Stereo Upgrade help...

[thomas205]

Hey guys

I am not very knowledgeable on audio at all and would like a little advice on an upgrade I want to do....

I am currently in a 2011 210, not the Team Edition so it has the small Clarion remote down and to the left of the wheel and the four speakers in the cockpit. Ideally I would like to get an amp, a sub and two tower speakers to get a little bit more out of it. I managed to get my hands on a Clarion CMD7 which I am hoping to put in to replace the existing unit.

I have been looking around a bit online and trying to get a feel of the cost of everything. I got an offer from a guy at Liquid Audio Sounds of a Kicker 10" sub, Soundstream 600.5 amp and a set single Polk black speakers up top for $724 shipped to NYC.

What would be the best bang for the buck, budget is $750... Need to fit over a Z5 bimini.

Thanks in advance!

[MLA]

With a 2011 model boat, what head-unit does it have now? What are you gaining by swapping it out for the CMD7? This may free up some budget for other priority areas.

Amping the current in-boats and adding a sub is a great idea. The added power, as compared to what the head-unit can supply, will add to the sound quality as well as volume. Adding a sub will fill in those missing lower end notes and balance the system. But, rest of the system could hinge on what your tower speaker goals are. A single set of 6.5 coaxials on the tower with a little bit of power will be fine for just listening while floating behind the boat, but will struggle to be heard clearly when surfing. For reaching a wake-boarding in tow, those coaxials will just not get it down.

Where the sub is going to go in the boat and how the install is going to be executed, will steer you toward the best sub choice and amp to drive it. What is your plan for the sub install?

What kicker sub and what Sound stream 5 chnl amp is that? Sound stream offers about 8 chnl amps it seems. Hard to offer a comment with out knowing specifics.

[thomas205]

Hey MLA, thanks for the response. I don't need to hear the stereo when I am riding, more interested in upping the sound quality a little and getting a bit more volume.

The current stereo I have attached a picture of. A friend of mine had their CMD7 replaced due to a fault which I have since had repaired so it is an option. Am I better off selling it and keeping the current one?



I wasn't sure on where to put the sub, most likely under the passenger seat in that storage area. Not too keen to make holes in the boat anywhere. Do you have any suggestions for its location?

Here are the specifics on the audio I was offered...

Soundstream P5.610 5 Channel amp

2x POLK Audio (mm651um) 6.5" Speakers

I was originally told Kicker sub but I think it may be a Polk MM1040 10" Subwoofer.

That was $720 delivered...

[MLA]

The unit in that pic is the Clarion CMS1. Unless you want a CD player, I would not swap to the CDM7.

That Soundstream P5.610 is Class-A/B on the 4 full-range chnls. If you want to stick with the Soundstream line, I would ask about the TN5.950. All Class-D, so far more efficient then the P5.610 and more power across the board for all speakers being driven. The TN5.960 also will deliver up to 430W rms for a 2 ohm sub. Thats good power for a wide range of 12" subs.

Placing a sub in an enclosed insulated locker on any boat, is like cutting its power in half. They become a boat shaker and not a music maker. But, on CC's, theres almost no place to do a sub., with out doing some degree of fabrication.