Stereo System Upgrade - JL or Wetsounds

[DockRocker]

I am wanting to upgrade my stereo system on my 2008 Cobalt 222. I have been looking at JL Audio and Wetsounds for a couple months now, still trying to decide which one to go with. I've read almost every thread on this CC board also, very good info. I want to add 2 amps, and 4 tower speakers, and 6 in-boat speakers. I will add a sub later, not wanting to cut a hole right now, but I want my amp to have space for a sub. I want all LED speakers and am leaning toward JL right now, I like the JL amps, and Wetsounds tower speakers do not have LED's, but i do like the Wetsounds in-boat 6.5 inch speakers. How does this sound for JL amps and speakers? 2 JL M800/8v2 amps. The first amp would be to run the 6 in-boat speakers and then bridge 2 channels to power a sub. The second JL M800/8v2 amp would be to bridge the 8 channels down to 4 channels and run the 4 tower speakers? If I go with Wetsounds, I would probably go with 2 for the HTX6 six channel amps and and have each speaker with its own channel, except bridge 2 channels for the sub. I am planning on going to the Kansas City or Tulsa boat show also. Any thoughts and advise is greatly appreciated!

[DockRocker]

I am planning on upgrading the Stereo Head unit to the Sony MEX-M100BT. I think it will work with my 2 in-boat wired remotes.

[Big Block Power]

I have the wetsounds system your taking about. I couldn't be happier. Wet Sounds does have leds for the towers. You can get them wired and add the rings. Not the big deal. My tower ones are the only ones I didn't do. I just didn't want to buy it's all prewired for it. You can't go wrong with either set up. I think wet sounds mage a better tower speaker set up though. I personally like the looks of wet sounds better also.
The one thing I would and will change out is the Sony head unit. I'll switch to the wetsounds head. I'll ditch the Sony remotes.
The hole is not a big deal. I thought my system had enough bass. I ran it one year without a sub. Once you get the sub you realize how much it was lacking and I'm not a big bass guy.
https://youtu.be/F3un5PQ0arU

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https://youtu.be/ZsK5YOgQNP8

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https://youtu.be/0bpTL7SrJqM

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Sorry this is music to my ears.

https://youtu.be/QGOH_7LhAxI


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[sailor55330]

Nice clean install BBP!

[DockRocker]

BBP, Your Install looks great! I really like the LED's that you added to your in boat speakers. So you used silver speakers for in boat, and 2 black Wetsounds Rev 8 tower speakers? That looks great. You have 2 of the Wetsounds HTX 6 Amps? Did you use 1 amp to power the 6 boat speakers, and then use the other amp to power your sub and tower speakers? Did you bridge the channels for the tower speakers? I really do like the Wetsounds. They look great and have more watts then the JL Audio, and the inboat speakers cost less. I'm really trying to decide between JL Audio and Wetsounds, and how to set up each one. Thank you!

[justchillin]

Cutting the hole for the sub is easy. I’d recommend a rotozip with a tile bit and the circle cutting attachment. Practice on a pice of scrap wood to get the proper size hole. Tape off the area and measure where you want to drill the center hole. Insert the rotozip circle attachment and start cutting. It’s works best if you can get another person to spray the bit with water while you cut. It’ll keep the bit from getting too hot plus keep the dust down.

Just did mine.

[DockRocker]

Justchillin, Looks great! I am going to add a sub, I just want to get everything else installed first. then add the sub. What all did you buy for your Stereo Audio system install? How did you wire your amps to run the speakers?

[Big Block Power]

BBP, Your Install looks great! I really like the LED's that you added to your in boat speakers. So you used silver speakers for in boat, and 2 black Wetsounds Rev 8 tower speakers? That looks great. You have 2 of the Wetsounds HTX 6 Amps? Did you use 1 amp to power the 6 boat speakers, and then use the other amp to power your sub and tower speakers? Did you bridge the channels for the tower speakers? I really do like the Wetsounds. They look great and have more watts then the JL Audio, and the inboat speakers cost less. I'm really trying to decide between JL Audio and Wetsounds, and how to set up each one. Thank you!

The leds are factory in the inboats. They are Revo 6 speakers and 8 inch Revo tower and 10 inch Revo sub. Except the sub I added that led. Yes 6 inboats to 1 amp and bridged the 2nd amp for the towers and sub and added volume controls for each in the glove box to keep the wife off my back. I added also a separate volume control for the bow speakers also so I don't bore the kids ear drums either. It all seems to work out just fine.
I wanted to add the 4 zone BT Eq but I couldn't find the right spot to mount it so I didn't do it.

Thanks Sailor. I'm happy with the whole install. Way too many hours in it though.

[DockRocker]

BBP, Sounds great! I would like to do something very similar to yours. What kind of volume controllers do you have? 4 different ones? What do you think about using the HTX6 to power a sub and 4 tower speakers? Would that be enough amp? I wish Wetsounds had 8 channel amps, like JL. I should have ordered the Wetsounds on Black Friday from Creative Audio, 20 percent off. Oh well, maybe I can get a discount by going to a boat show or Creative Audio in person. I have not seen the JL Audio on sale yet.

[Big Block Power]

BBP, Sounds great! I would like to do something very similar to yours. What kind of volume controllers do you have? 4 different ones? What do you think about using the HTX6 to power a sub and 4 tower speakers? Would that be enough amp? I wish Wetsounds had 8 channel amps, like JL. I should have ordered the Wetsounds on Black Friday from Creative Audio, 20 percent off. Oh well, maybe I can get a discount by going to a boat show or Creative Audio in person. I have not seen the JL Audio on sale yet.

Yes that should work. Just call creative they will work with you. They are great.
I just ordered plain Ole volume controls. I'll see if I took a picture of them. 3 diff ones. 2 in the glove box. 1 for sub and 1 for towers. Then 1 stuffed in the bow for the kids to adjust. Then I get the radio control for the inboats. This is why I wish I added the wet sounds head unit so I wouldn't have had to mess around with them. Plus I'm sure it sounds better than the Sony. I didn't go with the 100 head unit because I have a USB port cable coming out the back of the unit for the kids to plug there phones into. Kind of handy.

[justchillin]

Justchillin, Looks great! I am going to add a sub, I just want to get everything else installed first. then add the sub. What all did you buy for your Stereo Audio system install? How did you wire your amps to run the speakers?

I’d do it all at once while you have the bulkhead off the port compartment. Otherwise you have to open it all up again. I used JL amps and speakers. 2 m600/6, 6 M6 speakers in the boat, 1 m6 sub and a pair of m6 770s on the tower. One amp for the 6 in the boat and the other for the sub and tower. Sony head unit fader controls the tower and a remote level for the sub. I wanted to keep my remotes so I kept the Sony unit and added jl Bluetooth.
I ran 1 ga power and ground to a wetsounds power block with a 150 amp stinger breaker and 4 ga to each amp with a 50 fuse. 12 ga speaker wire all the way around.

[DockRocker]

Justchillin, Yes, it probably is a good idea to install a Sub while everything is opened up. Your install looks great. I like the breaker and the power block. Thanks for the info! I'm sure I will have a lot more question later on, when I start buying stuff and installing everything. So far, I have bought a Blue Sea Add a Battery kit with new battery switch and ACR, and a ProMariner dual bank battery charger, and Marinco charger outlet. Still need to buy breakers or fuses, wire, and a lot of Stereo Equipment. I'm installing everything myself.

[Big Block Power]

Just make sure you are getting good marine grade cables.

[DockRocker]

Wetsounds has their Tower Speakers 15 percent off, from Jan 13 - February 28. REV and ICON Tower speakers.

[Big Block Power]

Go with rev over icon.