New boat = New problems

[Guntersville230]

A little bit of a rant, I dont mind spending the money we do for these boats (New 2015 230) because they are AMAZING and the years of family fun you get is hard to put a value on but to spend it then have to go and spend more $ to get the STOCK stereo to work well is pretty sad. Just finished paying a stereo professional to "clean up" everything that wasnt done at the factory/dealership to my boat. My bow speakers basically were nonfunctioning from the get go, no highs, no lows, no volume...nothing. Amps were TERRIBLY out of tune and by default the sub had nothing notable of "lows" to even speak of. Also, had to clean up the ground to get "noise" out of cabin speakers and aftermarket tower speakers.

All in all, happy I spent the EXTRA money to have a stereo professionally fixed. Now my stock system (plus aftermarket tower speakers) are sounding great! Just kinda a bummer the issues that I had could easily be resolved at the factory level!!!

[Evening Shade]

I definitely know what you are talking about. I really wish Nautique would have chosen Wetsounds for the factory audio for 2016 rather than JL. I know JL makes great products, but they don't offer an HLCD tower speaker. For what we pay for these boats and especially the price of options, they should come with the best stereo equipment IMO. The best in the business should come with killer stereo setups from the factory.

[Guntersville230]

I definitely know what you are talking about. I really wish Nautique would have chosen Wetsounds for the factory audio for 2016 rather than JL. I know JL makes great products, but they don't offer an HLCD tower speaker. For what we pay for these boats and especially the price of options, they should come with the best stereo equipment IMO. The best in the business should come with killer stereo setups from the factory.

I agree too.....Nautique as a wake boat company is the BEST! Just really need to address this sub par aspect of an otherwise high quality build....I have heard people having issues already with the JL set up too (as my 2015 was the previous Polk set up)

[danschmatz]

A little bit of a rant, I dont mind spending the money we do for these boats (New 2015 230) because they are AMAZING and the years of family fun you get is hard to put a value on but to spend it then have to go and spend more $ to get the STOCK stereo to work well is pretty sad. Just finished paying a stereo professional to "clean up" everything that wasnt done at the factory/dealership to my boat. My bow speakers basically were nonfunctioning from the get go, no highs, no lows, no volume...nothing. Amps were TERRIBLY out of tune and by default the sub had nothing notable of "lows" to even speak of. Also, had to clean up the ground to get "noise" out of cabin speakers and aftermarket tower speakers.

All in all, happy I spent the EXTRA money to have a stereo professionally fixed. Now my stock system (plus aftermarket tower speakers) are sounding great! Just kinda a bummer the issues that I had could easily be resolved at the factory level!!!

The stereo seems to be the week spot for sure.

Hold the dealer to the fire on it. I personally do all my stereo stuff myself because I enjoy it but my dealer here in Denver wanted to do it themselves and even offered to let me use the shop if I wanted to do it there.

[swatguy]

Boat stereos in all MFG are really an afterthought. The way they poorly wire everything and the lack of stereo knowledge is pretty much common place across the line. Grounds are rearly matched and once you want to start upping the performance it usually requires some rewiring of the original equipment. In lots of cases the amp/speaker combos are underpowered from their optimal performance.

Stereo tuning is an art. Some dealerships have a little more knowledge than others, but as a whole boat dealerships aren't stereo experts. The stereo equipment has gotten very high end, and it takes more of a professional to get that correct. Should things change a bit now that stereos from mfg are really high end and no longer an afterthought with just a couple regular 6.5's to get you through the day......without a doubt, but there isn't a current boat mfg yet with a stereo professional on staff tuning every system that flies out the door.


I too would have loved to see Nautique go full Wetsounds. MC has the JL line so it woulda been nice to offer something a little different. I do know that lots of other MFG how sawpped tonSetsounds though so maybe that's why Naitique opted for the JL route. Either way the JL stuff is much better than the Polk IMO. It was a long time coming to up Nautiques stereo stuff. I thought that was definitely a weaker point.

[Guntersville230]

The stereo seems to be the week spot for sure.

Hold the dealer to the fire on it. I personally do all my stereo stuff myself because I enjoy it but my dealer here in Denver wanted to do it themselves and even offered to let me use the shop if I wanted to do it there.

My problem getting on the dealer is they are somewhat smaller and their focus really isn't on stereo install more on fixing/maintaining engine and boat service which I am OK with because again seems like more of a factory level problem....just dont have the belief that its the dealers responsibility to have a stereo professional hired or that if I ask them to work on it it may take days and nothing would really happen/change. Would rather do it right from the start, either at factory level OR I'll just pay to have a true stereo person do it and get it so I can get on the water and ENJOY!!!

[David Analog]

JL Audio likely tunes the first boat and provides the boat builder with a tuning prescription along with specs on recommended wiring and so on. Typically with any boat manufacturer the recommendations are not followed for very long and they tend to deviate. Every audio vendor is going to experience the same deterioration of standards.
Even though the factory is investing big in a name brand product, audio is not their priority. The slide is inevitable regardless of audio brand or boat brand.

[hondaprlud]

JL Audio likely tunes the first boat and provides the boat builder with a tuning prescription along with specs on recommended wiring and so on. Typically with any boat manufacturer the recommendations are not followed for very long and they tend to deviate. Every audio vendor is going to experience the same deterioration of standards.
Even though the factory is investing big in a name brand product, audio is not their priority. The slide is inevitable regardless of audio brand or boat brand.

This doesn't make sense to me. If there is a process to optimal sound why not follow it? I get that production people/human nature to deviate when trying to hit deadlines etc. but why wouldn't there be a QC check for this like I'm sure there is for other stops on the line.

It's just baffling to me, OK if you don't know what/how to tune a system and try your best while learning to improve. But if the knowledge is there and just not followed... Just seems very unNautique like.

But that's just if what Dave said is correct.

[Guntersville230]

This doesn't make sense to me. If there is a process to optimal sound why not follow it? I get that production people/human nature to deviate when trying to hit deadlines etc. but why wouldn't there be a QC check for this like I'm sure there is for other stops on the line.

It's just baffling to me, OK if you don't know what/how to tune a system and try your best while learning to improve. But if the knowledge is there and just not followed... Just seems very unNautique like.

But that's just if what Dave said is correct.

Either way I'm SURE Nautique can afford to pay a devoted audio person(s) that know what to do and how to tune?! Like you said, where is the QC check here, and if there is one, someone is SLAACKING on the job!

[Guntersville230]

Additional note, I'm not looking for the "stock" system to make my chest vibrate from across the lake....I know a high quality system cost tons of cash. What I am interested in is a system that has a quality name and common knowledge perform well to function as designed. Just seems like they have all the right products (whether it be Polk or JL) just need a few extra minutes before build completion with a sound tech......just my $0.02 since i'm sure Nautique needs it, hahaha

[David Analog]

JL Audio has an ingrained resistance to HLCD speakers on the tower. I don't agree with it. However, JL Audio is by far the most sophisticated marine audio company from an engineering standpoint. 100% of the marine speakers are produced domestically. They have domestic engineering for electronics and acoustics. They make the world's best home audio subwoofers and active crossovers. They are simply operating at a different level.
But JL Audio is not on the assembly line, not for MasterCraft, not for Nautique, and not for a great number of fresh water and salt water OEM boats. When the premium JL Audio system was first introduced, people were genuinely blown away. Poor execution on the line is on Nautique.

[OxDoc]

I guess I'm the only one here with this opinion, but I like the JL in boat speakers in the G much better than the Wetsound xs-650's I had in my last boat. The subwoofer location is absolute crap on the G though. I can't even tell when its on. I'm sure Wetsounds make a great product, but their not for everyone.

[Beg4wake]

I agree with OxDoc. I prefer the JL in boats over Wetsounds. As for the tower, I'm kind of in a toss up. I really love Wetsounds tower HLCD speakers, however, after standing on the back pad of two boats, side by side, one with wetsounds tower speaker and one with the JL's...the JL's were much clearer when up close (basically for those sitting in the boat) than the Wetsounds. Granted, the Wetsounds did project the volume and clarity better at a distance (for the rider). But it did make me realize that I was constantly turning the volume down on my stereo on my last boat because the HLCDs were really "blaring" inside the cabin. This is why I ended up going with the JL 8.8's on the new G23. And I had actually originally ordered the boat with NO tower speakers because I had every intention of going with Wetsounds. However after this thread, it sounds like either way I'll still be going to a professional audio shop to get the system tuned up. I just know the system in the G (25) at the dealership sounded amazing! I DO hate the placement of the 2nd sub though, with no visual access to it....that's a bummer to me.

[Guntersville230]

I agree with OxDoc. I prefer the JL in boats over Wetsounds. As for the tower, I'm kind of in a toss up. I really love Wetsounds tower HLCD speakers, however, after standing on the back pad of two boats, side by side, one with wetsounds tower speaker and one with the JL's...the JL's were much clearer when up close (basically for those sitting in the boat) than the Wetsounds. Granted, the Wetsounds did project the volume and clarity better at a distance (for the rider). But it did make me realize that I was constantly turning the volume down on my stereo on my last boat because the HLCDs were really "blaring" inside the cabin. This is why I ended up going with the JL 8.8's on the new G23. And I had actually originally ordered the boat with NO tower speakers because I had every intention of going with Wetsounds. However after this thread, it sounds like either way I'll still be going to a professional audio shop to get the system tuned up. I just know the system in the G (25) at the dealership sounded amazing! I DO hate the placement of the 2nd sub though, with no visual access to it....that's a bummer to me.

Part of my audio clean up and upgrade was installing this dual zone volume control under the helm to help with the "blaring" out passengers that I turn down when there are no riders....WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!!

https://roswellmarine.com/dualzonevo...rolfeature.php

[Tallredrider]

Part of my audio clean up and upgrade was installing this dual zone volume control under the helm to help with the "blaring" out passengers that I turn down when there are no riders....WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!!

https://roswellmarine.com/dualzonevo...rolfeature.php

I also have the Roswell controller and it is worth every penny. You cannot quickly and easily turn down the tower speakers with the menu system on the touch screen. Especially if you are currently fumbling through other screens trying to do something else.

I am sure that JL gave them a decent prescription at the factory, and then some guy was supposed to take 100 amps at a time out of the box and put the amps at the designated settings, and then after the first 100 boats were made, the guys just grabbed amps out of the box without putting them to the proper settings. Having the benefit of having the same setup on dozens of boats should have made it super easy.

Every MFG has this problem except maybe Tige. The owner of Wetsounds typically has a Tige and seems to have a close working relationship (I think the boats are made not far from the Wetsounds HQ). I don't see this problem coming up on the their discussion boards.

I am fully planning on crawling in the compartment and adjusting the gains and crossovers myself. I shouldn't have to, but I expect it.