New boat...need some modifications....amp advise

[goodmatt78]

I purchased a new to me 05 VLX.  It has the original speakers (I think original...sony)....Titan tower and 6 interior and a stand alone sub.  Currently the PO has a wetsounds HT-4 running the bow speakers, tower and sub....bow and tower running off channels 1-2 and sub bridge for channels 3-4.  I have no separate volume controls.

I plan to remove the bow speakers and either run them off the dash speakers from the head-unit (not sure yet if 4 or 8 ohm) and use the HT-4 for the amp and tower speakers.  I can then use a remote leveling controller for independent sub and tower volume control.

https://www.amazon.com/PAC-LC-1-Remote-Amplifier-Controller/dp/B0002J226O/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1486395728&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=PK-LC1+remote+level+controller

So...for just the front 2 bow speakers....run off the dash speakers in series of 4ohm or parallel if 8 ohm or get a cheap 100W amp...like a boss or pyle?

My head unit has 3 sets of preouts...(front RL, Rear RL, SW RL) so I have a spare set here for another amp and this allows me to use the 2 controllers above.

Thoughts?

 

Edited February 6, 2017 by goodmatt78

[MLA]

Just so you understand how this system is going to work. You will be able to turn the sub and tower speaker as a unit, down to zero volume and up only to the point of the head unit volume. This means that in order to have tower speaker volume, you will have head unit driven speakers also at the same volume level. IMO, this 180 from what most people end up wanting. 

The speakers are likely 4 ohm, so you've have to wire them in series @ 8 ohm, to get a pair safely wired to a head unit. 

Best advice, you need more amp chnls. Get the in-boats off the head unit and then place your volume control inline to the in-boats amp. This lets you crank the tower volume via the head unit and turn down the in-boats so to not blast the passengers. 

At a minimum, you need another 4 chnl bow and main cabin on 2 chnls and windshield pair on remaining 2 chnls. 

At best, get a 6 chnl like the Wet Sounds HTX-6. All 6 speakers on their chnl with the ability to tune the windshield pair alone. 

Rather than two of those pac line levels, consider the Kicker ZXM-RLC dual zone controller. its a marine built unit, does not require long RCA runs and is a 9V p/chnl line level driver. Can be surface or panel mounted. 

[David]

78,

I realize that it is a lot to digest, and the answer is more complex than what you may have first expected. Pay close attention to all the guidance MLA is providing....because he is taking everything into account that you have yet to consider or experience. In the long run doing it right will actually save.   

[goodmatt78]

Yikes....should have read these responses....haha.

Anyway, I finished my install today.  4 cabin speakers off head unit, 2 bow off new amp and 2 tower and sub off the ht-4.  I spliced in the rca controller under the dash for towers....pinning it out was the hardest part since my head unit has 3 sets of preouts.

I also replaced my 2 tower titan internal can speakers with polk mm651s (2.7 ohms) and mounted their x-over in the cans.

It sounds good and with the ht4 gain up, the tower speakers have plenty of independent volumn control.

 

[MLA]

18 hours ago, goodmatt78 said:

2 bow off new amp

What amp is this? Did not see this listed in the original post. 

[goodmatt78]

31 minutes ago, MLA said:

What amp is this? Did not see this listed in the original post. 

its a cheap (boss) 2 channel 100w amp....sounds nearly identical to speakers off the HU.