Very Small (<3.5") speakers - rear vent install?

[Soon2BV]

I am thinking of installing a pair of speakers inside the chrome "vent" covers on the rear of my LSV.

It is the area where the blower vent tubes run to, and is a mesh screen.

It looks like there might be room for about a 3 - 3.5" speaker to mount inside, and be out of the way of the airflow from the blower.

I don't have a tower - this seems like a nice place for some speakers when we are swimming.

Anyone done this, or have a recommendation on speakers?

[Bobby Light]

Can I ask why you would be interested in doing this and what you're hoping to accomplish?

[martinarcher]

Based on his post, would guess to hear some tunes while swimming behind the boat.

[Soon2BV]

Can I ask why you would be interested in doing this and what you're hoping to accomplish?

Since i only have interior speakers (no tower), i have to turn the stereo up pretty loud to have decend sound when we are swimming behind / around the boat. If someone is in the boat, it is too loud for them if it is good volume to anyone in the water.

When we were swimming yesterday, i just noticed those two protected areas, with a mesh grille, and wondered if they would be a place to mount speakers to get some sounds directly behind the boat. There is not a lot of room, and I need to keep a good air path open for the blower, but i wanted to check out some options. I know I will not get great sound quality, but maybe something decent.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Soon2BV

[Bobby Light]

I was just thinking that is one of the most exposed areas to water and i haven't ever seen a marine 3-1/2" speaker.

[apwrx]

somebody has done it. Soundsational car audio in Eugene, Oregon

Edited May 29, 2012 by apwrx

[NorrisMike]

Oh wow. Is that your boat? How does it sound? Any issues with water sitting on the speakers?

[Earmark Marine]

Keep the following in mind if you are considering this project.

A 3.5" has such small surface area that it will reach its potential long before it can project any distance from the boat even in a calm setting.

A 3.5" coaxial has a post-mounted tweeter where the mid voice coil is exposed to the elements. Not a good idea with a perimeter or exterior speaker.

Any speaker (other than a tweeter or sealed back mid) is going to need to be isolated front to rear. Otherwise it won't compete with the range of a hand held radio.

I like the way the above example used sealed cone speakers and cut them into the mold so they are acoustically isolated. A 5.25 2-way component set could be productive. A size and construction commonly used in motorcycles. But nothing less in my opinion.

Another option is to pull out a set of sealed/enclosed (home patio style) speakers from the rear storage locker and rest them atop the pad once you reach your destination. With a couple of switches they can run off the same amplification that normally drives the interior speakers so you would not need redundant amplification.

David

[Earmark Marine]

Mike,

It may not be ideal but as long as the speaker is a polymer and has a sealed dustcap the minute you play it any resting water will be totally expelled from the cone. Similar to the upfiring speakers atop a BU dash.

David

[Soon2BV]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I will do some more looking at space options tonight.

The option of mounting down into the fiberglass had not occurred to me.

[JTech]

Can you hear your cabin speakers while you are under way? If not you could upgrade the cabin speakers and cabin amp, turn it up, fade to the rear and solve the problem of not hearing it when swimming. Probably cost about the same as the custom work would and kills two birds....