Tower speakers

[chaser]

I have looked through a lot of the threads that are posted about what speakers to go with, but I wanted to get opinions to give me a little more guidance.  So the kids and I (wife could care less, but does care about cost!!) want to put tower speakers on our Malibu V-ride.  There are currently no speakers, as the previous owner removed them prior to sale.  So what I am looking for are, speakers that will work best for boarding and surf.  I am looking at the following speakers and would like to know what others would recommend.  I don't need to blast the lake but would like to hear music (if that's possible to do one without the other).  Budget is around $1500ish

Wetsounds Rev 8

Wetsound Rev 10

Exile XM9

Exile SXT9Q

Anyone else have a speaker that should be considered and also anything I should ask to the audio folks to look at adding (EQ..) that others found they wished they had done after install?

[JB-FOOT]

Here goes a Ford VS Chevy or My Oil is great and yours is Junk Thread.

But I hope not for the OP sake.

Are you trying to get speakers and an Amplifier to run the tower speakers all under $1500?

Does that $1500 need to include labor and all other misc items to make you a system?

More information will get you a better response

[Bill_AirJunky]

I have a pair of the Exile SXT9Qs. Their considered a surf speaker for closer ranges, ie; shorter ropes. We don't usually crank the tunes up when we're riding anyway, but they work out great for rafting up with others, without overpowering the rest of the boat speakers.

Exile uses a quick release mount too so you can easily pull them down & lock them up when your in the boat slip for the night.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Bill_AirJunky

[chaser]

J-B Foot: As far as $, that was price of buying speakers and amp not including labor etc..  Also I am looking at just one pair of speakers, I don't think I need 4 speakers .

 

Thanks for any and all help!!

Edited March 9, 2016 by chaser
Add info

[MLA]

The 8" HLCD Rev-8 or xm-9 both are going to give you the wake range projection as well as good near field SQ for surfing. The larger 10" HLCD Wet Sound Rev-10 is also going to yield the wake range projection, but will have a better near field sound quality. The extra surface area equals greater output and deeper mid-bass. A Rev-10 and amp package will likely stretch your budget, but the odds are slim you would ever go looking for more. You can get swivel clamps with the Wet Sounds as well and they work with a tube tower or a composite like the Illusion. 

[David]

chaser,

You did not include the Wetsounds Icon8 which is an 8-inch surf speaker just like the Exile SXT9Q.

If you want a single pair I would stretch your budget just a little for the Wetsounds Rev10 and a well-matched amplifier. You are not too far off with a zone package discount. As a larger 10", the Rev10s are bigger, warmer and perfect for wake. However, the additional warmth and midbass extension will pay big dividends when listening near field.  

[jonyb]

Chaser, it's like us telling you that you need to buy a Ford, instead of a Chevy, when you really want to test drive them first and see which one fits you.  Opinions are a dime a dozen on all of these forums.  You're expectations of what you want will be different then what someone may want to sell you.

 

You're best option is to find a dealer and DEMO them for yourself.  This will be nothing but a brand war and fanboys that like a brand only because they're buddy or an internet sniper gave them a deal.  Find a dealer, and listen for yourself. 

Edited March 9, 2016 by jonyb

[Fman]

5 hours ago, chaser said:

I have looked through a lot of the threads that are posted about what speakers to go with, but I wanted to get opinions to give me a little more guidance.  So the kids and I (wife could care less, but does care about cost!!) want to put tower speakers on our Malibu V-ride.  There are currently no speakers, as the previous owner removed them prior to sale.  So what I am looking for are, speakers that will work best for boarding and surf.  I am looking at the following speakers and would like to know what others would recommend.  I don't need to blast the lake but would like to hear music (if that's possible to do one without the other).  Budget is around $1500ish

Wetsounds Rev 8

Wetsound Rev 10

Exile XM9

Exile SXT9Q

Anyone else have a speaker that should be considered and also anything I should ask to the audio folks to look at adding (EQ..) that others found they wished they had done after install?

All those listed above are top of the line speakers.  Don't go cheap and make sure and power them properly.  My last boat had REV 10s and current boat has XM9s.  Both of these speakers rock the house.  The Exile does include nice neoprene covers ($125 from WS), swivel clamps ($300 from WS), and the quick disconnect feature which WS does not even offer.  You will hear opinions on "mid bass" between these two speakers.  I kinda chuckle about this, your in an open cabin of a boat, get a better sub if you want bass.  After a full season with each speaker I can't tell any difference between the XM9 and REV 10 for bass, they both sound very good.  I am running one Exile XM 30.2 per pair of XM9s, plenty of juice going to each speaker.  Make sure and do your homework but you really can't go wrong with either speaker.  I give best bang for your money to Exile because they give you a lot of items included with the speaker.  There amps are also very reasonably priced.  I also prefer the look of the Exile speakers mounted up.  Customer service from Exile will always be A+++ service.

I am not a dealer either just an average boat guy who has owned both speakers.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Fman

[MLA]

4 minutes ago, Fman said:

and the quick disconnect feature which WS does not even offer.

Incorrect https://wetsounds.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=TC-3SC swivel and disconnect clamps available on any Wet Sounds Speaker

6 minutes ago, Fman said:

I kinda chuckle about this, your in an open cabin of a boat, get a better sub if you want bass.

Theres a difference between bass and mid-bass. 

[Fman]

The swivel connection on WS is not a quick disconnect like the Exile.  Your link above is a standard swivel connection, you can take off an Exile speaker in about 30 seconds.  Or maybe you can remove a REV 10 in 30 seconds?  I know I had those swivel mounts (which cost me extra $300) on my REV 10s and there was no way to easily remove the speaker.  I still can't tell any difference in "mid-bass" between the two speakers, maybe my ears are old and worn out.  Like I said, they both sound great.

To the OP here is the quick disconnect speaker Exile offers, simply turn that rubber knob and pull the speaker right off the mount, it is a great design.

[ConnollyCrew]

I too have owned both brands. At the end of the day they are both loud if powered properly and will accomplish your goals. If you take them apart you will notice some differences. Either is a huge upgrade from what you currently have. 

Warning!!! Tower speakers typically signal the need for a complete audio overhaul!

Edited March 9, 2016 by BamaLSV

[r3612]

Owned all (3) myself.   Rev 8' Rev10's andXM9's also owned a set of Pro 80's before the Rev series.  Yes I have a disease.  

For riding behind the boat at rope length I really liked the sound of the XM9 speakers.      They're brighter and hotter than the 10's and 8's for sure.  That's actually why I like  them. My personal opinion they fall right between the old Pro 80's and new Rev 8 series.     Not nearly as ear piercing as the pro 80's but not as warm as the Rev 8's   I don't do much party coving it or sandbar time so I am more focused on wakboard range sound.      You definitely notice a difference in sound in the near field between both brands.    Even with the quick toggle switch on the Exile to tweak the sound, it's not like an oh that's a huge near field warmth gain.    Was hoping it would change the dynamic a little more than it does. 

I fold my tower down quite a bit and having the quick release feature for me is awesome.    The clamp on the speaker portion has even been updated since that previously posted picture. It got beefed up a bit and the  tension is completely different now on the collar.  They get a much more solid lock around the post.   It's also even easier and quicker to get on and off. The Wetsounds are quicker to get off than their previous clamps,but I agree with FMAN.    They are anything but quick.     You need an Allen key and you really have to back out the bolt pretty far. Installing the Wetsounds  back on is also tricky as you have to make sure you line them up exactly how you took them off  in order to get the pin holes lined up to seat them right.     Trickier than it seems while your straddling your seat and reaching up.    The Exiles just slide right back on with ease.    

I finally got to hear a set of Roswell Neptune speakers.   I didn't get to hear them behind a boat, just at the demo , but they were impressive. 

 

For or some reason I am getting an error message when I keep trying to upload the pic of the new clamp.   See if I can rectify that here shortly. 

Edited March 9, 2016 by r3612

[MLA]

Fman,.

 

How fast a speaker's disconnect clamp system can be separated is certainly a valid point of discussion, but not a defining point IMO. I have no issue removing my Wet Sounds Rev 3-Some. 

[David]

Let me make a point about midbass from tower speakers.

'Midbass' and 'bass' are two very different issues. Most people crossover their subs below 100 Hz so they get little contribution from the sub above that point.

The truth is that most larger tower speakers begin to gradually roll-off below 200 Hz and are rolling-off like a rock off a cliff below 100 Hz. So that leaves a gap of about one FULL OCTAVE that is challenging to fill. Vocal fundamentals typically extend down to 150 Hz, at the center of this region. Midbass is considered to be from 80 Hz to 200 Hz. Deep bass doesn't normally project away from the boat. So tower speakers generally operate in isolation when you get far enough away from the boat. Ideally for balance and sound quality you would like to hear the entire 'fullrange' (down to 80 Hz) from your tower speakers. At minimum you would like to hear the tower speaker reproduce the entire vocal range and the upper midbass that gives a sense of tonal definition to the low bass.

The above is the technical explanation. The question is can you actual hear and enjoy the difference in what I am explaining? The answer is absolutely yes. And you do not have to have an experienced ear or technical degree to do so.

So when you have a larger surface area 10-inch tower speaker as compared to all the rest which are 8-inch tower speakers, and the 10-inch speaker pod is twice the displacement, there is an audible difference. If you can't hear it you are either deaf or highly biased.

That is why I totally support jonyb's recommendation to audition in person.   

[David]

On the subject of brighter versus warmer more-balanced tower speakers....

Okay, I get that when projecting at 70/80 feet in the face of engine noise that you can use all the excess high frequency accentuation that you can get. And any output, even peak output over a limited range, contributes to the volume level at that distance. But there is a penalty for making a speaker in this way. You sacrifice vocals and the overall musicality under more near-field conditions.

The tweeters used in HLCD tower speakers, or any speaker for that matter, come from a limited number of manufacturing sources. And all of these speakers, without exception, are made to be as linear as possible. That ('linear') means they are intended to reproduce all frequencies with pretty much equal amplitude. So when one speaker has greatly accentuated highs that means they changed the relationship between the midrange/midbass driver and the tweeter. The tweeter is overall louder than the midrange/midbass driver. They can move the tweeter crossover a bit higher to remove the abrupt increase in output from a more sensitive range and away from that more painful area, but there is still a large difference in output. And that serves to destroy the musical integrity of every instrument and every vocalist under all other listening conditions.

This is exactly why Wetsounds transitioned from the Pro series to the Rev series. They went from a total unbridled peak SPL approach to a more balanced SQ approach. And they only had to sacrifice a few unnatural peaks in order to make a more listenable product. The average output is not compromised at all.  

Another reason to audition in person.   

 

  

[chaser]

Thank you all for the information. Some of it is above my head technically. but I think I get the jest of it.  I unfortunately don't live that close to a dealer that could demo one over the other  it for me.  As I have read these threads, and thought about what is best on our small lake, I am thinking that a speaker that works more for the surf and cruising would be best.  Seems like the Exile surf speakers may be the way to go.  I will continue to read and see what people post.  I will post what I decide.

Thank you

[David]

So don't eliminate the Wetsounds Icon8. Same size. Same surf purpose.

[minnmarker]

If you want a real nice education on tower speakers try this:

"In Conclusion: There are always going to be unavoidable trade-offs in prioritizing and designing a true high performance tower speaker. Sound quality versus amplitude. Midbass extension versus efficiency. Projection versus dispersion." http://earmarkcaraudio.com/articles/HLCD_tower_speaker_anatomy.htm

Might that be our own Malibu Crew David?

Chaser, I'm killing this bird by not even trying to project 80 feet.  Simply do not need it nor want to compromise the in-boat acoustical experience (important to me - see info in link above), and like others, my lake just is not a tower speaker lake.  My current project it to make a detachable system to be placed on the retractable ski pylon with two 6.5 inch speaker pods - to be used for surfing, swimming near the boat, or turned around to add a set of speakers for the interior.  When not in use it'll fit under the seat.  Will post pics in a few weeks.

[MLA]

And toss in the Kicker KM8 and the JL 8" coax offerings if you are going to sacrifice wake range projection for near field sound quality. Just note though, powered properly, an 8" coax will still project across the lake same as an HLCD. Thats a misconception that many people have when comparing a coax to an HLCD. The coax just doesnt project 30ft and then drop dead. It keeps projecting, just not at the same narrow focus as an HLCD. 

[David]

Quote, "If you want a real nice education on tower speakers try this:

"In Conclusion: There are always going to be unavoidable trade-offs in prioritizing and designing a true high performance tower speaker. Sound quality versus amplitude. Midbass extension versus efficiency. Projection versus dispersion." http://earmarkcaraudio.com/articles/HLCD_tower_speaker_anatomy.htm

Might that be our own Malibu Crew David?"

Yes, I wrote that article about ten years ago when I was still in the marine audio business. Now retired for 3 years!!! Today I might say a few things in a different way, given some product changes over that duration, but other than that it still holds true.

[jonyb]

11 hours ago, chaser said:

Thank you all for the information. Some of it is above my head technically. but I think I get the jest of it.  I unfortunately don't live that close to a dealer that could demo one over the other  it for me.  As I have read these threads, and thought about what is best on our small lake, I am thinking that a speaker that works more for the surf and cruising would be best.  Seems like the Exile surf speakers may be the way to go.  I will continue to read and see what people post.  I will post what I decide.

Thank you

Why, because they're labeled as "surf speakers", or because someone PM'd you and gave you the "hey buddy" deal?  At this point, with all the explanations, how could you pin point something that exactly fits you the best?

 

I really don't understand how people think they can make a decision on a forum on what's best for them when it's made from people they don't know.

[Cmb396]

18 hours ago, MLA said:

And toss in the Kicker KM8 and the JL 8" coax offerings if you are going to sacrifice wake range projection for near field sound quality. Just note though, powered properly, an 8" coax will still project across the lake same as an HLCD. Thats a misconception that many people have when comparing a coax to an HLCD. The coax just doesnt project 30ft and then drop dead. It keeps projecting, just not at the same narrow focus as an HLCD. 

This. I'm going to go with JL when I replace my tower 6x9s. We do not wakeboard a ton, so long range isn't a must. Would rather have in cabin and surf range top notch than 70+' out. 

Tbh, I rarely "hear", focus on that is, music when I'm wake boarding anyway. That's me tho.

[Fman]

The only issue I have on "opinions" of different stereo components is when vendors who sell or install a certain brand chime in and give there "unbiased" review.  Not really a fair review imho.  I always look for the guy who has no dog in the fight and can buy whatever he chooses to give a review and take that more to heart....just my .02

[malibuskier2003]

10 minutes ago, Fman said:

The only issue I have on "opinions" of different stereo components is when vendors who sell or install a certain brand chime in and give there "unbiased" review.  Not really a fair review imho.  I always look for the guy who has no dog in the fight and can buy whatever he chooses to give a review and take that more to heart....just my .02

^^^^^^ This.  

 

[ID AX]

IMO, there's no difference between vendors, manufacturers and anyone that has received a "bro" deal from either a vendor or manufacturer.  All are going to push for what they feel is the best product.