Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22

Thread: 22 Classic - Stereo System Input (High end)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    66
    Rep Power
    0

    22 Classic - Stereo System Input (High end)

    Good day everyone:

    I recently acquired a 2008 22 Classic that has never had a stereo / sound system in it. There are no holes cut for anything anywhere, only conduit running down the sides to ease the installation process.

    I'd like to install a PHENOMENAL system in this boat (subs, clean power, high quality sound and clarity, etc.). There are no budgetary restraints. I'd like to do something that would layout the speakers in a way that could best utilize the design of our classic cockpit, but I don't want it to look boastful. Ideally, it would look subtle with white marine speakers that don't visibly stand out too much if possible. I don't want to bring unnecessary attention to the boat by passers by at the dock, if I can help it.

    I want the highest quality, full range sound and volume available... plenty of low end sub bass for hip hop when I want it, plenty of balanced, crystal clear, high fidelity for some killer jazz or classic rock, 80's New Wave... whatever I decide to play I want it to sound epic :-)

    If any of you have killer sound systems in your 22 classic... please do share what you've done and what you might recommend to me . I would greatly appreciate your input.

    Thanks in advance!

    JY

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    719
    Rep Power
    0

    don't do it

    I'm going to suggest you leave the boat as is. Buy a self-contained, rechargeable battery powered, Bluetooth driven, cube speaker. real good ones are $2-300 and you can take it on boat and anywhere else too...
    Thank you, Patrick
    1994 18' Classic 350Mag Alpha

    Previously owned Donzis -
    1996 22' Classic, 502Mag Bravo
    1987 20' Minx, 350Mag Alpha
    1975 18' Classic, 350Chevy Volvo 280

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    38
    Rep Power
    0
    Whats the intended use? Might be a fruitless pursuit. We listen to our stereo while cruising and at anything beyond ~30mph you can't hear anything but wind / engine noise. I'd be weary of turning any system up loud enough to overcome that while cruising. For listening while at anchor or beached the factory system has been enough for me - and it appears to be very simple/basic. The only thing left wanting is bass, and only because the exhaust completely drowns out the lows.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    12,683
    Rep Power
    34
    I concur w/everyone else.
    If you're drifting by yourself, it's fine, I guess.
    If i was nearby, I'd leave. No one has else the right
    to choose my entertainment for me.
    I hate it in car traffic when people play their music so loud.
    I don't bother them w/what I play, why can't they
    leave me alone?
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    3,851
    Rep Power
    20
    Quote Originally Posted by gcarter View Post
    I concur w/everyone else.
    If you're drifting by yourself, it's fine, I guess.
    If i was nearby, I'd leave. No one has else the right
    to choose my entertainment for me.
    I hate it in car traffic when people play their music so loud.
    I don't bother them w/what I play, why can't they
    leave me alone?
    Yes, nothing more obnoxious than being pounded by someone's music at a serene boating area. Some great headphones might be a good way to go?

    1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
    1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
    1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
    1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
    1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
    Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    299
    Rep Power
    0
    I have a JL Audio system with 4 M770's that sounds absolutely kickass. I have two under the dashboard on the sides where you and your passenger's feet would be, and two in the back on the bottom of sides where passenger feet would be. They're big speakers, so the bass is fantastic, they're ridiculously crisp and clear sounding, I'm very happy with the setup. Best thing is, because of the low location, everything surrounds you very well inside of the boat, and the inside hullsides only act to provide a better acoustic enclosure for speakers--but you can't hear it as well from outside of the boat by nature, so neighboring boats aren't pissed. I also have a Fusion 750 series head unit (which I just looked, and they've doubled in price since I bought mine). The Fusion has Bluetooth capability with an additional dongle you can purchase. My speakers are hooked up to a JL Audio MHD600/4 amp which I mounted on the left side of the storage bin in front of foot area. I attached a pic here of the amp. I unfortunately couldn't find pics of the speaker locations but if you want I'll take pics next time I am with the boat. It's tough to find a spot to mount a subwoofer on a 22. You could possibly mount it in the front storage area where my amp is, maybe on other side or in a custom enclosure, but I worry that that would be a bad spot acoustically. On the occasion a bass-heavy pop song comes on in my boat, I'm more than satisfied with the bass--but if you want even more, you might be able to squeeze M880 speakers in the boat. They weren't around when I put my system in, but could possibly fit.

    Let me know if you have any other questions.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Donzi 22' Classic

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    86
    Rep Power
    16
    I agree with the others, and I'll add that for most boats a sound system is great, but for the Classics, no matter how spectacular the system, it's too pedestrian, I think it cheapens the boat, but that's just my 2 cents...
    2009 Classic 16
    NW Tampa Bay

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    299
    Rep Power
    0
    I'm kind of surprised that everyone is so against the idea of speakers in a classic, I wouldn't have though that at first. I feel like since no one else is taking the pro-speaker side I might as well come along and defend it haha.

    At least for me personally, one thing that I love to do is to take a couple friends out, float around, and listen to music. I don't listen to music while running, you can't hear it, but I love hearing some nice quality sound while hanging out. The stereo isn't always on, but when I want it, it is there.

    I could also see why certain systems might cheapen the look of the boat. But, in my case, I carefully selected my equipment to match and complement my 22. The head unit blends in perfectly with the gauges with the same style chrome bezel as the gauges. And the speakers are black/red, which perfectly matches my black/red stripe, and also my red backlighting/red LED footwell lighting/red LED engine room lighting at night. They are classy looking, and I could see that if they were some obnoxious looking design you might find in a ricer car that they would cheapen the boat. I really can't wait to take some pics of my setup so you guys can see it can actually be done tastefully.

    A bluetooth speaker doesn't do it for me. I want to be surrounded by the sound. I use a bluetooth speaker in my friends boat, but it's just not the same. And if I'm in a bay with like 3 other boats I won't blast my music of course, but fortunately because of the acoustic design, it is hard to hear me from far away. But by myself, or in a super crowded bay with tons of noise anyway, it really is a nice feature to have.

    Sorry for typing so much, I must just have too much free time today...
    Donzi 22' Classic

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    12,683
    Rep Power
    34
    To be honest, the TR came w/four speakers.....28 years old.
    To patch the four holes is a lot of work, and very difficult to
    accomplish a perfect repair. So I did install 4 marine speakers
    and wire them up to the rear of the dash. I've thought about
    a remote system hidden behind the dash (there's no hole in
    the custom carbon fiber dash) and a Bluetooth remote control,
    maybe one that would take a phone call and perform other
    functions. But it would seldom ever be used to play music.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    3,303
    Rep Power
    24
    As long as you're respectful to those around you, put as much power in the system as you want. I'm far more irritated by boats running dry exhaust and no mufflers than I am loud music.

    For speakers I'd suggest getting component speakers. The locations RockyS18 suggests would work well for the main speakers, but I'd add a 3rd set to the front sides of the cockpit tub. High notes are very directional and don't "expand" outwards like low notes, so I'd mount the rear tweeters above the main speaker, but as high up as possible. If you can find space, I'd put the front tweeters in the dash, or in pods, tucked into the corner of the windshield.

    Bass notes take distance to properly reproduce, so I experimented with my subs and mounted them in enclosures in the engine compartment. I cut holes in the firewall and directed the sound up the side of boat (between the cockpit tub and hull side). It works ok, but I can't recommend the setup. If I did it again, I'd install a single large sub as far forward under the deck as possible.

    The best place I found for mounting amps is under the back seat.

    Speaker quality is THE most important part of the system. Quality speakers can make crappy amps sound good, but crappy speakers can't make the best amps sound good. Put most of your money into speakers, then amps, and then the head unit.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Why is faster never fast enough.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    1,833
    Rep Power
    22
    Fusion Marine speakers are the best coaxials for the money. I have a set in my 22 driven by a Pyle amp.

    Getting great sound in a boat has always been difficult. The best equipment is made by JL Audio for amps and speakers. They are pricey. I run JL Audio in my vehicles but I don’t think I could tell the difference between Pyle/Fusion and JL Audio in a boat with a big block.

    But to go all out, I would get:
    (2) ZR650-CSi http://www.jlaudio.com/zr650-csi-car...-systems-91122
    For front and rear speakers
    (1) MHD600/4 http://www.jlaudio.com/mhd600-4-mari...plifiers-98224
    4 channel amp
    (2) MHD750/1 http://www.jlaudio.com/mhd750-1-mari...plifiers-98225
    Sub amps
    (3) 12W3v3-4 http://www.jlaudio.com/12w3v3-4-car-...-drivers-92154
    Subs – You can get bazooka bass tubes and replace the drivers with the JL. They fit next to the ski locker up front.

    I run 2-10" subs in Bazooka tubes and they are not enough. My next upgrade will be to 12". I think 2-12" 4 ohm will be enough. For more, get the dual 4 ohm voice coils and bridge them to 2 ohm.

    Get a good head unit with the features you want. Make sure it's good quality and clean. You will need to beef up the alternator and use good wires and interconnects. Also, noise suppress everything.

    Good luck and let us know how it turns out. And yes, be respectful of those around you.

    Taz
    Last edited by txtaz; 09-15-2016 at 02:32 PM.
    Da Taz
    "Speed has never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary will get you every time."
    Wes

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    2,310
    Rep Power
    24
    Personally , I think that small open boats (especially in salt water environments) are a disaster for stereos .

    Just my opinion . It's YOUR boat !
    Just because something's old doesn't mean you throw it away !

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    3,303
    Rep Power
    24
    I agree with you Taz that 10's aren't big enough. I have 10's also and they are good enough for me, but if I was going for "epic", I'd want more.

    The biggest problem is that fiberglass boats don't reflect sound waves as well as a steel bodied car, so it takes more speaker, more amp, more $$$ to get equivalent quality.
    Why is faster never fast enough.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Posts
    16
    Rep Power
    0
    Your boat is a orchestra itself... My 2cents.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2000
    Posts
    5,349
    Rep Power
    31
    My Criterion SS came with a stereo and speakers from the factory. I upgraded the speakers and radio plus installed a big ass amp. Ed

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •