Amp and sub install on AR240

[steined]

Anyone know where I can get a birch speaker ring ? Does anyone make them ? I will need TWO asap!!

http://store.earmarkcaraudio.com/Xcart/home.php?cat=297 - SPENDY, but they have em.

 

[redthumper9]

Absolutely. I know ideally I need as much surface area in my vent as the surface area of the woofers, but I don't think I am going to get that. I have looked at several premade vents and originally planned to buy one from Earmark, but now I'm considering making my own in an effort to gain surface area. I ran into a lot of the same issues as @tdonoughue in finding a place to mount my woofer(s). I knew I wanted to go with two and that made it more of a challenge. If this doesn't produce the way I want it to, I may go with the starboard storage like the OP. Worst case scenario, I have a nice vent in the port side compartment for keeping the mildew out!

 

[Geiger41]

I am going to put TWO, 10 inch 10ib5 JL subs behind the driver seat in that storage compartment facing the center of the boat. If it wasn't f'n snowing again in New Jersey id go out and see if there is enough room to put them both in side by side. I know there is enough room height, and depth wise but I need to see width wise. JL says 4sq ft minimum for 1 sub but if I'll have 2 so I hope there is 8 sq ft in that area, if not very close.

 

[txav8r]

You can get birch plywood at the lumber yard or even a home center probably. Just get a 4x4 3/4" sheet, take the outside diameter of the speaker for the outside diameter of the ring, and the inside diameter of the mounting surface for the inside diameter of the ring. Cut it out as accurately as you can and sand it. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can rough cut it if you have the skill, and then make a template out of 1/4" mdf to use a router with a flush cutting bit on to make it neat. Then throw it in your router table and round the outside edges with a quarter roundover bit. Or, you can call @Earmark Marine and order one for your particular speaker, already epoxied and ready to go.

 

[Geiger41]

Considering I have no tools for this, I may just have to order. Or maybe just buy the tools and do it myself because I am sure after reading this site I will need them eventually

 

[David Analog]

Considering I have no tools for this, I may just have to order. Or maybe just buy the tools and do it myself because I am sure after reading this site I will need them eventually

Look at the drop down options on the single piece birch 10" baffle rings. The marine grade carpet finishes off the resin coated ring and makes it disappear into the storage compartment.
The raw birch is cheap, but the extra tools and router bits, fiberglass resin, MDF template material, and all the small odds and ends will add up to far more than your original cost estimate.

 

[tdonoughue]

And so we come to the final chapter of the install saga...

First, speaker ring installed:



Second, I got the pig tails in the mail, so was able to wire up the last of the inputs. I ran the RCA cables over the door to the helm compartment and into the helm.



With those in, I was ready to calibrate the amp. Instructions were in the manual. Required you use a test tone CD, so I went to Realm of Excursion at http://www.realmofexcursion.com/downloads.htm and burned a CD with the 50 Hz and the 1k Hz tones. I inserted the leads from my multimeter into the speaker ports was testing and locked them down with the Allen wrench. Calibrated the amps (max was almost all the way up on the mid/uppers and all the way up on the sub).

Don't have any pictures of the speaker connections, because the space was too tight. I wound up crawling into the compartment. I took the manual page from the head unit so I could trace the wire colors and hook them up correctly. I snipped each and connected it to a speaker wire jumper with crimp connectors. Then I ran the wire over the bundle at the top of the compartment and to the amp. I labeled everything, so I don't have to figure out what is what to diagnose or upgrade something.

Tied everything up...



Cranked it up and it worked the first time. All channels. Bass was booming. Bright sound. Very pleased. Now if the weather would cooperate, I would not be writing this right now. I would be on the water...

 

[Geiger41]

I am getting my total install this Friday !!! This is the mono amp the guy recommended for two 10inch JL marine subs. I've known this guy for years and he lives in the town I work in. He is very good at what he does. look up his business they do mostly cars but also has done tons of marine installs also http://distinctivecartoyz.com/ he said this amp will rock the 2 subs guess well see Friday !!!

 

[robert843]

Sorry to bring this back to life two years later but @tdonoughue do you thing that metal was only on top or run all the way around that area I'm debating going right here?

 

[tdonoughue]

I am pretty sure it is just on the top.

Pull the seat over the battery and stick your head down there with a flashlight facing forward. You will see the metal embedded in the glass.

 

[robert843]

I am pretty sure it is just on the top.

Pull the seat over the battery and stick your head down there with a flashlight facing forward. You will see the metal embedded in the glass.

Thanks I looked and didn't see any on the side so I'm probably good. I may still go to the other side to have a better work spot but this seems like wasted space here as with my two batteries I can get in real big items stuffed back here.

 

[tdonoughue]

I strongly considered that location before deciding on the other side. For me, the sub was just a tad too large for that spot. Put the seat flat and try your grill there. On mine, the seat overhang meant I would have to put the speaker into the floor...

 

[robert843]

I strongly considered that location before deciding on the other side. For me, the sub was just a tad too large for that spot. Put the seat flat and try your grill there. On mine, the seat overhang meant I would have to put the speaker into the floor...

I have dual captains chairs so I don't have that issue which is why I'm considering it. After reading you posts if I had the bench option I wouldn't think about it but if you had the dual captains chairs which way would have you gone? I have already game planned and bought all wiring based on going drivers side but could easily change it you think the other side maybe better. Passenger side issues I see are more difficult to mount amp and wire compared to where I planned to mount which is rear of the boat drives side in the wood between the engine compartment but under fiberglass so it won't get wet. I can't do that on passenger side as it will likely be to close to the battery switch and pick up engine noise.

 

[tdonoughue]

Ah! If I had dual captains chairs, I would put it port side in an instant. A little extra wire would be more than worth it to not have the potential obstruction in the starboard storage.