2018 stereo questions

[granddaddy55]

13 minutes ago, IXFE said:

Passing cables from under helm to amp rack will be easy in your boat, Hop. I don’t think it’s so easy in the new two-piece boat, but I haven’t looked closely at mine yet. 

You don’t even need to go up and around the entire bow (although that’s easy too). Just remove the carpet kick plate at the end of the walk through and you’ll see your bow ballast pump. Cables can pass through there super easy. 

Pic 1 - bow tank exposed after removing seat cushions and carpet support panel. Just remove the carpet kick plate (two screws)

Pic 2 - under helm area (sub removed). See the red wires passing through that hole up front?

Pic 3 - here you see where cables can pass from bow into ob compartment. 

So you attach a covered Board to the two rails on install , now I get your post in doing your 17

do they make brackets that span that width, or do you have to do this ??

i guess you hide your cables that way and looks slick

Edited April 19, 2018 by granddaddy55

[IXFE]

6 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

So you attach a covered Board to the two rails on install , now I get your post in doing your 17

do they make brackets that span that width, or do you have to do this ??

i guess you hide your cables that way and looks slick

If you’re asking about my amp board, then yes I make my own and affix them using hanger bolts to the factory mounting blocks. 

I’ve used either black or factory gray carpet. Just depends what mood I’m in

Edited April 19, 2018 by IXFE

[granddaddy55]

6 minutes ago, IXFE said:

If you’re asking about my amp board, then yes I make my own and affix them using hanger bolts to the factory mounting blocks. 

Yea get that but is that the only way to mount amps that don’t span the two rails?

Edited April 19, 2018 by granddaddy55

[IXFE]

10 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

Yea get that but is that the only way to mount amps that don’t span the two rails?

Amps don’t mount directly to the two rails. They mount to the amp board. The amp board is what mounts to the rails. So you should be able to mount any size amp you want unless you’re reusing the factory amp board where there’s already holes cut into it. 

What are you trying to do?

[granddaddy55]

30 minutes ago, IXFE said:

Amps don’t mount directly to the two rails. They mount to the amp board. The amp board is what mounts to the rails. So you should be able to mount any size amp you want unless you’re reusing the factory amp board where there’s already holes cut into it. 

What are you trying to do?

I have a stripped axis with sp1 so I never did understand the two naked carpet covered rails from factory (knew what they were for but didn’t know the configuration necessary to use them, never looked at anyone else’s coffin 

I assume the shops make them for customers or are there generics you cut holes in after buying them ?

[IXFE]

7 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

I have a stripped axis with sp1 so I never did understand the two naked carpet covered rails from factory (knew what they were for but didn’t know the configuration necessary to use them, never looked at anyone else’s coffin 

I assume the shops make them for customers or are there generics you cut holes in after buying them ?

You assume shops make what?  Amp boards?

They are easy to make. The factory uses starboard (plastic) but I don’t like how much it they flex so I have used 5/8” or 3/4” plywood. 

[granddaddy55]

13 minutes ago, IXFE said:

You assume shops make what?  Amp boards?

They are easy to make. The factory uses starboard (plastic) but I don’t like how much it they flex so I have used 5/8” or 3/4” plywood. 

Quit laughing now! What’s this your 5th? I had to ask cause I know so little about these boats, just started doing own maintenance last year and after 33 years since all outboard and I wasn’t going to pull s lower unit to change an impeller which would be done at same time as gear oil. 

Did that this year for 1st time and fluids starting last year .  Glad basically that’s all you have to do to basically keep having fun 11 out of 12 months per year,

winterized block 1st  year which down here is basically a waste as I Should have been concerned with my heater

Edited April 19, 2018 by granddaddy55

[ibelonginprison]

19 minutes ago, IXFE said:

You assume shops make what?  Amp boards?

They are easy to make. The factory uses starboard (plastic) but I don’t like how much it they flex so I have used 5/8” or 3/4” plywood. 

Dave... there's no lime in that Diet Coke.
I'm disappointed. 

BY YOUR OWN DECREE - NECTAR OF THE GODS, SIR.

[IXFE]

10 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

Quit laughing now! What’s this your 5th? I had to ask cause I know so little about these boats, just started doing own maintenance last year and after 33 years since all outboard and I wasn’t going to pull s lower unit to change an impeller which would be done at same time as gear oil. 

Did that this year for 1st time and fluids starting last year .  Glad basically that’s all you have to do to basically keep having fun 11 out of 12 months per year,

winterized block 1st  year which down here is basically a waste as I Should have been concerned with my heater

I’m not laughing!  Everybody has to start somewhere and I enjoy sharing. 

Sounds like you’re interested in building up the system in your Axis. I highly recommend it. Lots of guys on this forum have done it and love to help others. Start a new thread and watch how much help you’ll get!

[IXFE]

3 minutes ago, ibelonginprison said:

Dave... there's no lime in that Diet Coke.
I'm disappointed. 

BY YOUR OWN DECREE - NECTAR OF THE GODS, SIR.

Ah yes... pure honey!  

Unless you leave the fresh cut limes in the cooler and don’t find them until a week after SB. There’s another word for that and it’s not nectar. 

[granddaddy55]

5 minutes ago, IXFE said:

I’m not laughing!  Everybody has to start somewhere and I enjoy sharing. 

Sounds like you’re interested in building up the system in your Axis. I highly recommend it. Lots of guys on this forum have done it and love to help others. Start a new thread and watch how much help you’ll get!

Definetly planning, I don’t have my 1st communion nickel, but I recently went to spend only the cash in my pocket approach with no plastic so I’m realizing I need to save fir the parts alone cause I want a nice system with all four zones  adjustable

thx for input

[teamerickson]

Brett,

You really don’t get anymore functionality being plugged in over bluetooth. At least I dont think so. Skip tracks and pause. That’s about it.

[hethj7]

1 hour ago, teamerickson said:

Brett,

You really don’t get anymore functionality being plugged in over bluetooth. At least I dont think so. Skip tracks and pause. That’s about it.

I know my 2016 may be different, but I can skip tracks using phone, command wheel, or sport knob when on Bluetooth.  But, I can’t from the transom remote 👎

 

 

[COOP]

26 minutes ago, hethj7 said:

I know my 2016 may be different, but I can skip tracks using phone, command wheel, or sport knob when on Bluetooth.  But, I can’t from the transom remote 👎

 

 

Yeah the transom remotes on the 2016s link directly to the Rockford brain box, as a result the malibu computer doesnt "see" what the transom remote does. The command wheel, and sport knob both go from the Viper system to the Rockford brain box. No fix for it unfortunately.

[Pnwrider]

10 hours ago, IXFE said:

Lots of guys on this forum have done it and love to help others. Start a new thread and watch how much help you’ll get!

Not to mention all the wetsounds recommendations...

[Brett B]

18 hours ago, teamerickson said:

Brett,

You really don’t get anymore functionality being plugged in over bluetooth. At least I dont think so. Skip tracks and pause. That’s about it.

Understood. But to my ear at least sound quality was noticeably improved with the USB port vs. Bluetooth.

[Brett B]

I completed the USB mod and it worked great. The dash USB plug now functions as the USB input to the stereo. I used this 10' media bridge cable to run from the dash USB plug cable to the input on the stereo black box. I ran it across the bow just as IXFE showed. A 10' cable was just barely long enough, 10' will work but if you wanted to get fancier with the routing you will need a 12' cable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MT1EQM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used this 1' Anker braided cable to go from the dash plug to the phone and it's just right. You can tuck the cable up along the trim so it doesn't hang down.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0177LAN4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also got the Exile XM9 tower speakers installed and they sound pretty good using the factory Wetsounds tower speaker amp (not sure which model it is).

The 12" subwoofer is disappointing though. I have the bass set at 5 and sub level maxed out on the mixer and it's pretty weak. The sub and all 8 interior speakers are running off of a single amp. This surprised me as on my 2012 VLX when I ordered the factory 12" sub it came with it's own amp. Is this the new standard configuration for the factory Malibu Wetsounds stereo? The factory installed Rockford Fosgate sub in my 2012 sounded much better and it wasn't exactly strong compared with other aftermarket setups in friends boats.

 

 

[IXFE]

7 hours ago, Brett B said:

I completed the USB mod and it worked great. The dash USB plug now functions as the USB input to the stereo. I used this 10' media bridge cable to run from the dash USB plug cable to the input on the stereo black box. I ran it across the bow just as IXFE showed. A 10' cable was just barely long enough, 10' will work but if you wanted to get fancier with the routing you will need a 12' cable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MT1EQM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used this 1' Anker braided cable to go from the dash plug to the phone and it's just right. You can tuck the cable up along the trim so it doesn't hang down.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0177LAN4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also got the Exile XM9 tower speakers installed and they sound pretty good using the factory Wetsounds tower speaker amp (not sure which model it is).

The 12" subwoofer is disappointing though. I have the bass set at 5 and sub level maxed out on the mixer and it's pretty weak. The sub and all 8 interior speakers are running off of a single amp. This surprised me as on my 2012 VLX when I ordered the factory 12" sub it came with it's own amp. Is this the new standard configuration for the factory Malibu Wetsounds stereo? The factory installed Rockford Fosgate sub in my 2012 sounded much better and it wasn't exactly strong compared with other aftermarket setups in friends boats.

 

 

Nice work, Brett. I may have to attempt that USB plug update, but it won’t be as easy on the new 23 since I can’t follow the same path. How well does it charge now?

As for the new WS factory stereo... I cringe a little every time I read these disappointing reviews. Lots and lots of reports about noise, Bluetooth malfunctions, and weak sub performance. What’s worse.. you can’t just peel off a sticker and tune the amp yourself. Am I the only one who remembers all the fanfare and back slapping that went on 18 months ago when this system was introduced...??

Makes me kinda frustrated with myself that I believed the hype and bet on yet another factory Malibu system.

[hunter77ah]

Probably not worth the headache, but I saw this a few weeks ago and thought it was interesting. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-switch/wp/2018/04/11/those-stickers-warning-that-repairs-will-void-your-warranty-are-nonsense-ftc-says/

[IXFE]

3 hours ago, hunter77ah said:

Probably not worth the headache, but I saw this a few weeks ago and thought it was interesting. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-switch/wp/2018/04/11/those-stickers-warning-that-repairs-will-void-your-warranty-are-nonsense-ftc-says/

I wasn’t talking about any warranty. New amps can’t be tuned 

[teamerickson]

The sub gets a LOT louder with auto volume and the engine running out on the water. At least that’s my experience.

[hunter77ah]

7 hours ago, IXFE said:

I wasn’t talking about any warranty. New amps can’t be tuned 

Good to know. I didn’t catch that

[MLA]

21 hours ago, Brett B said:

The sub and all 8 interior speakers are running off of a single amp. This surprised me as on my 2012 VLX when I ordered the factory 12" sub it came with it's own amp.

A 2012 Malibu would have come with a 4 chnl amp driving up to 8 speakers either 6.5", 8" or a mix of both. Watts rms would have been 50W rms to each speaker. The woofer would have been bridged on a 2 chnl amp. Over the years, ive see a 300W, 400W or a 500W 2chnl used by malibu. IIRC, the 300W seemed to be the most commonly used for the woofer. The woofer would have been placed in a poorly constructed, poorly sealed, under sized enclosure, except for the MXZ, which did not use an enclosure, the woofer was run IB. Equally bad execution. 

Your new system consist of a 6 chnl amp. So same number of amp chnls, just in one single amp chassis. The 4 hi-pass chnls will drive up to 8 in-boats with a potential of 100W rms to each. The 2 full-range chnls bridged to the woofer, have a potential of 600W rms to the woofer. Although its a single amp, its nearly double the RMS of the previous 2 amp setup.

Hope this helps. 

As to the amps not able to be tuned, thats misleading. These amps can be tuned. They are tuned by malibu at the factory. They arrive with no tune, then get tuned fore each specific boat and system. With the proper equipment, they can be tuned or re-tuned. Now, are they going to be tuned with a flat blade screwdriver like you would an old carburetor? No, but they can be tuned. 

[IXFE]

1 hour ago, MLA said:

A 2012 Malibu would have come with a 4 chnl amp driving up to 8 speakers either 6.5", 8" or a mix of both. Watts rms would have been 50W rms to each speaker. The woofer would have been bridged on a 2 chnl amp. Over the years, ive see a 300W, 400W or a 500W 2chnl used by malibu. IIRC, the 300W seemed to be the most commonly used for the woofer. The woofer would have been placed in a poorly constructed, poorly sealed, under sized enclosure, except for the MXZ, which did not use an enclosure, the woofer was run IB. Equally bad execution. 

Your new system consist of a 6 chnl amp. So same number of amp chnls, just in one single amp chassis. The 4 hi-pass chnls will drive up to 8 in-boats with a potential of 100W rms to each. The 2 full-range chnls bridged to the woofer, have a potential of 600W rms to the woofer. Although its a single amp, its nearly double the RMS of the previous 2 amp setup.

Hope this helps. 

As to the amps not able to be tuned, thats misleading. These amps can be tuned. They are tuned by malibu at the factory. They arrive with no tune, then get tuned fore each specific boat and system. With the proper equipment, they can be tuned or re-tuned. Now, are they going to be tuned with a flat blade screwdriver like you would an old carburetor? No, but they can be tuned. 

I see that you were very careful to use words like "up to" and "potential" when describing the power these boats are putting out.  Is that your way of acknowledging the factory amp is set up in a way that doesn't achieve anywhere near that?  I'm honestly asking.    

While those may be the specs of the factory amp, we really have no idea what they are actually putting out because we have no idea how Malibu tuned them at the factory.  Likely it's nowhere near what you posted.  

As far as being able to be tuned... yes, I am aware that it's possible, but only if you find a shop that has the equipment (i.e. likely not your local Malibu dealer).  That's more time and money.  Plus, I'm sure the average Malibu owner has no idea how or where to get that done.  The only reason I know was through some local referrals.  Regardless, I think it's sad that Malibu charges over $11K for this system (cabins + sub + Rev10's) and then cripples it to the point you have to find a shop and pay them to wake it up.  

[MLA]

5 minutes ago, IXFE said:

I see that you were very careful to use words like "up to" and "potential" when describing the power these boats are putting out.  Is that your way of acknowledging the factory amp is set up in a way that doesn't achieve anywhere near that?  I'm honestly asking. 

Yes, I did word it that way intentionally. The tunes are owned by malibu. It is their intellectual property much like many other details that go into building a boat. So, not may people outside of malibu, get to see the actual tune details. I have not see a malibu tune, so cannot say to what degree, the amps wattage potential was utilized or not utilized. 

Heck, how many threads are there here (and got nuked in the stereo section reboot) about the amp settings on the previous system, even with the sticker. They were all over the place! Seems odd to put an anti-tamper sticker over an amp that has 2 chnl on hi-pass and gained to the max and the other half of the amp is full range and about 30% gain and the cross over is still set to 100Hz. What was being protected? Im sure the previous equipment supplier provided tuning tutorials to be followed prior to the stickers going on.   

I would fully expect that malibu, like most manufactures, have chosen a more conservative gain setting, in order to minimize equipment returns. Much like Malibu did with their previous systems and the anti-tamper stickers. Much like engine manufactures do with their factor engine tunes. Look what we can get out of a pure stock diesel or gasser engine just by tweaking the ECM tune. Was it easy for the backyard mechanic? No. Are DIY'ers actually doing their own tune? no, most buy a tune to load or buy a tuner that lets you adjust a few perimeters to verifying degrees. But how many typical consumers of diesel truck or mustangs, sit down a write their own custom tune.