How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru's?

**SuperSquirt** · 09-09-2008, 09:49 PM

RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru

First off, I think if you want the guru's to answer your question, you need to answer a few questions. Do you have anymore amps? Are you willing to buy additional or change amps/speakers? What kind of head unit do you have? Your Clarion amp can barely push your in-boat speakers and your Rockford amp will do good for your sub, but you need another amp for your tower speakers.

**ispair** · 09-09-2008, 10:23 PM

RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru

The head unit is a Pyle PLCD18MRMP Marine CD Player MP3/AM/FM Radio. If I had to I might sell the Rockford Fosgate and switch to a 4 channel amp (if that would help). What I want to avoid is dropping a bunch of money into it. I want it to sound good to the average person (me) meaning it doesn't have to be "studio" quality for me to be happy.

You kind of lost me on how the clarion amp can barely run my in-boat speakers. Do you mean the amp is under powered. This is the same kind of amp they are running in Formula Boats and I think certain model Nautiques. I guess what i'm trying to say is the head unit "ran" my in-boat speakers. It wasn't great by any stretch of the means, but it ran them. I don't have to get the absolute maximum power out of my polks for me to be happy (does that make sense?). Here is the info on my head unit (if that helps).

Features:

In-Dash Marine MP3 CD Player
Anti-Theft Detachable Face
AM/FM MPX Electronic Tuning Receiver (USA)
CD/CDR/CDRW/MP3 Compatible
Weather Band Function
Full Function Wired Remote Control
3-Beam Laser Tracking
8 x Oversampling
Anti-Skip Mechanism
Auto Power Loading
CD Changer Control
Auxiliary Input Function
Minute, Second Track Display
25 Station Memory
Full Function LCD Display
Auto Best Station Memory
Loudness Mute Button
Full Illumination Carrying Case
4x50 Watts Mximum Total Output
Chassis Dimensions: 7''W x 7''D x 1.96''H
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty

**OHLNautique** · 09-09-2008, 11:18 PM

RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru

Run the 4 interior polks off of two of the channels on the Clarion, run the towers off the other two. You need to wire them parallel to get the Clarion to run at 2 ohms. It will do it, but it won't be fantastic. Run the sub off of the Fosgate bridged as long as the sub is 4 ohm. Buy a new HU. Get something with higher pre-volt outputs. At least 2 to 4 volts. No offense, but Pyle is not good and your stereo is only as good as your worst component. Ultimately you need to get a dedicated amp to run the towers or a really big, high end 4 channel. Hope this helps.

**brodie** · 09-10-2008, 10:54 AM

Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio

Originally posted by OHLNautique

Run the 4 interior polks off of two of the channels on the Clarion, run the towers off the other two. You need to wire them parallel to get the Clarion to run at 2 ohms. It will do it, but it won't be fantastic. Run the sub off of the Fosgate bridged as long as the sub is 4 ohm. Buy a new HU. Get something with higher pre-volt outputs. At least 2 to 4 volts. No offense, but Pyle is not good and your stereo is only as good as your worst component. Ultimately you need to get a dedicated amp to run the towers or a really big, high end 4 channel. Hope this helps.

Agreed on all accounts. You have plenty of power to have a decent sounding system. I would add a battery and an isolater switch. Set the hi pass filter on the clarion amp to ~80hz for the boat speakers and ~60 hz for the tower speakers, then set your fosgate low pass filter to 80hz.

**ispair** · 09-10-2008, 03:20 PM

Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio

Originally posted by OHLNautique

Run the 4 interior polks off of two of the channels on the Clarion, run the towers off the other two. You need to wire them parallel to get the Clarion to run at 2 ohms. It will do it, but it won't be fantastic. Run the sub off of the Fosgate bridged as long as the sub is 4 ohm. Buy a new HU. Get something with higher pre-volt outputs. At least 2 to 4 volts. No offense, but Pyle is not good and your stereo is only as good as your worst component. Ultimately you need to get a dedicated amp to run the towers or a really big, high end 4 channel. Hope this helps.

Few questions: Do you know how many pre-volt outputs my Pyle HU is pushing (and can you describe what those pre-volts actually do to make the sound better)? Also, how many amps can I run off my HU (I think I just have a pair of rca outputs)? Do I have to get a y splitter for my rca outputs so I can send them to both amps? Lastly, how do I run my speakers in parallel (positive on channel 1 to pos on 1st speaker then neg from 1st speaker to pos on second speaker from there neg on 2nd speaker back to neg on channel one?) Thanks for your help.

**ispair** · 09-10-2008, 03:30 PM

Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio

Originally posted by brodie

Agreed on all accounts. You have plenty of power to have a decent sounding system. I would add a battery and an isolater switch. Set the hi pass filter on the clarion amp to ~80hz for the boat speakers and ~60 hz for the tower speakers, then set your fosgate low pass filter to 80hz.

Can you help me out with how I would wire the isolator and extra battery? Do you hook the "stereo" battery up to the "starter" battery (and if so, how), or does the second (stereo) battery go back to the alternator also? Where does the isolator fit/mount (and where can I get one of those)? Thanks

**OHLNautique** · 09-10-2008, 07:04 PM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

http://gator49.hostgator.com/~zeromy...roducts_id=148

That's the simplest isolator switch that I know of. There are automatic switches but I am not familiar with them. I'm not exactly sure on the wiring between the batteries and isolator. I'm sure someone here can clarify or the directions are pretty simple. You can mount one wherever it is the easiest. once you get the switch and both batteries installed, you should have one dedicated to starting, and one dedicated to running the amps. The stereo battery should be some sort of deep cycle battery. This will give you longer listening times while the engine is not running. DON'T FORGET, when the engine is off, you must switch the isolator to the battery NOT running the stereo. Otherwise you'll run both of them down and be stuck.

**AuMDLST** · 09-11-2008, 06:55 AM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

Your description of the speaker wiring connection is a series wiring description - to parallel the speakers you need the both positive speakers to the pos term and both neg speaker connections to the neg term. What year boat are we dealing with? How long do you plan on listening to the system while boat is off? Do you currently have only one battery? Does your fosgate have an rca output?

**AuMDLST** · 09-11-2008, 07:00 AM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

Your fosgate has pass through rca connections so you just need to connect the head unit to the fosgate and then rca cable from the fosgate to the clarion

**OHLNautique** · 09-11-2008, 09:42 AM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

AuMDLST's description of parallel wiring is right on. Positive to positive and Negative to Negative. Be sure you "mate" the wires at the amp. If you daisy chain them, (wiring the second speaker to the first), the first speaker in line will get more power than the second.

I know you may not want to spend more money, but you really need to upgrade that HU. You need one with three Preouts. Front, rear, and sub control. With increased pre-out voltage the amplifier does not have to work near as hard to amplify the signal from the HU. The increased voltage also provides a much cleaner signal to the amp.

A 4 volt output on my Alpine HU has allowed me to run the whole system off of a 5 Channel amp with great results. It makes a bigger difference than most people realize.

**brodie** · 09-11-2008, 09:42 AM

Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all audio

Originally posted by ispair

Originally posted by brodie

Agreed on all accounts. You have plenty of power to have a decent sounding system. I would add a battery and an isolater switch. Set the hi pass filter on the clarion amp to ~80hz for the boat speakers and ~60 hz for the tower speakers, then set your fosgate low pass filter to 80hz.

Can you help me out with how I would wire the isolator and extra battery? Do you hook the "stereo" battery up to the "starter" battery (and if so, how), or does the second (stereo) battery go back to the alternator also? Where does the isolator fit/mount (and where can I get one of those)? Thanks

The wiring to the alternator stays the same, just one cable from the switch to the alternator. Both batteries are then wired to the switch. The switch that OHL linked is the same one I have, and is the most common one used. It is usually mounted near the batteries. West Marine has them, or most other marine stores. They are a must if you are running amps, and want to play for an extended period.

**OHLNautique** · 09-11-2008, 09:50 AM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...model=CDA-9886

This is the head unit I have. You can buy one on ebay all day long for $250. You can control an ipod with it, auxillary input, 4 volt preouts, sat radio, etc. I'm a fan of Alpine, but there are many out there with high voltage preouts.

**SuperSquirt** · 09-12-2008, 06:30 AM

RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling all au

OHL's Alpine head unit is the same one I am going to buy whenever the marine version comes out. I would have already bought the car version, but I want to add a couple MC10 remotes too. Alpine said they should both be released later this month. The 4-volt preouts are a big upgrade compared to the Clarion's 2-volt setup. I am really excited because anyone who has had an Alpine receiver before knows they make the best processors and sound excellent.

**OHLNautique** · 09-12-2008, 03:26 PM

Re: RE: Re: RE: How should I set this system up. Calling al

Originally posted by SuperSquirt

OHL's Alpine head unit is the same one I am going to buy whenever the marine version comes out. I would have already bought the car version, but I want to add a couple MC10 remotes too. Alpine said they should both be released later this month. The 4-volt preouts are a big upgrade compared to the Clarion's 2-volt setup. I am really excited because anyone who has had an Alpine receiver before knows they make the best processors and sound excellent.

You can add the MC10's to the non marine version. They hook up to the steering wheel remote input. I already have the handheld RF remote, it's awesome. Works from anywhere, does not have to be pointed at the HU, and it's waterproof. I take it in the water with me when we are floating/drinking behind the boat so I can control the music. When the MC10's come out I'm going to stick one on the dash and one on the transom. For the money, Alpine HU's are about as good as it gets.

How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru's?

How should I set this system up. Calling all audio guru's?

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