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View Full Version : Boat/Car Audio buffs..help with speaker install



deckie
14-08-2012, 05:44 AM
Must be some car/boat stereo buffs in here so thought i'd ask before plonking in a couple of speakers. I'm no stereo geek or doof doof fan, just like to hear stuff half decent when its the same price and often cheaper than the usual "marine" crap. Not putting these out in open where i'm bound to kill them with the hose again, but where i;ve chosen there's a chance of them being poked by stray stuff being thrown around or maybe even a rod tip.

Question is ...i have some fine 316 flywire leftovers and wondering if i can face them with that as added protection...i.e. leave off the face they supply and install behind the steel flywire without turning the sound back to crap. Got no idea what i'm doing really. Could i maybe just put some holes into some hull liner to cover them without ruining the sound ?

Also, i'd prefer to enclose the backs of them too for protection...is thin treated ply going to ruin anything or alter the sound ? Speakers likely to be Polk 5 1/4 marine certified car speakers, have heard these before and sound bloody good to my amateurish ear, no subwoofer thingamejigs or doof doof amps...likely just that small Fusion RA200 that only does am/fm and ipod.

Piccy below to show where they're going, probably give an idea why i think they might need added protection, coz the new speakers have more open faces than the usual white marine type i'm used to.

Open to any ideas coz havent even bought the speakers/stereo yet...just like this spot to put them, and 6.5 inch ones are a bit big for the spot.
.83409

stevemid
14-08-2012, 06:18 AM
V.nice looking interior. enclosing them will improve bass performance. fly screen should be ok so long as it doesn't vibrate

WalrusLike
14-08-2012, 07:07 AM
Not an expert but I think you might loose a bit of treble clarity having them down near a cushion like that. Probably fixable by adjusting treble setting.

Also the mesh will probably reduce overall volume but that might not bother you if your not a doof doof lover. If you can arrange a removable mesh that would let you test that issue. Removable might mean loose, which might mean distorting vibration though...

The ply at rear needs carefully attention because anything thin has the potential to become a resonating source of vibrating distortion. If you can give it some stiffening and body somehow, that will stop that potential issue.

All the above could be way wrong... I am not an audio buff, my hearing sux so everything sounds good to me! :)

Nice cabin by the way. What type of boat?

deckie
14-08-2012, 08:07 AM
Thanx for getting back guys...so u reckon maybe volume down a bit but not much change to sound.
Would it be the same if i just used hull liner with holes in front of them ? or reckon that might be too thick and kind of act like ear muffs ? I think they come with "grill face" thingies that u screw on...maybe i could put the mesh tight over the speaker itself then screw grill onto face. Thinking as i type here sorry.
Sounds like ply is no problem enclosing behind and might even help, but might use thicker ply ?? Walrus, its an 80's Vickers cuddy been in the family since new and giving it a spruce up in spare time as a bay boat, near finished should have finished it 6mths to a yr ago.

WalrusLike
14-08-2012, 08:38 AM
Mate if you want a vague idea of what effect the materials have on sound just get a similar size speaker and shove some of the material in front.

Can't beat real world tests... theory is just a theory.

juggernaut
14-08-2012, 09:28 AM
Why don't you mount them in the gunnels outside where you sit as those speakers are directional....additionally if you throw other stuff on the seat the sound will be muffled.

Anyway if you box the back of the speakers you will need to cut a hole in there somewhere with a holesaw (an inch diameter should do it) otherwise you will build up pressure on the back of the speaker as the cone moves back and forth.

Regarding speaker protection I would consider recessing the speaker or mount it from the back of the panel, then intall you protective grill between the panel and the speaker giving the grill a flushish look. For this purpose you could use some of that anodised ali grill mesh available from supercheap or the like. If you mount the speaker as I described above you should end up with a neat finish to compliement the great interior you already have there.

cambrissy
14-08-2012, 09:55 AM
Deckie,

If you go to Autobarn or Super Cheap Auto, you can buy a ready made speaker enclosure. You could sit it up on the shelf or in behind where you want to put them. You would be best off using the standard speaker cover as they are easily strong enough to withstand most things you could throw at them. They are also designed with that speaker in mind. The back of the speakers need to be enclosed in some way to avoid problems with sound. You can also purchase speakers already enclosed on swivel mounts that you could put up under the shelf there and be out of the way completely.

Good luck with it all.

Cam.

deckie
14-08-2012, 06:16 PM
Cheers juggernaut, luv that idea of flush mounting with the grill mesh, where they'll be mounted can be modified pretty easy and dont mind cutting slicing and dicing it. Sounds like these auto places are the joints to visit...makes sense i guess. Not sure what u mean by "directional"...where they'll be facing they'll be facing the direction i want i.e. out the back. Just seemed like an easy spot without slicing massive holes into the f/glass...only issue i saw was possible damage. Will check out the grill mesh at supercheap.

So if i enclose the speaker i need to drill a hole in it rather than have it sealed. Tx for the tip...got no idea about this stuff whastoever.

Cam i;ll have a look for readymade enclosures, really dont like marine box speakers with the hinges but yeah that'd be easier i guess...only wish what i liked the idea of doing was quick and easy, just once would be nice. Hopefully they'll have some sort of readymade thingy i can whack a speaker onto the front of.

Thanx for the tips guys...just the sort of advice i need.

juggernaut
14-08-2012, 06:38 PM
So if i enclose the speaker i need to drill a hole in it rather than have it sealed. Tx for the tip...got no idea about this stuff whastoever.


Correct don't seal the back of the speaker. You are installing an infinate baffle speaker not a sealed enclosure speaker like some subs. All you need to do for decent sound is separate the front of the speaker from the back of the speaker - not seal the speaker in its entirety. In your case you are doing this by boxing it - but you need to leave a port somewhere in the box to allow the movement of air as the cone moves back and forth as this is where your bass comes from.

I'm currently installing my speakers and this is the advice I received from a local Audio shop.

FordGT
17-08-2012, 10:56 AM
I installed some in my boat last night; haven't enclosed them in yet, but I can vouch for the fact that mounting them low holds the sound in the boat instead of it floating out over the water.