audio help for boat, new head unit how to?

[Charlie's_93EB]

Well I have a 19 Sea Ray with a 135 Merc. Runs great.

But the other day I was thinking that I need music.

I am fair with wiring.

There is a hole for a head unit, and for what looks to be 6-6.5 speakers.

Can I just get a ghetto walmart unit and plug and play?


I ran 10 gauge wire up front all ready.


Or should I just get a set of mp3 speakers???


Do I just hook up pos, neg, & a pos with a toggle to simulate a the key switch. And plug in a AM/FM antenna. Then run the speaker wires?

And I am good to go, or no????


Thanks Charlie

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Do I just hook up pos, neg, & a pos with a toggle to simulate a the key switch. And plug in a AM/FM antenna. Then run the speaker wires?

Since it is a boat, I would have to say that you are correct. That should be all you have to do. I don't see how it could get more complicated than that, except if you wanted an amp and a sub.

 

[kelly2]

that will work, but did you run both power and ground up front or just power? unless you have a central ground point up front somewhere, you'll have to run ground back to the battery too

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

that will work, but did you run both power and ground up front or just power? unless you have a central ground point up front somewhere, you'll have to run ground back to the battery too

Ya I did neg also up front.

I think I will run a boom box kind till I find a free/cheap used sterio so I can hack at the wiring without fear.

PS:
I did find I nice unit that that takes SD cards or a flash drive upgrade?

When I do it, I will post post pics thanks all.

 

[410Fortune]

Jensen makes some impressive marine audio stuff at great prices.

Wiring in a boat is real similar to a car, especially with your inboard/outboard, the only difference is the ground is distibuted with wires to the battery or a ground terminal block rather then tapping into the body and frame.

I have 4ea 6.5" co axial speakers (Jensen marine) in my boat along with a 3 channel MTX amp and a 12" sub in vented enclosure. I have a Kenwood MP3 head unit with I pod interface. This summer I will be adding some tower speakers (wakeboard tower) and will call it done. My boat rocks harder then both my trucks, the installation is theft proof (you would have to remove the steering column to get access to the amp and sub, 2 hour job) and the face for the stereo goes with me.

Marine audio is just like car audio, from mild to wild, its your choice.
I build my stuff on a tight budget and have found you dont have to spend alot of $$$ to get incredible sound, keep it simple but effective.

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

Jensen makes some impressive marine audio stuff at great prices.

Wiring in a boat is real similar to a car, especially with your inboard/outboard, the only difference is the ground is distibuted with wires to the battery or a ground terminal block rather then tapping into the body and frame.

I have 4ea 6.5" co axial speakers (Jensen marine) in my boat along with a 3 channel MTX amp and a 12" sub in vented enclosure. I have a Kenwood MP3 head unit with I pod interface. This summer I will be adding some tower speakers (wakeboard tower) and will call it done. My boat rocks harder then both my trucks, the installation is theft proof (you would have to remove the steering column to get access to the amp and sub, 2 hour job) and the face for the stereo goes with me.

Marine audio is just like car audio, from mild to wild, its your choice.
I build my stuff on a tight budget and have found you dont have to spend alot of $$$ to get incredible sound, keep it simple but effective.

I would love to see some pics!!

I am very, very border line as to what I do. I have rewired nearly every thing myself,

twin pumps, twin batteries, new lights bow/stern, pimp LED ****pit lights, new seats, hydralic streeing hoses, cleaned and painted the gas tank, redid part of the floor.

And it only took two years.

So you can see I have worked hard now i just want to injoy it for somemtime. But I think I can injoy much more with a sterio?????

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

done, I went to and got a cheap pioneer and some 5.25" speakers.

I walked inside the house and with a jumper box hooked up Pos, Neg, Acc, an anntenna, and one speaker.

It was a sad sight but it worked.


So I go out side and I quickly figured out that the a smaller radio had been there. Long story short I should have took out the jig saw a hour sooner.

Apon putting the unit in the glove compartment I discovered that that way the radio had to go was 45 degs angled at the driver, and 45 degs up. This with the fact the hole below (WAS) too small was more jig saw fun.

I do not think any would try to steal it, but it they did it would be impressive. It is in there tight and if someone just tries to rip it out it would hit the side of the box. Plus it is locked in there.

I put the anntenna in, ran the power and speaker wires, then soilered and zip tied them out of the way.


Like i said it is only 2 5.25" speakers I easly add more it I need to.

I will post pics later.

 

[cgriffin_5139]

Um can you get reception on a lake with an antenna? If you can't what would be the piont of the antenna?

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

Well I live on the Gulf. And we have the ICW Intercoastal Waterway. I do not know how far radio waves go. I can get Tampa stations 60 miles away. So I think over water the line of sight will be better so I for see no real probs plus
I have CDs.

 

[dirtyXplorer]

here is just some more resources for you.

http://www.crutchfield.com/ marine stuff

somday if I chop my explorer's top i would put a marine (water proof) HU in it

 

[kelly2]

Um can you get reception on a lake with an antenna? If you can't what would be the piont of the antenna?

does the body of water block radio waves somehow that i've never heard about? short answer: no