Stereo speakers mounted on transom

dropout

golfdog said:

Exactly what Dream Inn said. I can get the music plenty loud but its impossible to have a conversation while sitting in the cockpit. I think I'll be buying some speakers to add to the radar arch but now I'm worried that I may need another amp to power them. I started researching speakers and some say that you need to add an amp. Sometimes I hate the interweb just to much information. I have a 2003 342, it has 6 JL cockpit speakers, 1 10" sub, and 2 speakers in the cabin. I  believe it has a 800 watt amp and I upgraded to a new Kenwood head and remotes. Does anyone know if I would be able to add two more speakers to my system without and another amp. Jerry

golfdog, What Kenwood receiver and remotes did you get? Im looking to upgrade to the Kenwood receiver and remotes myself. Did you rewire the new remotes or were you able to use the existing wiring? What was the old system you had? thanks

golfdog

I've had a couple of different Kenwoods over the last few years. I now have the Kenwood KMR 700. It's capable of having more than one remote hooked up to it and you can also have two separate zones playing. Example: FM playing in the cabin and ipod playing in cockpit. I don't use that feature a whole lot. I replaced both of the old remotes with Kenwood KCA-RC107MR. I don't remember about the wiring exactly but I believe that I did have to run new cable. For what it's worth I find it pretty easy to run wire on my boat.

99270fv

pics of individual volume control installed

Irocz18

Hi Guys, I am new to the rinker boats and started off with an 03' 342. I love my loud music on the water and being out of the boat is key to me. I had on my old boat (bayliner 2855) a fiberglass radar arch speaker pod mounted in the center of the arch. Two speakers face front two speakers face back. Being that these are in a box now, matching your factory arch for looks, The sound is amazing and LOUD. I had two noise complaints last summer for my stereo system. You can get these pods empty just the box for around 300 which holds 4 speakers, or loaded with kicker speakers for around $450. They are well worth the money and look nice. I cant wait to get my boat shipped up here so I can start the upgrade.

My question to everyone, is it difficult running all the wires on this boat if you have an amp? I need to run either the power cables down the side or the RCA for the amps. I am assuming somewhere I can get behind all the interior to run cables? Where is best location people are seeing for amps. I saw the one spot to put a subwoofer, however where else are people locating a speaker box?

Handymans342

My amp is under the Vee birth storage compartment. Dont you have one there too?

golfdog

My amp is also under the vee berth. On my boat the sub is located floor level below the shifter/throttle controls. I've never had a problem running wires on my boat, if you take your time you'll find ways to run wires.

Irocz18

I was thinking of putting an amp in where the head unit itself is however I need to run power and ground. How did you run power and ground all the way up there or did you tap into other source? I usually use positive and negative off a dedicated battery just for the amp? I have a sub next to the driver seat however I believe its just a crappy 10" sub. I have to check around for the amplifir and see how they did all this. I am not sure if its factory or what? I think I have all Kenwood equipment, which I want to replace with all Kicker speakers and amps. I am having the boat delivered this week (so they say) and i'll know more once its here and not 4 degrees and freezing so I can actually take time and look at it all.

golfdog

The amp under my vee berth was factory installed so not sure how they ran wires. I would assume they ran power wire to electrical panel. I just installed another amp behind the cockpit fridge. Easy to run wires to battery and new speakers, only had to run RCA wire from amp to pre-out of head unit.