A client from here Campbell was referred to California Car Sounds and Tint for a 2018 Super Air Nautique stereo system upgrade. The boat came with a JL Audio MM100s digital media receiver, premium speakers in the cockpit, and an amp. While this is above average for many boats, the client wanted to add a subwoofer for better sound, in addition to a set of tower speakers. This way, whoever is on the end of the tow rope can hear the music!
Marine Subwoofer Upgrade
Many people think that adding a subwoofer to an audio system only improves the bass performance of the system. The reality is, a subwoofer makes everything sound better. When we add a sub, the smaller speakers in the boat don’t have to work as hard. Not having to reproduce bass information reduces the distortion they produce. It allows them to play much louder. Adding a sub to any vehicle is a dramatic upgrade!
The client agreed with our suggestion of a JL Audio MX10IB3-SG-WH sub. This sub has the same sport-series grille as the factory speakers in the boat. This 10-inch JL Audio subwoofer is designed to work in an infinite-baffle boat application to ensure it sounds great. It sounds good both at low levels and when the volume on the MM100s is cranked.
The boat comes with a JL Audio M400/4 amplifier to power the cockpit speakers. We reconfigured the amp so that the front channels drive the four speakers while the rear channel provides 200 watts to the subwoofer.
JL Audio Wakeboard Tower Speaker Enclosures
The JL Audio MX770-ETXv3-SH-TK speakers on the wakeboard tower feature 7.7-inch woofers to provide excellent efficiency and great output. The enclosures are mounted securely to the folding wakeboard tower and get their power from an additional JL Audio M400/4 four-channel amplifier. We bridged the amp to provide as much as 200 watts to each tower speaker.
The multi-zone capabilities of the MM100s source unit gives us the option of wiring the tower speakers to a separate volume control zone. This way, the client can adjust the tower speaker volume separately from the cockpit speakers.
Marine Audio Equipment installation
Augustin, one of our expert technicians, was responsible for the installation and tuning of the new equipment on this marine stereo system upgrade. He mounted the pair of JL Audio amplifiers on a water-resistant plastic panel up high in the main storage area on the port side of the boat. All of the wiring is marine-grade, so it will resist corrosion. Augustin added heat-shrink tubing to the main power connections to the amplifiers for added protection against damage from vibration. Stainless steel hardware secures the amps in place so they can withstand the punishment sport boats endure during hard use.
Super Air Nautique Stereo System Tuning
An important and often overlooked part of the installation process is to configure the amplifiers to work with the speakers and source unit on the boat. Augustin made sure that the crossovers and sensitivity controls on each amplifier were set to maximize the performance of the system. The result is a smooth frequency response and amazing output without unwanted distortion or background noise. As with all of our installations, we check all the sources with the engine off and in operation to make sure there isn’t any noise. We even check to make sure the factory-installed LED lighting doesn’t interfere with the system.
With everything installed and configured, it was time for the client to return to California Car Sounds and Tint in Campbell to check out his Super Air Nautique stereo system upgrades. He was thrilled with the added output from the subwoofer and the tower speakers. Our installation was neat and tidy, and all the equipment was out of the way. If you live in the San Jose area and are interested in upgrading the audio system on your boat, drop by California Car Sounds and Tint and speak with a member of our team. We’d be happy to have a look at your boat and design an upgrade that will provide the features and performance you want. For more information, give us a call at 408-378-0409 or use our contact page to send us an e-mail. We look forward to assisting you!
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