If you had the money...

[phillid]

I'm looking to upgrade my system and there are too many options for me to even know where to start. This is where I need your help.
I have a Clarion XMD3 receiver, Polk Audio PA D4000.4 amp, a Kicker KX700.5 amp. For in-boat speakers 6 of Polk MoMo 6.5, 1 polk sub and on the tower 4 Liquid Audio 6.5 inch speakers.

If you had $1,500 invest how would you spend it to maximize your system's sound and how would you rig it?

[swatguy]

Couple questions first. Are you interested in getting sound out to wakeboarders while they are riding or do you primarily surf and relax in or around the boat listening to tunes. The answer to this question would dictate where to spend the $$

[phillid]

We do more surfing and relaxing versus wakeboarding

[a0128]

What's wrong, or deficient, with your current setup? What are you looking to achieve sound wise?

[phillid]

Just isn't loud and crisp enough for cruising the lake and also riding behind the boat surfing. Plus I'd like more headroom under the tower and go from 4 to 2 speakers spread wider. Banged my forehead too many times.

[swatguy]

I know a lot of sound guys say the Momo's are a very true sounding speaker, but I personally think they just lack any ummf imo. Their tweeter for some reason just doesn't seem to pop the highs enough for me. I am sevely disappointed in mine in my 08. However I was spoiled with Wetsounds XS650's in my last boat powered off a Syn 4 as I only had 4 speakers. Those 4 tho completely blow my 6 Momo's out of the water. I will say this tho...........your Polks are severely under powered at the moment in your boat. You may liven them up to your liking with a simple amp upgrade. Right now they're only seeing 40watts RMS tops. Those are rated at 80-100watts rms so swapping out that amp is a must for any upgrade whatsoever.

A set of Icon 8's would do you some justice on the tower and that Polk Amp would be a great amp to run those in bridges mode. I bet you could find a retailer to get those around 700 w fixed clamps if not cheaper. If not shoot me a pm and I'll see what I can do on the Wetsounds side. Leaves you some left over to work inside. I'll let others chime in on some interior options, going XS650' leaves you nothing left over for an amp , but you get arguably one of the best speakers out there and they scream. I feel the XS65 still is an upgrade to the Momo's when they get good power. A guy on my lake has 4 in his closed bow and those things sound great. I am far from a professional audio guru like some that I am sure will chime in but I also like the higher/brighter sounding Infinity and Exile speakers as well. Maybe not a huge upgrade quality to top notch speakers but I like their brighter sound

If it were me I would do the icon 8's. Buy a solid 4 channel and a single mono for your sub. Much easier combo to find power wise to get 100rms to your inboats. Another 1 amp solution would be to find a higherend5-6 channel to run your inboats and sub with more power( will be about same cost wise to the 2amp solution) Then you have those pieces of the puzzle. The icon 8's and the Polk amp will give you great sounds to the surfer and near field and the higher end interior amp will kick up those Momo's a ton. If your still not satisfied then start saving for new interiors but you will already have the ground work to power them.

I was always always told to spend $$ on a good amp for good clean power. A good amp can liven up some shortcomings in a speaker, but a good speaker can't liven up poor power.

[rlwagens]

Decide whats most important right now, music for those behind the boat or those inside, then go all in on doing that right and start saving to upgrade the second part later. You could do either XS-650s + SYN4 for interior or a pair of REV8s + SYN2 for the tower for just over your budget and they would each make that part of the system scream. I've done gradual upgrades on my stereo systems in the past and there is just no replacement for doing it right the first time and being done with it. I have a pair of REV10s on my boat now from previous owner and its so out of this world I've totally forgotten about upgrading the stock Polks in the interior for now.

[MLA]

Just isn't loud and crisp enough for cruising the lake and also riding behind the boat surfing. Plus I'd like more headroom under the tower and go from 4 to 2 speakers spread wider. Banged my forehead too many times.

For the in-boat setup, Move the in-boats over to the PA4000.4 and re-tune it.

Pull the 700.5 and replace it with something like the Polk PA 330.2, assuming the woofer is a 4 ohm SVC 10".

Wet Sounds Icon-8 on the Syn-2 running mono.

[phillid]

Thanks guys for the input. I was under the impression that a 4 channel amp (Polk PAD4000.4) should not be hooked up to run 6 in-boat speakers. Or are you thinking to have the 2 bow speakers running off the Clarion head unit and the amp running the 4 others? Help set this straight for me.

Also most of this input was around wet sounds, top of the line equipment. If not wet sounds what would be your be your next few choices?

[MLA]

The polk 4000.4 will drive 3 pair of speaker, no problem. No reason to leave any speakers on the head-unit.

The 2 chnl Syn-2 has many advantages that make it an ideal choice, but not the only option. Its a marine amp, delivers the wattage for the Icon-8 at 4 ohm per chnl and allows for a mono setup. Some other less expensive options that are still quality amps, would be: Kicker KMX400.4 (200 x 2), Arc Audio XDi450.4 (250 x 2), JL M400/4 (200 x 2), Rockford M400-4D (200 x 2) Wet Sounds HT-2 (165 x 2)

[phillid]

I didn't spend anything last year so now i have $2,000 available. I'm convinced to go with a pair of ICON-8 for tower speakers for around $700. That leaves me with around $1,300 to make sure I have proper power to these plus enhancing my in boat sound. I'll keep my Polk 4000.4 to power the icon-8s or the 6 in-boats.

I'm not sure if this makes any difference in set up but my boat has separate volume control - 3 control knobs - 1 for in-boats, 1 for tower and 1 for sub. This feature I really like as I can control volume quickly and independently depending on what we are doing or what I have turned up. So like I said I'm not sure if this makes any matter in the right solution.

Will $1,300 get me 6 xs-650s plus a solid amp? If I did this I'm wondering if my sub is being ignored?

Finally (I think) what does "allows for a mono setup" mean?

[MLA]

Running a tower setup in mono has an advantage over stereo. Both speakers will play 100% of the program material. So when even off axis like when surfing, you get all the music.

$1300 should get you 3 pair xs-650 and an HTX-6 to drive them. It could also drive a mild sub woofer.

[phillid]

MLA, I understand the mono thoughts so will the polk 4000.4 run the icon-8s in mono or do I need to go with the Syn-2 for mono set up?

If I need to go with the Syn-2 for the icons will the polk 4000.4 run 3 pair of XS-65s plus help the sub? Will the polk 4000.4 run my 6 polk momo in-boats plus the sub?

[MLA]

No, the Polk 4000.4 has a very simple and basic front end and can not run summed mono like the Syn-2. I would not put this in the "deal breaker" column, but its a nice feature to have in a tower amp.

No, the 4000.4 will not effectively run 3 pair of speakers and a sub. You need either a 3rd amp or a 5 or 6 chnl hybrid

[phillid]

MLA, I'm trying to figure the best way to only buy 1 amp while utilizing my polk 4000.4. Looking at the syn-4 they state it will power tower speakers and a sub. Will the syn-4 be a good fit with icon-8s (or maybe even rev-8s) plus powering my sub. Or will the syn-2 do this as well? I'd then put the polk on my 6 in-boats, prolly just stay with the polk momos for now versus upgrading those.