2024 AR250 Audio Build

[TheEagleHasLanded]

Buying a 2024 AR250 and starting to plan the audio upgrade. Advice from you wizened-ones is appreciated!

Plan to replace the six factory 6.5" speakers with JL M3s or WS REVO 6s and add a subwoofer. No tower speakers. I expect to add one, possibly two amps, as well as a new head unit.

I'd like to control volume to the 3 pairs of speakers (bow, cockpit, stern zones) separately, plus control of the sub.

Q1: Do I need a head unit that controls 3 zones or 4?
- if 3, then I need a head unit with 3 pre-amp outputs, correct?
- or does the sub count as a 4th zone I need to control, and therefore I need 4 pre-amp outputs?
- HU recommendations?

Q2: Amp recommendations?
- I've seen some folks used an 8-channel amp from JL Audio (XDM800/8)
- or is it recommended (or more cost-effective) to use 2 amps? If so, which amp / amp combinations do you recommend?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[dwakeman]

If you want to avoid buying a new head unit and continue to use the Connext as your head unit you will need to buy or build a wiring harness with RCA jacks. The Connext on the AR250 can support four zones. I have a two wiring harness (2 needed) as I purchased them but then sold the boat before using them. See picture. If you would like to buy them let me know.

Once you have these harnesses or a different head unit you can set up the zones as you wish. Many people do put the subwoofer on its own zone so they can control it independently. Some head units allow you to connect a sub to each zone and control it within the zone. How many amps you need is determined by the number of speakers you have and zones you want to set up. Most people seem to use two amps allowing the greater amount of flexibility and future growth. In my new boat

I’m using two Wetsounds Sinister SDX6 amps as I want lots of power (185W per channel), but they may be overkill for you. I have two subs with each amp powering one sub and then a bunch of speakers.

I believe the AR250 only has one amp so if you decide to add a second you will have the additional cost and effort of running a second 4 gauge wire from the battery to power it, which adds cost and complexity.

Good luck with your upgrades.

 

[mburgess57]

Where did you get the harness?

 

[dwakeman]

Where did you get the harness?

See this thread: Yamaha/Wet Sounds DSP Harnesses. I sent Brandon a text with questions at 724-884-6120, and he responded soon after with a wealth of useful inform

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Hello all,

We will have have our harnesses ready for sale in a few weeks for anyone else interested. We are going thru our final round of testing and completing our online store. Our formal announcement will be coming this week.

 

[SCP1]

Buying a 2024 AR250 and starting to plan the audio upgrade. Advice from you wizened-ones is appreciated!

Plan to replace the six factory 6.5" speakers with JL M3s or WS REVO 6s and add a subwoofer. No tower speakers. I expect to add one, possibly two amps, as well as a new head unit.

I'd like to control volume to the 3 pairs of speakers (bow, cockpit, stern zones) separately, plus control of the sub.

Q1: Do I need a head unit that controls 3 zones or 4?
- if 3, then I need a head unit with 3 pre-amp outputs, correct?
- or does the sub count as a 4th zone I need to control, and therefore I need 4 pre-amp outputs?
- HU recommendations?

Q2: Amp recommendations?
- I've seen some folks used an 8-channel amp from JL Audio (XDM800/8)
- or is it recommended (or more cost-effective) to use 2 amps? If so, which amp / amp combinations do you recommend?

Many thanks in advance!

Two things two consider in my opinion. Add two mid cabin speakers this makes a huge difference. I have 8 JL M3 6.5’s and one M6 10 inch sub powered by an JL800 sounds great. I will tell you if I were to do it over again Kicker makes some 6.5 horn speakers that are very loud for the back swim platform I would consider. The trade off is they don’t sound as warm as the JL’s. However if you just want loud so you can hear out from the boat these are the ticket. Too be clear I would not use horns inside the boat. Also one sub is plenty in my opinion but get the M6, not the M3. Another option is Kicker came out with a new high end sub and high end speakers for marine applications.

 

[WiskyDan]

Two things two consider in my opinion. Add two mid cabin speakers this makes a huge difference. I have 8 JL M3 6.5’s and one M6 10 inch sub powered by an JL800 sounds great. I will tell you if I were to do it over again Kicker makes some 6.5 horn speakers that are very loud for the back swim platform I would consider. The trade off is they don’t sound as warm as the JL’s. However if you just want loud so you can hear out from the boat these are the ticket. Too be clear I would not use horns inside the boat. Also one sub is plenty in my opinion but get the M6, not the M3. Another option is Kicker came out with a new high end sub and high end speakers for marine applications.

Totally agree on the mid cabin speakers - I can hear tunes much better when we’re on the move. I have the same speaker setup (8x JL M3 6.5”) a similar’ish sub (JL M3 10”) and also a pair of JL M3 7.7” tower speakers. Since the shop that I worked with is a big Rockford Fosgate dealer I decided to buy a pair of their amps instead of JL or Wetsounds and I’m not sure if they were the best choice. My previous boat had the same speaker setup (minus the tower speakers) but were powered by a JL amp and a Wetsounds amp and it seemed the top end volume was higher. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy with my system, but if I had an insane amount of $$ I would have went with M6’s and JL amps. I’m rarely “that guy” at the sandbar (I just like to be able to hear my tunes when I’m lounging behind the boat) but for what quality audio components cost maybe I just want to capability to be “that guy” if the need arises.

I was considering a Wetsounds powered sound bar that would fit between the tower speakers that I could pivot down when we’re moving, and towards the rear when we are lounging, but they don’t have much base and I don’t want the sound to get tinny if my sub gets drowned out. Maybe swap the M3 sub for an M6 - I have to think on this a bit.

 

[SCP1]

One other thing I would consider is inside the boat is to go up insize on the speaker size. For example with JL’s if you could easily make them fit go up to 7.7’s.