System decided. Would love comments!

[91Sunsetter]

OK, after long discussions and tons of research I THINK I've decided on my system. Please give feedback, especially negative! The only thing I'm on the fence about is the headunit/transom remote. I have Alpine on my sunsetter and love it, but I can get dealer cost on the Kenwood units.

Kenwood KMR-350U

Kenwood KCA-RC55MR

Wet Sounds WS-420

Wet Sounds REV10

3 x JL Audio MX650-CCX-SG-WH

JL Audio 12w6v3 in a bass reflex enclosure

2 x JL Audio MHD750/1

JL Audio MHD600/4

All parts and labor for $5k out the door, all new in box by authorized dealer full warranty.

I've been really flipping back and forth between the MX650's and the SX650's. It's pennies extra to go with the Wet Sounds.

[Nitrousbird]

Kenwood KMR-350U

Looks cheap. I've never been impressed with my past Kenwood head units

Kenwood KCA-RC55MR

Looks pretty decent

Wet Sounds WS-420

Why not the Exile ZLD? Or save $150 and get the Clarion EQ

Wet Sounds REV10

Great speakers and EXPENSIVE.

3 x JL Audio MX650-CCX-SG-WH

PASS! $160/pair and are rated @ 60watts RMS? Spend less and get the MM series Polks or a little more on the Exile in-boats.

JL Audio 12w6v3 in a bass reflex enclosure

Nice sub, but 600 watts RMS power handling, why not the Exile XI12 DVC at half the price?

2 x JL Audio MHD750/1

Why do you need two? And why spend $600+ on a 750 watts RMS mono amp when you can spend $280 on a Polk D1000.1 and make 800 watts RMS @ 2ohm or 1200 @ 1ohm for a very nice marine rated amp?

JL Audio MHD600/4

You could spend $600 on a 150x4 amp (at any ohm load), or spend $250 on a Polk D4000.4 making 125x4 @ 4-ohm and 200x4 @ 2ohm. Or you could buy a Syn4 for less money.

Further, what are you intending to power the towers with? Those things need at least 300watts RMS to each of them. I would personally run a D4000.4 bridged for the pair of REV10's (that will give them a nice 400 watts each). Do a D1000.1 to the Exile Sub. Do either the Exile or MM Polk in-boats, and power it with another D4000.4.

[shawndoggy]

LOL, nitrous have you heard the JL speakers? They sound fantastic.

He's going to run the towers from one of the 750.1's.

That system looks b.a. I like, and that's a pretty good price installed.

[Nitrousbird]

LOL, nitrous have you heard the JL speakers? They sound fantastic.

He's going to run the towers from one of the 750.1's.

That system looks b.a. I like, and that's a pretty good price installed.

I didn't notice the 750/1 was a full-range amp. That said, I'd still do the D4000.4 and save a lot of money. Or could go with a bridged Syn4.

I haven't heard those in-boats. They may sound good but can they get loud? 60 watts RMS power handling isn't a lot compared to the competition unless that rating is just BS. But for that money, why not a Wetsounds XS-65?

I didn't read the last part about paying a stereo shop to install it all, so you aren't going to get the prices you would buying online going that route so some options may not work out as well. For the components you have listed that price sounds very good installed.

[91Sunsetter]

I'm sorry, nothing Polk will ever be in my boat. The Exile ZLD is that much better than the WS420????? My exile cabins in my sunsetter sounded "good" not really amazing. Was pretty disappointed with my xm7s that's for sure.

JL audio has never let me down, just figured id stick with what i know. Especially at 25% off of a typically price locked product line.

One mhd750/1 is for the rev10s and one mhd750/1 is for the w6. I will go with the wet sounds 650s instead of the jl 650s if someone who has run both wants to chime in. If I wanted to save some money I would switch to the m6001/, m600/6, and the m400/4. I feel the JL amps are a higher quality then the syn series, but I like the sinister series....Just not the price!

[shawndoggy]

I really like the sound of those JL's. They are smooth and rich. And they look nice too. I don't think they'll disappoint.

[91Sunsetter]

I think they are gorgeous actually!

[Murphy8166]

I saw over on wake world that Wet Sounds is about to release the New WS 420 SQ...it should be an upgrade over the old one. Looks like the same price as well.

[nyryan2001]

91-- strongly suggest you scrap the 420 for the ZLD. unless this new 420SQ is redesigned ergo like the ZLD is... the ZLD would again be my pick. Ive ran them both. the ZLD is the NEXT audio upgrade going in my new boat.

[Earmark Marine]

91Sunsetter,

All the equipment aside, I think a major part of your system value is that you have an authorized installing dealer there in NC that can take care of this. They should know a lot about the product details that they repetitively use day in and day out. That can make a large difference in the final performance.

David

[Bozboat]

91-- strongly suggest you scrap the 420 for the ZLD. unless this new 420SQ is redesigned ergo like the ZLD is... the ZLD would again be my pick. Ive ran them both. the ZLD is the NEXT audio upgrade going in my new boat.

That's awesome news as I get ready to finish the install on my used ws420.

[91Sunsetter]

Any idea on how soon the release of the new ws420? Before May?? Trigger is close to being pulled!!!

What is unique about the ZLD?

[Earmark Marine]

Oftentimes when a product is on the manufacturers website it is available at that time.

David

[robtr8]

What source do you listen to? FM, iPod/iPhone, CD?

I think you're either spending too little (not enough features) or too much (no need for a HU at all). If you listen to HD radio or CD's then OK, you still need a HU. Not getting HD radio and Bluetooth is nuts. If you listen to i/Whatever you can skip a step and go straight to the WS-420 or ZLD.

Do you really fiddle with the volume or track selection from the swim deck? You're going to have competing volume knobs with the HU and WS420 and you're not going to have zone control or sub control (which are two out of the three reasons to even bother with the WS-420).

The 1st gen WS-420's build quality and feature set have proven to be iffy. The ZLD is a nicer piece, benefit of leading from the rear?

The JL stuff is nice and if you're getting good dealer and manufacturer support then it might even be worth the money. If JL offers a unique item that no other manufacturer offers then yep, go for it. If it's worth it to you to have "JL" labeled thingies all over the boat, well...

[91Sunsetter]

Truly the only thing we listen to would be iPod, soundcloud, and pandora!! Never a cd or radio. BUT, controlling tracks from the swim deck is a very common thing. I have many times been strapping into my board and jump playlists to a specific song right before I shred. I have also been at the sandbar and need to reach over in the water and change things up, volume or track selection for sure. Is there a way to have no HU and still have controls at the transom? Also, it feels like everyone thinks JL is too expensive, I think with discount they drop to reasonably priced pieces.

[nyryan2001]

That's awesome news as I get ready to finish the install on my used ws420.

Boz- all depends on how you use your stereo. 420 performs exactly as it is spec'd. Not saying its a quality or performance issue.

[Bozboat]

That's awesome news as I get ready to finish the install on my used ws420.

Boz- all depends on how you use your stereo. 420 performs exactly as it is spec'd. Not saying its a quality or performance issue.

It's all good. I got it working today, The WS420 is a giant leap ahead from just PAC-LC1s.

[Roster man]

91sunsetter,

Was wondering about your comment on the Polk equipment? They seem to be a great value for the money and they seem well made- what was your reason for disliking their stuff? Anything I should be concerned with in using their equipment as I'm getting ready to install some additional gear?

I've got DB651s running off arc audio amp for the 4 cabin speakers and they sound amazing! As i mentioned above, i'm in the process of adding P600.4 for the kicker tower HLDCs and P1000.1 to power the MM1040 sub.

[robtr8]

The JL MHD750/1 is listed as a wide range amplifier not a full range. Specifications show a frequency response of 6Hz to 8k Hz. That sounds OK for the sub but not for the tower, what am I missing?

[beat taco]

Those specs are wrong (yes the one on the JL website) it's top end is beyond 30 kHz.

Edited March 31, 2013 by beat taco

[robtr8]

Gotcha, thx.

[Vcardkiller1]

I have always had problems with JL amps over heating in boats. Last year I had two different amps and they both would over heat. One was a M6450 running every channel at 2 ohms and the other one was a JX500/1 running it at 2 ohms. Im staying away for JL this year and I will be adding a lot of fans to my amp rack.

[beat taco]

I have always had problems with JL amps over heating in boats. Last year I had two different amps and they both would over heat. One was a M6450 running every channel at 2 ohms and the other one was a JX500/1 running it at 2 ohms. Im staying away for JL this year and I will be adding a lot of fans to my amp rack.

Well comparing those to HD JL amps isn't even close. Neither is the cost.

If you run class a/b amps hard you need fans regardless of brands.

If you run class D amps you won't need fans. Not to say I would have any trouble running AB amps, fans are cheap. There's also the JL XD for a less expensive class D option.

[91Sunsetter]

My malibu has a m500/1 in it and it never seemed too hot to me last year.

[beat taco]

<br />Those specs are wrong (yes the one on the JL website) it's top end is beyond 30 kHz.

<br />HD 750/1 MHD 750/1<br />Ok so after I just got off the phone with someone at JL it appears that they have indeed changed it to a wide range amp. They told me it is still topping out around 12kHz so that's still very high, and will still work for a tower amp.<br /><br />So the specs did change, nice catch! Edited April 4, 2013 by beat taco