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Tower Speakers Or Sub?


Gaffster01

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Going to start working on phase one of my stereo upgrade in my A22. The boat currently has the 6 factory MTX in boat speakers and amp. Im not sure if I should start by adding a sub or tower speakers. It will be either Exile or Wet sounds. I cant do both due to budget constraints. Any help is greatly appreciated.

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What is your goal with the upgrade? If your goal is to hear the stereo better while wakeboarding or surfing then tower speakers would make a sensible first step. If your goal is a more rounded and accurate sound in and around the boat then a sub is the logical first step. Either way a sub is a critical component in a well rounded system with or without tower speakers.

Edited by Bobby Light
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Would the system sound funny by doing the towers first?

Depends on your goals, but simply stated as far as overall sound goes yes it would sound funny to most people.

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Thanks from time to time when I post on my phone it posts twice...

No worries.....I got ya covered. Thumbup.gif

As far as the topic goes, I would also argue that it depends on the type of tower speaker. A HCLD (horn load speaker) will sound a lot hotter on the high end without a sub to fill in the low end IMO. A standard tower speaker adds more of a natural sound to the boat (making the absence of a sub less noticeable) while lacking in the long range throw department.

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Now you guys got me thinking... Definitely are going to do HCLDs for tower speakers..... I want the entire system to sound great. Maybe phase 1 should be sub, phase 2 tower speakers, phase 3 replace in boat and stock amp... Hmm decisions, decisions.lol

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Now you guys got me thinking... Definitely are going to do HCLDs for tower speakers..... I want the entire system to sound great. Maybe phase 1 should be sub, phase 2 tower speakers, phase 3 replace in boat and stock amp... Hmm decisions, decisions.lol

That sounds like a good plan to me, I think you're onto something :thumbup: .

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Gaffster01 - A few things to think about here. I'll set aside all the brand talk and keep this generally speaking. The greatness of ones stereo system is going to be determined by the "sum" of three zones -- cabin / sub / tower. This combination when properly setup is going to create the system's range of sound. When a system is lacking, or missing an entire zone, the sound is a bit mixed up or the opposite is true as well. Say you had some great big tower speakers but no cabins... bad idea. Or a monster sub and no towers? See what I mean? One zone dominating really will effect the overall outcome.

The best advice is to take a balanced 'system' approach. And weight it out by budget, and then if needed spread it out over several seasons. Sometimes when you see these monster systems on the water, we ask ourselves damn, thats a lot of money... but the reality is, most guys spend time each year adding to the system. [[[everyone raise your hand if this is you]]]. So the key is to keep your eye on the end result and then navigate a path towards that. If your a DIY guy, this is a great place to get an inside track on what others are doing with your same make/model style. If your wanting help with it, I'd recommend seeing a local retailer that specializes in tow boat systems.

Most importantly, ask yourself, again and again... how will this all integrate together.

When you do this, the answers will become clear. Really!

-Brian

Edited by Brianinpdx
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Gaffster01 - A few things to think about here. I'll set aside all the brand talk and keep this generally speaking. The greatness of ones stereo system is going to be determined by the "sum" of three zones -- cabin / sub / tower. This combination when properly setup is going to create the system's range of sound. When a system is lacking, or missing an entire zone, the sound is a bit mixed up or the opposite is true as well. Say you had some great big tower speakers but no cabins... bad idea. Or a monster sub and no towers? See what I mean? One zone dominating really will effect the overall outcome.

The best advice is to take a balanced 'system' approach. And weight it out by budget, and then if needed spread it out over several seasons. Sometimes when you see these monster systems on the water, we ask ourselves damn, thats a lot of money... but the reality is, most guys spend time each year adding to the system. [[[everyone raise your hand if this is you]]]. So the key is to keep your eye on the end result and then navigate a path towards that. If your a DIY guy, this is a great place to get an inside track on what others are doing with your same make/model style. If your wanting help with it, I'd recommend seeing a local retailer that specializes in tow boat systems.

Most importantly, ask yourself, again and again... how will this all integrate together.

When you do this, the answers will become clear. Really!

-Brian

I see that Hand and raise you one...Plus1.gif or two, I think I'm on my 3rd trip in...LOL
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I see that Hand and raise you one...Plus1.gif or two, I think I'm on my 3rd trip in...LOL

Been there, done that.

It cost me a lot more in the long run, but it was easier to get past the wife to increase things incrementally :crazy:

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Been there, done that.

It cost me a lot more in the long run, but it was easier to get past the wife to increase things incrementally :crazy:

Nailed it right there, especially when she thinks the stock stereo was awesome....Really :lol: Edited by Wakesetter67
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