Wet Sounds Soundbar

[sfadchi]

Ok so I think I want to install a Wet Sounds Soundbar on my AR240. This would really just be to project music for us at the sound bar. My though is adding the Stealth 10 Surge B (Amplified Non Bluetooth Model). I'm assuming that by going this route the volume would then be controlled by the Connext system and/or rear head unit. I want everything to work as is now. Don't want to have to fumble with my phone to turn it on and off. The only thing I think I need for the installation is the rear harness to connect into zone 2 audio out. Link Below! I'm as handy as it get's but never really fooled around with audio stuff too much. I did upgrade the crappy white speakers last week to the Polk Audio DB652s. Any help would be appreciated!

FUSION Wire Harness f/ MS-RA670 & MS-RA770 Stereo - Zone 1 & 2 (B Port-RCA) 010-12812-01FUSION, Boat Accessories, Boat Equipment - Boaters Marine Supply

Wire Harness - Zone 1 & 2 (B Port-RCA) Compatible with MS-RA670 and MS-RA770 stereos FUSION's Zone 1 & 2 Harness Wire for installation. WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more...

www.boatersmarinesupply.com

 

[Chevyguy2021]

Are you set on the sound bar versus tower speakers in cans?

 

[sfadchi]

Are you set on the sound bar versus tower speakers in cans?

Didn't want to go too far down the rabbit hole as far as adding an external amp with new wiring and all that stuff. I'm not really the biggest fan of the way the cans look either.

 

[Chevyguy2021]

Didn't want to go too far down the rabbit hole as far as adding an external amp with new wiring and all that stuff. I'm not really the biggest fan of the way the cans look either.

Makes sense. Good luck with your install! Make sure to post some pics!

 

[2kwik4u]

I added a Stealth 10 Ultra HD to my AR190.

The included amplifier was the reason I chose it over the non-amplified version. The installation is dead simple. I got the Ultra HD (with bluetooth) as a refurbished unit for a discounted price, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten the bluetooth features. I never use the bluetooth part. I chose the soundbar over a set of traditional can's for the low profile of the bar (and again the integrated amp). I'm 6'2" tall and didn't want to constantly have to duck under the tower. I think it looks better than can's myself, but that is highly subjective.

I still have to turn the sound bar on independent of the stereo. This is both good and bad. I don't have to keep it on all the time, and I can adjust the "balance" of the system with the volume on the soundbar. There are physical buttons on the soundbar to turn it on/off, and there is also a wireless remote (I've never used the remote on mine) to control it if you like.

I fed it a signal from the RCA output of my Marine Audio head unit. Those lead to a 3.5mm converter, and then into the sound bar input. The head unit controls the volume in general. The volume on the sound bar has about the same scale as the head unit, so I don't adjust that "balance" very often.

It throws a LOT of sound out behind the boat. That sound is VERY high in the range, and not overly full. If you just want some sound, it'll be great. If you want a giant PA system with super full bass/mid range, look elsewhere. We can easily have it loud enough to overpower conversations 20ft off the stern. It's crystal clear though, and sounds pretty good overall.

Here's the best picture I have of it installed. Never mind the baby in the swing.


It'll easily cover the blue mat in this picture with sound. Plenty of power for volume, just not very "full".

 

[sfadchi]

I added a Stealth 10 Ultra HD to my AR190.

The included amplifier was the reason I chose it over the non-amplified version. The installation is dead simple. I got the Ultra HD (with bluetooth) as a refurbished unit for a discounted price, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten the bluetooth features. I never use the bluetooth part. I chose the soundbar over a set of traditional can's for the low profile of the bar (and again the integrated amp). I'm 6'2" tall and didn't want to constantly have to duck under the tower. I think it looks better than can's myself, but that is highly subjective.

I still have to turn the sound bar on independent of the stereo. This is both good and bad. I don't have to keep it on all the time, and I can adjust the "balance" of the system with the volume on the soundbar. There are physical buttons on the soundbar to turn it on/off, and there is also a wireless remote (I've never used the remote on mine) to control it if you like.

I fed it a signal from the RCA output of my Marine Audio head unit. Those lead to a 3.5mm converter, and then into the sound bar input. The head unit controls the volume in general. The volume on the sound bar has about the same scale as the head unit, so I don't adjust that "balance" very often.

It throws a LOT of sound out behind the boat. That sound is VERY high in the range, and not overly full. If you just want some sound, it'll be great. If you want a giant PA system with super full bass/mid range, look elsewhere. We can easily have it loud enough to overpower conversations 20ft off the stern. It's crystal clear though, and sounds pretty good overall.

Here's the best picture I have of it installed. Never mind the baby in the swing.


It'll easily cover the blue mat in this picture with sound. Plenty of power for volume, just not very "full".

Wait, it comes with the baby swing? Thank you for the review! That is exactly what I'm looking for. Good quality projected sound is what I'm after.

 

[2kwik4u]

Wait, it comes with the baby swing? Thank you for the review! That is exactly what I'm looking for. Good quality projected sound is what I'm after.

I know right. I thought the swing was brilliant myself. Baby only used it twice before he became pissed he couldn't run around on the floor when he was swinging.

Two notes on the soundbar though.

1. It Whistles. A LOT. I'm unsure if it's the way I have mine mounted, or the design of the heatsink fins pointed forwards, or what it is. Wind speeds over ~40mph make it whistle LOUDLY. Head wind of 15mph and a 30mph surface speed will get the whistle. It's so bad that on vacation last year while towing, the guy in the truck BEHIND the boat could hear it in the truck with the radio on. I don't open the back window on my truck while towing because of the whistle. It's super annoying, but not enough to make me want to remove it. It's really a pretty awesome piece of equipment.

2. The sound it projects is crystal clear. There is NO BASS with that sound. You will have to fill the sound out with some subs in the cockpit, or nice speakers elsewhere. It doesn't bother us even a little bit. It's clear, and full enough that it gets the job done. It is 1000% better than just cockpit speakers at throwing sound out behind the boat when at anchor and lounging/playing. It does well for those on the very back seats while on plane as well.

3. I had to pull the tower off to run the cables. They are too large/stiff to be snaked through with the tower on the boat. Once on, it's no big deal, but getting them snaked through just wasn't happening with the tower on the boat. I ran voice and data cables for years, and hadn't fought a cable like this very often. Doens't impact the function, look, or feel of the unit, just be away it's not a super simple installation because of that. Also, almost forgot. I had to cut off the terminals that came from the factory in order to fish the wires. Was an easy repair once installed, just be aware that has to happen.

Overall, we're very happy with it, but it does have those few drawbacks.

Here's another installed picture


Here's the tower off in the garage floor. Took two guys about 30 minutes to get it off there.

 

[2kwik4u]

Wanted to update this thread a bit.

Had some time to test this weekend. First time I've been on the wakeskate in awhile without the kids it the boat. Had the wife crank the stereo to 11, and set the soundbar about 3-4 clicks louder than normal.

I could easily hear the music at the end of the rope while skimming accross the water. It's not symphony levels of acoustic masterpieces, but I could hear the lyrics clear enough to sing along. The pontoon I passed surely thought I was having my own personal little karaoke session right there on the skate.

She mentioned is was almost unbearably loud in the cockpit though. So it wasn't fun for all.

 

[IN2H2O]

@2kwik4u Audio noob here, I have a 2008 232 and was curious if you know if the WetSounds Stealth 10 will connect to the stock head unit and play though both sound bar and boat speakers? Any adapters needed or just plug in play? It sounds like the volume control is independent between sound bar and boat speakers for your boat?

232 wiring diagram below, is it similar to yours?

 

[2kwik4u]

@IN2H2O I have ZERO experience with the 232 platform. My 190 setup was FAR FAR more simple than what's shown there.

In my setup I grabbed the RCA output from the head unit, and converted that over to a 3.5mm audio with an adapter cable. Then ran a female-female gender changer to a 3.5mm extension cable that plugged into the soundbar 3.5mm input. The head unit controls the volume overall. There is an independent volume on the soundbar that I can use to adjust the mix of head unit speakers to soundbar. Once i have that "bias" set, then the main volume on the head unit controls both adequately.

If I was hooking into the the system in the schematic above, I would get a 2-to-1 RCA splitter and grab signal from the Audio Out Rear set of RCA outputs. Then follow along with my setup to convert the RCA's to 3.5mm Audio, and then into the soundbar. No idea how many times you can split an RCA output signal before it degrades beyond use, but that would be my first guess. Just as if you were adding another amp to the system, just have to find a way to get the soundbar signal. Once it has signal it will pull power from elsewhere.

keep in mind the Stealth 10 Ultra HD that I have, does NOT have a remote turn on input. It has an OUTPUT for remote, but not an input. So I have to turn it and my head unit on separately.

 

[Mudak]

@IN2H2O I have ZERO experience with the 232 platform. My 190 setup was FAR FAR more simple than what's shown there.

In my setup I grabbed the RCA output from the head unit, and converted that over to a 3.5mm audio with an adapter cable. Then ran a female-female gender changer to a 3.5mm extension cable that plugged into the soundbar 3.5mm input. The head unit controls the volume overall. There is an independent volume on the soundbar that I can use to adjust the mix of head unit speakers to soundbar. Once i have that "bias" set, then the main volume on the head unit controls both adequately.

If I was hooking into the the system in the schematic above, I would get a 2-to-1 RCA splitter and grab signal from the Audio Out Rear set of RCA outputs. Then follow along with my setup to convert the RCA's to 3.5mm Audio, and then into the soundbar. No idea how many times you can split an RCA output signal before it degrades beyond use, but that would be my first guess. Just as if you were adding another amp to the system, just have to find a way to get the soundbar signal. Once it has signal it will pull power from elsewhere.

keep in mind the Stealth 10 Ultra HD that I have, does NOT have a remote turn on input. It has an OUTPUT for remote, but not an input. So I have to turn it and my head unit on separately.

Can you turn the sound bar up louder than the cockpit speakers?

 

[2kwik4u]

Can you turn the sound bar up louder than the cockpit speakers?

Yes. We do this often to get around behind the boat but not quite so bad in the cockpit and bow. Volumes are somewhat independent.

Basically, the sound bar is ALWAYS turned down to some extent as it's MUCH louder than the cockpit speakers. So to get more from soundbar than cockpit, you just turn the soundbar down less.

Hard to explain. I can take a video if you like. Probably won't explain much though without stereo mics and such.

 

[Mudak]

I think your situations is the came as mine and I have a wetsoind 8"sub already so I think this is exactly what I'll looking for. Thank you

 

[DRAT]

I really like the looks of that sound bar.

 

[RobbieO]

I know right. I thought the swing was brilliant myself. Baby only used it twice before he became pissed he couldn't run around on the floor when he was swinging.

Two notes on the soundbar though.

1. It Whistles. A LOT. I'm unsure if it's the way I have mine mounted, or the design of the heatsink fins pointed forwards, or what it is. Wind speeds over ~40mph make it whistle LOUDLY. Head wind of 15mph and a 30mph surface speed will get the whistle. It's so bad that on vacation last year while towing, the guy in the truck BEHIND the boat could hear it in the truck with the radio on. I don't open the back window on my truck while towing because of the whistle. It's super annoying, but not enough to make me want to remove it. It's really a pretty awesome piece of equipment.

2. The sound it projects is crystal clear. There is NO BASS with that sound. You will have to fill the sound out with some subs in the cockpit, or nice speakers elsewhere. It doesn't bother us even a little bit. It's clear, and full enough that it gets the job done. It is 1000% better than just cockpit speakers at throwing sound out behind the boat when at anchor and lounging/playing. It does well for those on the very back seats while on plane as well.

3. I had to pull the tower off to run the cables. They are too large/stiff to be snaked through with the tower on the boat. Once on, it's no big deal, but getting them snaked through just wasn't happening with the tower on the boat. I ran voice and data cables for years, and hadn't fought a cable like this very often. Doens't impact the function, look, or feel of the unit, just be away it's not a super simple installation because of that. Also, almost forgot. I had to cut off the terminals that came from the factory in order to fish the wires. Was an easy repair once installed, just be aware that has to happen.

Overall, we're very happy with it, but it does have those few drawbacks.

Here's another installed picture
View attachment 119679

Here's the tower off in the garage floor. Took two guys about 30 minutes to get it off there.
View attachment 119680

That sucks that the harness is on the port side, unless you just ran it to your stern remote. If running to the helm, you have to double back.

 

[2kwik4u]

That sucks that the harness is on the port side, unless you just ran it to your stern remote. If running to the helm, you have to double back.

If the soundbar is right side up, then the harness is on the starboard side. I mounted the bar upside down just to make the harness come down the port side tower tube.

The connections are B+ and B- for power, and then a 3.5mm Aux-In Female connection. My battery is in the port rear storage area, and my head unit is in the port glove box, so it made sense to have the harness on that side of the boat. only indication (which nobody has noticed other than me) is that the logo is upside down on the face of the soundbar.

I've solved the whistling problem by getting a cover for it while trailering.

We still love the soundbar. Was with a group of 9 other boats the other day, and I could EASILY overpower the "high end" system down the row. Guy had a couple amps, a sub, and 8" speakers on the rear deck. It just didn't project the way this bar does. It's easy to put the stereo on 35/50, set the soundbar to ~80%, then control the volume from the phone. Easily loud enough to overcome pretty much anyone in the cockpit. Loud enough to hear on plane, and it's crystal clear without distortion. Still running the stock head unit (Marine Audio MA200), and (4) Polk DB651S's along with the soundbar. No other amps or power adders.

 

[RobbieO]

Once I figure out how to connect the soundbar up to the Enovation system, I'm going to go for it. I mainly want it so I can hear the music while underway. I may have it facing down, not out... lol

 

[Augusto David Rodriguez]

Did you mind to post the mount brackets ,where did you order it?
Great install!