Boat stereo setup help(very challenging)

 

New member
Username: Bigdogbart

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jul-04
I bought a hifonics zeus 4400, 4 channel amp to power 4 infinity kappa 6 1/2. This four speaker setup is for existing cutouts in the boat. The speaker location is fine for when I am in the boat but when I am in the water I cant hear them very well. I want to use thes 4 existing cutouts but I also want to add two enclosed 6x9's that I can hang from my bimini and direct toward the rear of the boat for when I am skiing and hanging out in the water. Whats the best way to connect all six speakers?
I would also like to add a bazooka marine sub that has a built in amp. Whats the best setup without having to buy another amp? Is there a way I can connnect some kind of switch that when in position 1 it runs all 2 amp channels the 6x9 and bridges the other 2 channels to a sub. Then for switch position2, I could run two channels to the front 6.5's and two channels to the rear 6.5's, or maybe make it run 2 6.5's off of one channel and run 2 more 6.5's off of one channel then bridge the remaing to run the subwoofer. I am open for other suggestions as well even if it mean buying another amp. But there has to be a way to do this or something similar. Please help!
 

Silver Member
Username: Its_bacon12

Hfl, Ny Usa

Post Number: 850
Registered: Dec-03
like i think i said before,

you can run one speaker (6.5) off each channel and bridge two channels to each 6x9

that'd be my best bet

i would give that a shot...you'll be giving a little less power to the 6.5"s but you';ll get more overall sound

or you can get a seperate 2 or 4 channel amp and run them off that :-)
 

Anonymous
 
This is kinda off topic but make sure keep the ead unit and amps away from all windows. I lost a $300.00 head unit because of a leaky window on my boat. :-(
 

New member
Username: Bigdogbart

Post Number: 10
Registered: Jul-04
Bacon, I tried responding to your other post but it said locked. I have 4 total 6.5's and 4 total channels. If I run one 6.5 off each channel that leaves no channels for the 6x9. Do you mean hook up only 2 6.5's, each to one channel? Also,regarding the 6x9's,I thought when you bridge 2 channels, you are sending the signal to one speaker. Do I hook the 6x9's in parallel to the bridged channels? That would send 110W to the 6x9's but wouldnt it reduce the ohms by half and put more strain on the amp?
 

Silver Member
Username: Jayj

Louisiana USA

Post Number: 360
Registered: May-04
Frank why not hook up the 6.5s to the head unit and the 6x9s to the amp?? And with the amp you will bridge the 1/2 channels and the 3/4 channels run one 6x9 to each of the bridged channels. Good Luck
 

Silver Member
Username: Its_bacon12

Hfl, Ny Usa

Post Number: 853
Registered: Dec-03
well ok forget what i was saying, just get another amp or hook them up to the HU like jayj said
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bigdogbart

Post Number: 11
Registered: Jul-04
Jay, this is my first time ever hooking up an amp. Your idea sounds like a good one. I wasnt aware that I could run speakers from the amp and from my head unit at the same time. I wonder if I my headunit has a built in bridge so i can get more power to 2 of the 6.5's and just not use the other 2 6.5's? Or whether my head unit has a bypass filter. It's a sony cdx-7700. Is bass the main reason for distortion from head units?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Xgrizzlyx

Post Number: 15
Registered: Jul-04
First off your receiver has 3 sets of preamp out puts, a front, a rear and a sub,

Your amp
ZX 4400
4 x 55 Watts @ 4 Ohms
4 x 110 Watts @ 2 Ohms
2 x 220 Watts @ 4 Ohms



they are pRoably 4ohm speakers you can wire 2 speakers in paralle for a 2 ohm load and each speaker will get 55 watts per channel then the 2 extra speakers can be hooked up to your other 2 channels.

use your sub preout to hook up the bazooka.

you don't have to hook any speakers to the speaker lines in the deck.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bigdogbart

Post Number: 13
Registered: Jul-04
Grizzley, I feel so lucky that my equipment will do what you are suggesting, because I just bought it all without much research. Your help has been invaluable and GREATLY appreciated. I knew someone would eventually solve this for me. I thank everyone for their input. A few more questions. Does the amp usually have a setting for 2 of the channels to run at 2 ohms while the other 2 channels run at 4 ohms? Or does it require all 4 channels to be set at 2 ohms? Is this hard on the speakers or the amp? And finally, do i connect the two left speakers in parallel and the two right ones in separate parallel or do I run the front two in parallel and the rear two in parallel? Thanks again!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Xgrizzlyx

Post Number: 16
Registered: Jul-04
Does the amp usually have a setting for 2 of the channels to run at 2 ohms while the other 2 channels run at 4 ohms? ----> They way you wire the speakers will determine the ohm load, i don't know if there is any switch on the amp, you would have to check this out. but the way you wire will determine the load and your amp should do the rest.

I'm not realy sure the set up of the boat. Is there 2 speakers in closed area of the boar and 2 set up on a deck, are they all on the deck?

If the 2 u want to replace are in a cabin i would wire them to the front channel, and the other two you want to replace i would wire them parallel with the 2 extra speakers u want to add, if they are on the outside of a cabin on a deck.

If all your speakers are on a deck I would wire the 2 extra speakers closes to rhe rear or the fronts depending on the placement of extra speakers, say you plan on mounting the extra speakers on the back of the boat next to the rears i would wire them parallel.

This will allow you to fade with your head unit.

the fading will have no effect on placement of the sub woofer since it has a seprate sub pre out. that sup preout porably as a low pass filter built into not sure something like a preout of a home receiver. Last time i installed a car stereo they didn't have that yet :p(hehe 8 years ago) no i'm not an old phart i'm only 30 :D

DOn't foret your inline fuse(usaly the fuse rating of your amps added that could be + or - 5, ie amp one fuse is 20 amp 2 fuse is 15 total of 35, have a inline fuse of 30-40 most perferably 35) at the battery. and make sure u get the right guaged wire. If you install a boozka powered sub you will need to have a distrubtion block for postive wires. you can get one for the negative too or ground them sepratly just depends on placement of the amp.


http://www.crutchfield.com/installguide/S-MaTrr5dXJXm/cable_gauge.html

I hope this helps and u have anymore questions i will try to help best i can :D, IT's a good benefit to install your own stuff because u learn alot. http://www.crutchfield.com has alot of helpful stuff aswwell!!!!!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Xgrizzlyx

Post Number: 17
Registered: Jul-04
o there is also adjusting the amps--

turn the gain on the amps down to it's lowests setting. Then put in the type of music u listen to the most and slowly turn the head unit up to it starts to distort. then turn it back down to the level with no distrotion. after that is determined you leave it at the setting and slowly adjust the gain on the amp to you hear distrotion when u hear it slowly turn it down till you don't hear it.

This should make your system safe from clipping, and damage of the speakers and over heating the amps.

Do this one amp at a time do the speakers first before the sub.

Not sure the power rating of the bazooka u may want to think about a cap for it. That will help when your sub peaks and draws extra power.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bigdogbart

Post Number: 16
Registered: Jul-04
Grizzly, 4 speakers are on the deck, 2 are in built into the front and 2 are built into the rear. They are all 6.5". The 6x9's are enclosed in boxes so I can move them whereever I want as long as I have plenty of speaker cable slack. Most of the time I will hang them from the the top of the bimini which is near the built in front speakers but about 5 feet above them. Can you give me a suggested hookup for this channel by channel(4 channels total) thanks again.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Xgrizzlyx

Post Number: 21
Registered: Jul-04
Well then. I think i would hook up the fronts 6.5" with the 6x9 boxes, and the rears by them self. This will allow you to fade from front to rear. thus being able to give more sound to where u need it.

Check make sure the wattage rating on the speakers aren't under the wattage of your amp so you don't blow them. ;)

Best of luck with your stereo and always be cautious so you don't damage anything.
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