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ArcAudio or Wetsounds?


Polandia

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My new t22 just arrived. I'm putting together the stereo components for this build. here is what I have

SP1 for the interiors

2 Rev 10 on the tower

Wetsounds EQ 420BT

JL 10 under the Helm

My installer is proposing I go with the ArcAudio. How similar are these amps to the Wetsounds?

Are there any pros or cons to one over the other?

What would be a fair price to purchase and install all of the above? The SP1 is already in the boat. The rest I would need to purchase and install.

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Arc offers 5 difference amp series, Wet Sounds offers 3. The Wet Sounds amps are marine built, the Arc are not. Arc ships out of CA and Wet Sounds ships from TX. Both manufacturers built a top quality product.

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The Arc KS line compares very favorably (and is closely related to) the Wetsounds Syn line. $ for $ vs the Syn line, I think arc is the better value. But as MLA points out, no conformal coated boards. And you don't get the chrome amp shroud either. If you look at some of the ridiculous high end installs that the big shops in northern california (near Arc's HQ in Modesto) do, you will see that they use Arc KS amps a lot.

The wetsounds SD amps are a big jump up from the Arc KS series and the WS Syn series and nobody else is really making amps in their class, marine or not (save maybe Zed, but the Zed amps seem to have some questionable quality control).

If I were choosing between Arc KS and WS Syn amps, I'd go Arc, on value. If choosing between Arc KS and WS HT amps, I'd go Arc on quality. If choosing between Arc KS and WS SD amps, and money were no object, it'd be SD all the way.

(Disclosure -- I'm biased because I have been running Arc KS Amps since 2011).

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I have really thought about a 1200.6 and 600.4 xdi build on my boat. I just really wish there was more power for the sub. it should work well for your setup save a VC configuration mismatch.

It just seems like you have to have 3 amps in these boats.

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I went arcaudio on my centurion a few years ago, beyond the amp being replaced 3x and quality sucking for the price, my new boat has all wetsounds equipment in it combined with the Rockford stock in boats/amp. Most of my friends all run WS here at the lake and I think there is a reason you run marine grade equipment. That said, ARC may have dramatically improved their quality in the last 8 years, but I'm perhaps jaded so... Let us know what you decide..

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I went arcaudio on my centurion a few years ago, beyond the amp being replaced 3x and quality sucking for the price, my new boat has all wetsounds equipment in it combined with the Rockford stock in boats/amp. Most of my friends all run WS here at the lake and I think there is a reason you run marine grade equipment. That said, ARC may have dramatically improved their quality in the last 8 years, but I'm perhaps jaded so... Let us know what you decide..

which arc line?

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I'm looking at the KS line for the Amps. Running the stock sp1 interiors. Would the 300.4 work to power those sufficiently?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I'm looking at the KS line for the Amps. Running the stock sp1 interiors. Would the 300.4 work to power those sufficiently?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes. Would be great.

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Also all of the ws and arc amps come out of the same build house and same engineers.

Conformal coating is cheap and is easy to put on. I have done it to all my amps.

Btw I run arc ks amps.

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which arc line?

I was running a ARC Audio 5150-XXK powering two 6.5 coaxial's in can's at the time - I let the dealership sell me what was supposed to be an awesome setup, knowing nothing bout stereo's at the time - so yeah, I played the fool. I will now not buy something that isn't marine rated and also isn't at least a class D, and is spec'd to handle whatever load I decide I'm going to drive with it. :)

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