FCT5 Tower Speaker Questions

[brodym]

I'm considering buying some tower speakers for my FCT5 (2011 sport nautique) and wanted to get some feedback from the forum on things to consider when making a purchase. While I'm sure I'll use the speakers so the rider can hear music, another motivator (i'm almost scared to admit) is so if we're just hanging out in the water beside the boat, we can hear the music without cranking the stereo (making it impossible for people inside the boat to hear people outside the boat). Anyway, here are my questions:

1. Where's the best place to mount the speakers (factory side mount, factory top mount, or tube mount)? I don't want to cramp the boat...I certainly don't want to feel like I need to duck to get around. I tend to think I'd prefer small (i.e. wetsounds rev8) speakers on the side mount.

2. What's the advantage of having swivel speakers vs fixed speakers?...especially if they're mounted to the side of the tower... The main advantage I see is that it makes it quick and easy to remove the speakers (which I wouldn't do often)...the other advantage would be I could point one forward and one backward so if people are just chilling in the water around the boat, you'd be able to hear the music from anywhere. I suppose you could also point the speakers down when driving around to avoid be the obnoxiously loud boat driving around... What are other advantages of the swivel?

3. Does anyone have the factory side mount and/or top mount speakers? What are your thoughts? I'd be especially interested in your feedback if you only have the side mount speakers, or only have the top mount speakers.


It looks like going with the wetsounds solution is roughly $250 cheaper for me than the factory side mounts. I'm not planning to install an additional amplifier. The wetsounds speakers seem to be larger (good for music while riding...but bad for making the boat more cramped). I welcome general thoughts and comments. I'm assuming I'd be able to hear the music from the factory side mount speakers just fine while riding 55'...if others disagree, that'd be great to know

Thanks!

[gride]

i have no idea about fit on your tower, but the wet sounds have a swivel clamp that would allow you to rotate the speakers. i've never seen just the lower, side mounted speakers. i've seen just top tube, or top tube and side mount. when you say side mount factory, if you're speaking of the polk speakers, no, you won't be able to hear them just fine. you might catch a glimpse hear or there. the new rev 8's hang down less than the pro 80's. that's about all i got. in my personal opinion, if you don't beach your boat you dont need swivel mounts. i'd always mount the speakers on the top tube as well.

[brodym]

yeah, wet sounds has an adapter for the side mount bracket on the fct5 tower...and if I understand correctly the swivel mount on the Rev 8's would work with that adapter.

So, what would you say is required to be able to hear while riding?

[gride]

Sorry, I was under the assumption you were debating buying wet sounds speakers or getting the facotry ones. Assuming there's a budget I'd just get rev 8's on the top tube and a 420eq. If there's not a budget I'd talk to wet sounds and figure out the best combo of projection and near boat fidelity and they will help you figure out amp setup with what youve got or using their line of amps, which is about to get very extensive. If it were up to me with no budget I'd put rev 8's on the top and icon 8's on the side posts(David, Tim, or someone else may have a better suggestion). You'd be looking at $350 for all the adapters, and then whatever the speker costs end up being.

[tke104]

Do you have a Sport 200 or 226? I believe the 2011 200 was only offered with the FCT3. Wet Sounds offers side mounts for both the FCT5 and FCT3; however, they are different so you want to make sure you get the correct one.

I was in a similar situation with my tower speakers. My main goals are to be able to hear the music in the boat at speed and when around the boat at anchor. Hearing the music while wakeboarding would be an added benefit, but I don't want to blast the shoreline. I decided to go with a pair of ICON 8s mounted to the side factory mounts. There was some speculation that these might sound decent at wakeboard lengths so this was an added benefit. If I really want to hear music while wakeboarding I can always add some HLCDs later. I haven't had the chance to install them yet so I can't give you my impressions, but I hope to do so this weekend.

[gride]

It would be cool if you could either :have the icon 8's on the interior boat volume and the revs on the tower volume; or, have 3 separate zones.