Question about installing speakers in swim platform

[Hike]

I have 6x9s behind the seat cushions. There is plenty of gap for the sound to get out.

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I'm trying to do the same thing with 6x9 speakers here.. those cushions are a total PITA to remove! I may try leaving the ones on the outsides attached that are impossible to get to, then try prying the cushions back to get the speakers in. maybe I can use a shorty screwdriver to install? do u think that could work?

 

[Bruce]

@Hike that actually sounds like a great idea. Cut the holes from inside the engine compartment. Drill the screw holes from the inside. Then use small Allen headed nuts and bolts to mount the speakers.

 

[Hike]

@Hike that actually sounds like a great idea. Cut the holes from inside the engine compartment. Drill the screw holes from the inside. Then use small Allen headed nuts and bolts to mount the speakers.

OK.. I'm feeling better about this! The only hard part is relocating the blower tubes. I should be able to disconnect those with a shorty screwdriver if I pry the cushions back?

 

[Bruce]

OK.. I'm feeling better about this! The only hard part is relocating the blower tubes. I should be able to disconnect those with a shorty screwdriver if I pry the cushions back?

is suspect you will be cutting out the fiberglass where ay least one of those is mounted.

I would remount them in the same way that you are mounting the speakers.

 

[Hike]

is suspect you will be cutting out the fiberglass where ay least one of those is mounted.

I would remount them in the same way that you are mounting the speakers.

Thats a great idea! I'll unscrew the blower mount once its already cut out Thanks. What did you use to make the cut.. Dremel or jigsaw?

 

[Bruce]

What did you use to make the cut.. Dremel or jigsaw?

I upgraded all of my speakers to 6x9s. I bought a pneumatic body saw. It may have been this one. https://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-429-Heavy-Reciprocating/dp/B00004XOT3

 

[Hike]

I upgraded all of my speakers to 6x9s. I bought a pneumatic body saw. It may have been this one. https://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Rand-429-Heavy-Reciprocating/dp/B00004XOT3

Nice! probably much better bass. What speakers did you go with? I'm thinking Polk DB691's. I hear they have better bass response vs the DB692's. I'm also adding a 10" Sub, (maybe Rockford Fosgate) and Clarion XC2510 and XC2410 amps.

 

[Bruce]

@Hike, I used these which now are discontinued. I bought 8 with plans to add a sub if I wanted more bass but I had plenty.

Infinity 6912M

6"x9" 2-way marine speakers

www.crutchfield.com

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I'm trying to do the same thing with 6x9 speakers here.. those cushions are a total PITA to remove! I may try leaving the ones on the outsides attached that are impossible to get to, then try prying the cushions back to get the speakers in. maybe I can use a shorty screwdriver to install? do u think that could work?

I would strongly recommend getting the cushion off. You can easily damage the cushion. I also would consider upgrading sound else where over this. This will be a muffled sound, the fqs this plays at are very directional. Bass will escape fine.

If you boat in fresh, or mild salt I would put them on the rear facing of the lower deck.

 

[Ronnie]

@Hike , I’ve read several posts here about getting all of the cushions off the boat and a few that focused on getting the swim deck cushions off, it’s not impossible and would making cutting easier.

there are a few alternatives installation locations on the swim deck as well. For instance, in the bulk head /wall between the steps on the swim deck (where my boat name / seat back cushions are in the attached pic), above the swim deck swim deck seat back cushions (above my swim deck tweeters in the attached pic) or if you have an upholstery shop, in the seat back cushion (there is at least one member here who installed the speakers in the bulkhead that the seat back is mounted to and had the swim deck cushions modified so that speakers/grills were tightly surrounded by the cushion). See the screen shot of @Trevor Shipman below, in the related string he stated he installed behind the cushion initially but was disappointed by the sound produced

i considered installing speakers (sub woofers) where you are but decided against it because of advice I got here. It may be fine for subwoofers if you want bass for the boat generally but if you want to provide full range sound to the swim deck area I think the sound from a 6x9 or standard round coaxial speaker will be very muffled and if you don’t have zone control you will have to turn the volume up for the entire boat to hear the sound coming from speakers projecting into the backs of seat cushions and escaping through the openings at the cushions bases. If you want full range sound for the swim deck I think you would be better off installing the speaker so the project out in the open even if you have to go with smaller speakers.


As for the blower hoses / openings, as I recall there are two hoses, two blower fans and four access holes (two for exhaust where the blower hoses mount and two for intake. I suggest you either leave it as it is or mirror the configuration if you use the holes to Mount speakers. Yamaha designed the system like this for a reason, not just because they wanted to add hardware and labor costs.

 

[mark_m]

@Hike since you have a SX-230 I suggest you go with 6.5 Coaxials in the swim platform. Here's my install.... you will have no issues with the cushions if you use the template and a hole saw. https://jetboaters.net/threads/2007-sx-230-stereo-upgrade.8206/

 

[Bruce]

The openings behind and under those cushions appear to be larger on the 2007 to 2009 230 models. The sound that comes out is impressive and effective. A component speaker with the tweeter exposed might be slightly better but this works well.

You can see the bottom of the speakers in this photo.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Components might be a good alternative. The tweeter will be the most affected by the cushion.

Ronnies ideas look good, those projecting up will have the most effect to sound. Bruce's picture looks like you could fit several pairs of 6.5s below the cushions.

 

[haknslash]

@blacksapphirez mounted speakers in the engine compartment. He was able to hear them without having the speakers exposed. You may want to reach out to him.

 

[GTBRMC]

Food for thought:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/vinyl-and-gelcoat-repair-advice-needed.5936/

https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-to-remove-swimdeck-cushions-on-2008-sx-230.5965/#post-102401

Worked out in the end. Root issue was I had my 9 year old son holding vacuum hose while I was hole-sawing the swim deck fiberglass “wing” and I was focused on him to the extent I allowed the saw to bind and kick. Other than pride there was no injury. Cost me a couple hundred on vinyl repair, else water under the bridge.

LOVED the sound from those 6.5” JL MX-650s mounted on the swim platform wings!