Help Please - Audio Upgrade 2020 195s - wiring questions

[Farny]

Ok - for you Audio experts - couple questions…
* attached wiring diagram is my current thinking and plan (parts on order not started)

Current system:
Stock head unit and speakers
KXM400.2 kicker amp powering
2 Kicker 8” towers (1 speaker each channel)
1 100w RMS powered sub

Adding:
2nd KXM400.2 Kicker Amp
2 more Kicker 8” towers
Blue Sea mini add a battery
Deep cycle Battery XP3000 XSPower
NOCO Genius 2bank 10a charger

Questions :
1- I would like to keep stock accessories on similar power config running inline with stock battery. Run amps and sub from House (audio) battery. This way the ACR charges start stock battery first and the amps don’t drain the stock start battery.. Is my wiring diagram accurate for the power switch and M-acr ?

2 - speaker wiring AMP 1 : plan on running the 4 towers off the 2ch amp. Wire 2 in parallel off ch1 and wire 2 in parallel off ch2. (2ohm capable) should push 100w RMS to each tower. Is this schematic correct?

3 - speaker wiring AMP 2 : I would like to run the stock WetSounds off of the second amp. Does anyone know if the stock speaker wiring system is run in series or parallel?

3a - IF I run the stock WS speakers in series - for each Chanel on the amp - will the [AMP (100w RMS) run to 2 speakers (60w RMS)] blow the speakers? Any suggestions here?

4 - speaker LED’s. Do I have to have individual wire runs for each speaker LED, or can I jump from one LED to the next?

“Proper planning prevents poor outcomes”

Appreciate any advice from you Audiophiles out there!!!

 

[Farny]

Ok - for you Audio experts - couple questions…
* attached wiring diagram is my current thinking and plan (parts on order not started)

Current system:
Stock head unit and speakers
KXM300.2 kicker amp powering
2 Kicker 8” towers (1 speaker each channel)
1 100w RMS powered sub

Adding:
2nd KXM400.2 Kicker Amp
2 more Kicker 8” towers
Blue Sea mini add a battery
Deep cycle Battery XP3000 XSPower
NOCO Genius 2bank 10a charger

Questions :
1- I would like to keep stock accessories on similar power config running inline with stock battery. Run amps and sub from House (audio) battery. This way the ACR charges start stock battery first and the amps don’t drain the stock start battery.. Is my wiring diagram accurate for the power switch and M-acr ?

2 - speaker wiring AMP 1 : running the 4 towers off
The 2ch amp. 2 in parallel off ch1 and 2 in parallel off ch2. (2ohm capable) should push 100w RMS to each tower. Is this schematic correct?

3 - speaker wiring AMP 2 : I would like to run the stock WetSounds off of the second amp. Does anyone know if the stock system is run in series or parallel?

3a - IF I run the stock WS speakers in series - for each Chanel on the amp - will the [AMP (100w RMS) run to 2 speakers (60w RMS)] blow the speakers? Any suggestions here?

4 - speaker LED’s. Do I have to have individual wire runs for each speaker LED, or can I jump from one LED to the next?

“Proper planning prevents poor outcomes”

Appreciate any advice from you Audiophiles out there!!!

Any audio experts out there with thoughts? Bumping to top.. @Hoyt, @Julian thoughts?

 

[212s]

Questions :
1- I would like to keep stock accessories on similar power config running inline with stock battery. Run amps and sub from House (audio) battery. This way the ACR charges start stock battery first and the amps don’t drain the stock start battery.. Is my wiring diagram accurate for the power switch and M-acr ?

Looks ok I think...best to keep the stock systems where they are so you don't mess with their wiring, and just add the switch and 2nd battery to run both amps and the sub which is going to be the big power draws.

2 - speaker wiring AMP 1 : plan on running the 4 towers off the 2ch amp. Wire 2 in parallel off ch1 and wire 2 in parallel off ch2. (2ohm capable) should push 100w RMS to each tower. Is this schematic correct?

Yes that's fine, but you're under-powering the speakers by 33%...might be loud enough for you with 4 of them, but if volume is what you want, you need to pump 150+ into those towers. Using the high pass filters on the amp turned down low should help reduce amp strain and you might be ok.

3 - speaker wiring AMP 2 : I would like to run the stock WetSounds off of the second amp. Does anyone know if the stock speaker wiring system is run in series or parallel?

The stock head unit drives 4 channels, so they should be wired direct - one speaker per channel, but pulling and wiring back to the amp is a pain and time consuming. Just disconnect the stock wires from the WS speakers and run new speaker wires from the amp in parallel like in your pic. This will push 100w to them which might be a bit much - just be careful not to over-drive them and bottom out the speakers. Make sure you use the high pass filters to keep the deep bass out of them and you should be ok.

3a - IF I run the stock WS speakers in series - for each Chanel on the amp - will the [AMP (100w RMS) run to 2 speakers (60w RMS)] blow the speakers? Any suggestions here?

No, running in series doubles the impedance so you'll be cutting output in half which is a waste. In series the amp will only push about 50w and that gets split into the two speakers so it'll sound very weak.

4 - speaker LED’s. Do I have to have individual wire runs for each speaker LED, or can I jump from one LED to the next?

Can't help with that as I don't do lighting for speakers, but basic circuit theory suggests you should be able to run them all in series as it's low current LEDs - the manual for the RGB controller should explain how to wire them.

Edit - once you drive the stock speakers with an amp, you'll find they're much louder with more impact than from the head unit - realistically the Fusion can only push about 5w of clean power into each of the stock speakers.

 

[Farny]

Looks ok I think...best to keep the stock systems where they are so you don't mess with their wiring, and just add the switch and 2nd battery to run both amps and the sub which is going to be the big power draws.

Yes that's fine, but you're under-powering the speakers by 33%...might be loud enough for you with 4 of them, but if volume is what you want, you need to pump 150+ into those towers. Using the high pass filters on the amp turned down low should help reduce amp strain and you might be ok.

The stock head unit drives 4 channels, so they should be wired direct - one speaker per channel, but pulling and wiring back to the amp is a pain and time consuming. Just disconnect the stock wires from the WS speakers and run new speaker wires from the amp in parallel like in your pic. This will push 100w to them which might be a bit much - just be careful not to over-drive them and bottom out the speakers. Make sure you use the high pass filters to keep the deep bass out of them and you should be ok.

No, running in series doubles the impedance so you'll be cutting output in half which is a waste. In series the amp will only push about 50w and that gets split into the two speakers so it'll sound very weak.

Can't help with that as I don't do lighting for speakers, but basic circuit theory suggests you should be able to run them all in series as it's low current LEDs - the manual for the RGB controller should explain how to wire them.

Edit - once you drive the stock speakers with an amp, you'll find they're much louder with more impact than from the head unit - realistically the Fusion can only push about 5w of clean power into each of the stock speakers.

Awesome - thank you so much for the feedback!! It’s because of the knowledge from folks like you this forum is solid.

So sounds like if I want to optimize towers. Bite the bullet and get a bigger amp in your opinion would doubling the amount of speakers should make a big difference from current setup?

Also would you confirm my power routing is correct for switch and ACR?

 

[Julian]

I agree with 212S, running speakers in series sucks. It was one of the first things I undid on my boat (Yamaha wires the 242X speakers - the sound bar and cabin speakers - in series - the sound bar was really weak....as soon as I put it on its own dedicated amp it POPPED)

 

[212s]

So sounds like if I want to optimize towers. Bite the bullet and get a bigger amp in your opinion would doubling the amount of speakers should make a big difference from current setup?

Doubling the speakers without changing anything else will give you roughly a 6dB increase in volume, or a nice bump but a lot louder. Volume is a perceived change in air pressure, which is not linear (it's logarithmic), so more much power or much more speakers does not equate to much more volume.

It all depends on your goals. If max volume is what you want, then more power will do it, and more speakers with more power on top will help a lot too. But if you just want "a bit more" then the easiest route is to just add some more power.

All of this is VERY subjective though, so what I want in my system doesn't fly for yours...mainly because I hate subs for music, but love them for home theater. Perception is key.

@Hoyt has chased the holy grail with your exact boat model. His system is a bit weak I hear (LOL JK) so you might have some choices to make soon.

Also would you confirm my power routing is correct for switch and ACR?

No sorry it's not correct from a theoretical point of view...it's very close though and you have the right concept, but your diagram is flawed with double + input to the house battery. I'm not sure, but I think the instructions from the kit will help you to get the + routing correct. It's hard to explain in text, but you're 99% there.

I really don't like trying to explain this stuff online...it doesn't translate well.

 

[212s]

I agree with 212S, running speakers in series sucks. ....as soon as I put it on its own dedicated amp it POPPED)

Yeah...adding a dedicated amp to these speakers (or almost any speakers) really wakes them up as stock radios have very little clean power to drive speakers. An amp is almost always going to sound much better with almost any speaker.

 

[Farny]

Doubling the speakers without changing anything else will give you roughly a 6dB increase in volume, or a nice bump but a lot louder. Volume is a perceived change in air pressure, which is not linear (it's logarithmic), so more much power or much more speakers does not equate to much more volume.

It all depends on your goals. If max volume is what you want, then more power will do it, and more speakers with more power on top will help a lot too. But if you just want "a bit more" then the easiest route is to just add some more power.

All of this is VERY subjective though, so what I want in my system doesn't fly for yours...mainly because I hate subs for music, but love them for home theater. Perception is key.

@Hoyt has chased the holy grail with your exact boat model. His system is a bit weak I hear (LOL JK) so you might have some choices to make soon.

Yea I’ve followed @Hoyts thread - good stuff. Just wasn’t ready to spend 5G. The system I put in is pretty good. Just would like to have fuller sound behind the boat than I do now and a bit louder.

One other option is I could bridge the amps and put 200w RMS to each of 4 towers, just concerned I may blow them.

No sorry it's not correct from a theoretical point of view...it's very close though and you have the right concept, but your diagram is flawed with double + input to the house battery. I'm not sure, but I think the instructions from the kit will help you to get the + routing correct. It's hard to explain in text, but you're 99% there.

I really don't like trying to explain this stuff online...it doesn't translate well.

Yea I’ve followed @Hoyts thread - good stuff. Just wasn’t ready to spend 5G. The system I put in is pretty good. Just would like to have fuller sound behind the boat than I do now and a bit louder.

One other option is I could bridge the amps and put 200w RMS to each of 4 towers, just concerned I may blow them.