4 10s and 2 2" horns, no tweeters, good simple 2 way set up?

[Bobby.b.]

I'm gonna be rigging a stereo for my boat and want to get some opinions on the set up I'm pondering. Subwoofer will be later. See pictures for where the speakers will go. there's covers where someone already had 10" holes cut for something so I'm gonna use those and cut some more holes up under the front seat. all the speakers are essentially infinite baffle. the front seat storage bins could easily have the hatch door replaced with a piece of wood/glass and make them into a sealed enclosure, but that's a project for another day for now assume its all IB.

2 of these
Amazon product ASIN B00ZCSM5B2
strapped up to 2 of these
Amazon product ASIN B098PJ8NBD
and 4 of these
Amazon product ASIN B0002ZPSEG
a big 4 channel amp for the woofers (so I can run more power to the front stage) and a small 2 channel amp for the horns with some kind of active crossover or processor.

My thinking is the horns save me from having run a mid range or running the 10s way too high. response up to 17k sounds fine to me on paper, but I can always fit a tweeter in the grill later on if it needs it.

My major concern is are horns gonna be bad at close range? I've got about 10ft from my driving position to the speaker location. I love the way horn loaded pa speakers sound, but is this super small horn and the way its installed in a corner gonna work out? you tell me.

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[Bobby.b.]

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[HardofWhoring]

a big 4 channel amp for the woofers (so I can run more power to the front stage) and a small 2 channel amp for the horns with some kind of active crossover or processor.

No offense, but does your boat really have a front stage? There's no obstruction, and the only time that is going to matter is when you're cruising right? What about most of the time, when you're stopped?

How are horns going to help any stage? Take your hands, make a circle about the size of a baseball, and put it up to your mouth. That's what a horn is going to do. It's going to try to angle the sound waves. It's more or less going to project the sound in an isolated beam. I promise you, you don't want to use horns.

My thinking is the horns save me from having run a mid range or running the 10s way too high.

What's wrong with midrange? 10" subs? What do horns have anything to do with subs running "way too high". What does that mean exactly?

response up to 17k sounds fine to me on paper, but I can always fit a tweeter in the grill later on if it needs it.

It's going to need it. You need highs, or it just sounds muffled. You don't need a lot, but you need em if you want to hear any vocals, or half the instruments.

My major concern is are horns gonna be bad at close range? I've got about 10ft from my driving position to the speaker location. I love the way horn loaded pa speakers sound, but is this super small horn and the way its installed in a corner gonna work out? you tell me.

YES it will sound HORRIBLE at close range considering you want to face them into the boat. Just get some marine grade speakers, get mids, and get highs, or a better suggestion would be to get some two ways, because:



SO what's your plan for power? Does that boat have an outboard motor, (with no way to install an alternator? Even if you're an inboard, do you plan on running your motor the entire time you're listening to this? You want to add how many subs? How many amps? Ok, but how many batteries are you planning on installing? You have 4 big subs plus the driver (were those 400w RMS or Peak)?. You're about add close to 2,000 watts to hear that turned up. That's about a 200 amp draw. So for each battery you have, you will get about 20-25 minutes of play time, turned up, and not counting what your boat takes for it's needs.


Really not trying to be a dick, but this entire setup is wrong. With subs you're just going to piss off every fisherman (and fisherwoman) on the lake, and you'll hear the music better 50 feet away then you will in some of the seats.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

I would probably choose different 10 inch speakers. The ones you linked only have a frequency response up to 3000hz. The horns will play that low, but will sound better if you cross them higher. You are already wanting to use PRV horn drivers, why not PRV 10’s as well?

 

[Bobby.b.]

No offense, but does your boat really have a front stage? There's no obstruction, and the only time that is going to matter is when you're cruising right? What about most of the time, when you're stopped?

I'm either driving the boat or at the beach hanging out behind the boat, I just want the high frequency to come from the front of the boat.

What's wrong with midrange? 10" subs? What do horns have anything to do with subs running "way too high". What does that mean exactly?

Saves me from cutting more holes in the boat. A horn can be crossed over lower. A 10" woofer wont sound good trying to meet up with a dome tweeter at 2500hz.

It's going to need it. You need highs, or it just sounds muffled. You don't need a lot, but you need em if you want to hear any vocals, or half the instruments.

there's not a whole lot of anything going on above 17khz in most music, or have I lost my mind??

Really not trying to be a dick, but this entire setup is wrong. With subs you're just going to piss off every fisherman (and fisherwoman) on the lake, and you'll hear the music better 50 feet away then you will in some of the seats.

Your input is welcome. I expected someone to go off like this, I get it its out of the normal.

I have a few friends using these woofers in the 8" version and they handle the weather and can be hosed off so the selection is based really on what the speaker is made out of.

I realize this is a car audio forum so ill explain how it works, The boat has 2 31 house batteries and 2 24 starting batteries one per engine, the 2 outboards have 35 amp alternators, and the boat is always hooked up to a 10 amp shoreline charger when its sitting. So you drain the house down at the beach for a few hours, your starting batteries aren't being used, then when you crank up and leave the battery cut outs see alternator voltage and switch back to all 4 batteries linked and charging. You get home with a half assed re charged house battery and then plug it in to charge until next week. The point of the stereo being so loud is to hear it when your running, when you have a charging system and 4 batteries.

 

[HardofWhoring]

I'm either driving the boat or at the beach hanging out behind the boat, I just want the high frequency to come from the front of the boat.

Saves me from cutting more holes in the boat. A horn can be crossed over lower. A 10" woofer wont sound good trying to meet up with a dome tweeter at 2500hz.

Mids.

there's not a whole lot of anything going on above 17khz in most music, or have I lost my mind??

I think you just said tweeters go as low as 2500hz, but don't do anything until 17khz. Different speakers can be for varying range, there is really no set frequency crossover point, but it's between those two,

Your input is welcome. I expected someone to go off like this, I get it its out of the normal.

"go off"? Had to throw it in there, okay.

I have a few friends using these woofers in the 8" version and they handle the weather and can be hosed off so the selection is based really on what the speaker is made out of.

Are those ones marine grade? Because the ones you picked aren't.

I realize this is a car audio forum so ill explain how it works, The boat has 2 31 house batteries and 2 24 starting batteries one per engine, the 2 outboards have 35 amp alternators, and the boat is always hooked up to a 10 amp shoreline charger when its sitting. So you drain the house down at the beach for a few hours, your starting batteries aren't being used, then when you crank up and leave the battery cut outs see alternator voltage and switch back to all 4 batteries linked and charging. You get home with a half assed re charged house battery and then plug it in to charge until next week. The point of the stereo being so loud is to hear it when your running, when you have a charging system and 4 batteries.

That picture makes the boat look smaller than it is then.

The 10 amp charger isn't going to do much when you're playing this. If your cool with it running, I would be trying to upgrade those alternators. Not sure what motors are in there for an easy swap option, but you can always get the alternators you have, rebuilt to do more. Any remanufacturing/rebuilding alt shop should be able to upgrade them.

I wouldn't know off hand how, but I would think you could even wire it up so that it will recharge your starting batteries when running, but won't draw when off, and you wouldn't even have to bother with a charger.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I'd think that JBL or some other manufacturer of outdoor/stadium PA equipment would sell some sort of full range cabinet you could use that would be more plug and play? How about the sort of sound-bar they sell for soft top Jeeps and similar?

Trying to cobble something together with cheap **** raw drivers you buy on Amazon is likely to sound awful and not hold up to the elements well at all.

 

[Bobby.b.]

Its a 27 foot boat but the cabin takes up a lot of the bow. Those horns can play from 1k to 17k the idea was that it eliminates the need for a 3 way at the expense of giving up some high freq response, above 17k is hardly noticeable IMO.

these are the batteries I use

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

they should run a stereo at normal listening level for a couple hours no problem.

2 of my friends boats are running the same set up using 4 of these

Home

Goldwood GW-8PC-4 8" Heavy Duty Woofer 4 OhmThe Heavy Duty PC Series is available in 4 ohm and 8 ohm versions for wiring flexibility making these perfect replacement drivers for many home audio applications. The woofers handle the most powerful of amplifiers while maintaining sonic excellence...

www.parts-express.com

and 2 of these

Home

Peerless by Tymphany BC25SC08-04 1" Silk Dome Neodymium Tweeter with Waveguide 4 OhmFor its size, the BC25SC08-04 1" silk dome tweeter is an impressive performer. A semi-horn loaded faceplate helps to control dispersion increasing efficiency to 98 dB @ 2.83V/1m. The motor includes a neodymium...

www.parts-express.com

you just screw the tweeter into a grill like this
Amazon product ASIN B01MTOVWRV4 channel amp and active crossover and bam you have a stereo for 1/3 the cost of marine speakers.

The consensus is (among us 3 retards) is this set up sound better then marine audio but doesn't last as long, maybe 3 summers before they rot out compared to the all plastic marine speakers that sound ok and last until your sick of them lol.

I am considering these

NXL 10" 2-Way Coaxial Marine Speaker With LED RGB Lights 200 Watts Rms 4-Ohm -White

DS18 HYDRO NXL-10/WH 10" 2-Way Marine Speakers with Bullet Tweeter and Integrated RGB LED Lights White(Pair) loudest marine speakers

ds18.com

but get the feeling that the tweeter probably is junk and the crossover is probably a capacitor

comparable good quality marine speaker options

R1 8" Marine Speaker

Sold in Pairs Roswell R1 8” Marine Speakers answer the call for clarity to bring our signature sound to every waterway. Defining a culture of acoustic perfection, Roswell R1 Audio has become a catalyst for new experiences, celebrated by those who demand the best. Breaking barriers to deliver R1...

store.roswellmarine.com

Fusion Signature Series 3i 8.8" Marine Speakers with White Sports Grille w/ CRGBW LEDs Pair

Check out the deal on Fusion Signature Series 3i 8.8" Marine Speakers with White Sports Grille w/ CRGBW LEDs Pair at MarineStereo.com

www.marinestereo.com

 

[Bobby.b.]

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[Firewalker]

God that style of boat brings back memories! Used to outfit and sell those old center consoles from Century back when I was a Service Manager and Parts Manager at Osprey Marina south of Sarasota.

Did a few systems for people back then in those style of boats. Mainly did subwoofers 2 up front and 2 in back back with then 2 pairs of coaxials as well.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

Look at some of DS18’s motorcycle speakers if you don’t want the cheesy led’s that look like they are marketed to 7th graders.

PRO 10" Hybrid Mid-Range Loudspeaker with Built-in Driver 350 Watts Rms 4-Ohm

The PRO-HY10.4B is a high-powered, water-resistant hybrid loudspeaker that combines a 10" midrange speaker with a high wattage driver to provide a full range of frequencies at an impressively loud volume.

ds18.com

 

[Bobby.b.]

Yea those look pretty slick, I have a hard time believing a paper cone is waterproof though.

 

[Bobby.b.]

God that style of boat brings back memories! Used to outfit and sell those old center consoles from Century back when I was a Service Manager and Parts Manager at Osprey Marina south of Sarasota.

Did a few systems for people back then in those style of boats. Mainly did subwoofers 2 up front and 2 in back back with then 2 pairs of coaxials as well.

Bruh, don't compare the boat to a century! lol here's the boat from the outside for those wondering.

 

[Firewalker]

What Century Center Console boats were nice! Been around boating my whole life. Grew up on a river and had speed boats, pontoons, even neighbors had fountain boats and we had between the 3 hours 10-14 jet skis every weekend.

 

[Bobby.b.]

Century makes a nice fishing boat, this is more of a speed boat that you could fish out of if you had to