added a JL M800/8, replaced the 4 factory speakers with the JL M6 6.5s and added 2 more mid boat near the captains chair. I also added a JL 10tw3-d4 sub in the rear SB compartment in a custom wedge style box. Im pretty happy with this setup so far.

The Clarion pushes it all well. I'm just missing the built in zone control and the ability to add a transom remote which is why I'm wanting the MC2.

Price wise the premium package doesn't seem too bad if that's installed price and your not capable of doing the work. I would have ended up wanting to add two more speakers which means I would have to buy a new amp for the sub to allow that 6ch amp to power just the six 6.5s to be happy. But thats just me based on what I've done so far.

 

[kgower]

The MC2 fits in the factory location on the 2019 model for sure without modification. I would assume it fits the 20 and 21 model years fine as well. The MC2 and a WS transom remote will likely be my winter upgrade and likely my last audio enhancement.. maybe.

The Clarion unit has been great for two season for me. The first season I used it with the 4 factory polks with no amp and it was also feeding a WS micro4 amp driving two WS Icon8 towers. I couldn't hear anything at cruise speeds at the helm at reasonable volume. You'll find similar complaints about not hearing audio while under way from the captains chair unless you damage everyone else's hearing in the boat.

This last season I added a JL M800/8, replaced the 4 factory speakers with the JL M6 6.5s and added 2 more mid boat near the captains chair. I also added a JL 10tw3-d4 sub in the rear SB compartment in a custom wedge style box. Im pretty happy with this setup so far.

The Clarion pushes it all well. I'm just missing the built in zone control and the ability to add a transom remote which is why I'm wanting the MC2.

Price wise the premium package doesn't seem too bad if that's installed price and your not capable of doing the work. I would have ended up wanting to add two more speakers which means I would have to buy a new amp for the sub to allow that 6ch amp to power just the six 6.5s to be happy. But thats just me based on what I've done so far.

Depositing on a 195 S tomorrow. Was going to go with the premium system but decided to go to a sound shop instead. Want tower speakers, sub etc.

 

[TexAg16]

The MC2 fits in the factory location on the 2019 model for sure without modification. I would assume it fits the 20 and 21 model years fine as well. The MC2 and a WS transom remote will likely be my winter upgrade and likely my last audio enhancement.. maybe.

The Clarion unit has been great for two season for me. The first season I used it with the 4 factory polks with no amp and it was also feeding a WS micro4 amp driving two WS Icon8 towers. I couldn't hear anything at cruise speeds at the helm at reasonable volume. You'll find similar complaints about not hearing audio while under way from the captains chair unless you damage everyone else's hearing in the boat.

This last season I added a JL M800/8, replaced the 4 factory speakers with the JL M6 6.5s and added 2 more mid boat near the captains chair. I also added a JL 10tw3-d4 sub in the rear SB compartment in a custom wedge style box. Im pretty happy with this setup so far.

The Clarion pushes it all well. I'm just missing the built in zone control and the ability to add a transom remote which is why I'm wanting the MC2.

Price wise the premium package doesn't seem too bad if that's installed price and your not capable of doing the work. I would have ended up wanting to add two more speakers which means I would have to buy a new amp for the sub to allow that 6ch amp to power just the six 6.5s to be happy. But thats just me based on what I've done so far.

I finally picked up my boat last week. It was in Tulsa in December but the audio package was on backorder. They kept pushing back the date for the parts to arrive and when they finally told me it would be June before they arrive I decided to just go pick up the boat.

Today was the first day out on the water and I totally see what you mean about hearing nothing at the helm. Otherwise, the Polk speakers have decent fidelity and volume if all you care about is music at engine idle or engine off. The Jensen head unit definitely leaves much to be desired so ultimately I’m glad I ordered the WS upgrade if only for the subwoofer and head unit upgrade...although I expect the mid range speakers to sound better as well. I’ll update once the sound system comes in. I’m also leaning toward installing it myself. Any tips or issues you had when doing work on your system is greatly appreciated.

 

[white2kstang]

The MC2 now the MC20 is a direct fit in the factory 3 in hole and you only need to drill the pilot holes for the screws. The wiring harness may not be plug and play, but I bought the 12pin molex on Amazon and build a conversion harness to make it plug and play.

Mounting and wiring an amp is not difficult if you are slightly mechanically inclined or have done car audio and have the right hand tools. You'll want to.do some research on setting it up and tuning it so you can safely turn it up if you are not familiar.

If you are doing towers getting the wires up the tower and drilling those holes were something I paid my dealer to do because I was lazy and didn't want to fuss with it. Additionally I wanted the tower warranty in tact.

The cabin speakers are easy. Just need a screwdriver and maybe to drill new pilot holes if the new holes don't align.

Since my last update I've replaced my Clarion with a Kicker MediaCenter KMC5. I really like it so far. I also added the krc12 remote on the transom today. I also added a 400w dedicated amp for the sub to give it a little more umph.

 

[Skierdad]

Hi all. OK I am needing total forgiveness here. 2019 AR195 owner who knows nothing about audio/electrical stuff. Like when I say nothing, I really mean it. My kids want a stereo upgrade but we have to put our tower down every night when we put the boat away. Will that be an issue? Do I do a long sound bar or a couple of tower speakers? Will the speakers affect the binimi or my head when moving about the boat? Can I use the existing stereo with new speakers and a sub? OMG I am so behind on this stuff. What should my budget be if I have an audio store put it in? Can I do this for $1000?

 

[Crob83]

Hi all. OK I am needing total forgiveness here. 2019 AR195 owner who knows nothing about audio/electrical stuff. Like when I say nothing, I really mean it. My kids want a stereo upgrade but we have to put our tower down every night when we put the boat away. Will that be an issue? Do I do a long sound bar or a couple of tower speakers? Will the speakers affect the binimi or my head when moving about the boat? Can I use the existing stereo with new speakers and a sub? OMG I am so behind on this stuff. What should my budget be if I have an audio store put it in? Can I do this for $1000?

They make tower cans with quick disconnects or swivel mounts, so yes you can put your tower down to go into garage if you used the right ones. Or you can go with a sound bar instead, that is up to you. You can do all of this yourself and stay under that 1k mark probably as long as you aren't trying to have top notch stuff, just enough sound for your families needs. With shop installation staying under that 1k mark would probably be pretty difficult as the labor would take a good chunk of your money.
Top of their line stuff (wetsounds, JL audio) would not be doable. I would go with some kicker towers and decent amp if that's all your looking for at that budget. @2kwik4u has a sound bar on his 190 he could chime in and let you know more about that I'm sure. Creative audio has some good packages, check out their site. If your trying to hear stuff behind the boat while skiing, boarding, etc you are going to need much more than 1K.

 

[Skierdad]

Ok. Great wake up call for me. Yeah, boys were thinking they wanted to hear tunes while surfing. I figured the sound bar or tower speakers would be up high enough to get back to them. wonder if I will need another battery too?? ugh..

 

[2kwik4u]

@Crob83 is correct. I have a wetsounds Stealth 10ultra hd. Super easy install and throws a TON of sound out the back of the boat. Could easily hear it while surfing and with enough volume I can barely hear it skating. Usually it's too much in the cockpit for my copilot for me to hear it that far back.

Soundbar is great for the small form factor and ease of install. 3 wire hookup, and it's up and running. Has its own volume so you can turn it off or down or up to adjust where you want the sound.

Couple downsides. NO bass. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. It's (8) 4in drivers and (2) 2in tweeters. It has good volume, super clear sound, but it's not very full. No big deal us, but your mileage may vary.
Second.....it whistles. On the freeway while towing you can hear it in the cab of a fullsize pickup. Any headwind over ~50mph airspeed will create the whistle. Wildly annoying. I put a giant pool noodle cut in half and velcrod on for awhile. That blew off and I just deal with it now. Hoping to get a cover made for it before our 10hr drive to destin this summer.

Im on my phone now, but remind me and I'll post some pics of the install, the placement and how it looks with the tower up and down. We lower the tower twice a trip, and aside from being a little heavier it's no big deal.

 

[2kwik4u]

Ok. Great wake up call for me. Yeah, boys were thinking they wanted to hear tunes while surfing. I figured the sound bar or tower speakers would be up high enough to get back to them. wonder if I will need another battery too?? ugh..

I only run a single battery with my soundbar and stock head unit. Have sat with tunes cranked for over 8hrs at a time without an issue.

I found it easier to carry a small jump pack than deal with a second battery. Never needed it for my boat but have used it on a few others.

 

[Crob83]

Ok. Great wake up call for me. Yeah, boys were thinking they wanted to hear tunes while surfing. I figured the sound bar or tower speakers would be up high enough to get back to them. wonder if I will need another battery too?? ugh..

I only have two 6.5 inch kicker towers and a 450 watt marine MTX amp. Only about $550 in the whole setup if bought new (I got the amp for free from a friend). If you are going to install all yourself you could get two 8.5inch kickers and a better amp than mine and stay under the 1K. I don't surf or ski so I couldn't tell ya but I know mine would be very difficult to hear while doing that just by how loud it is in the boat underway. Also creative audio sometimes has some refurbished Wetsounds stuff that can be had for a good price, either way don't get discouraged I'm just trying to be realistic. I would probably want something I the tower that had a seperate control form the in boat speakers due to how load the whole entire thing would have to be turned up for a surfer to hear. If you could turn the in boat speakers down and just the towers up that would alleviate that problem. I do have 2 batteries (1 crank, 1 deep cycle) with an 1/2/off/both switch just for piece of mind. Probably don't need it since my system is not booming that hard, but wanted it for piece of mind. I keep it on the crank battery until we anchor then I switch it to the deep cycle, etc. Or the dual can 4 speaker enclosures might be a good idea just a thought

 

[Skierdad]

Thank you everyone for the help!!