Advice - 2014 220s Project: Transom vs Tower Speakers

[ajcampen]

All, I am trying to make a decision on my 220. I want to add speakers for music while we are swimming (see pic of transom of my boat). Last couple years, we are swimming and have to turn up the boat interior speakers to hear it. Wife is in boat trying to talk to people and gets angry and turns down the volume.

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Option 1: Add tower speakers to my boat. JL 6.5" speakers for $399, $100 clamp, JL 4 chanel amp for $260, a roswel zone volume control for the speakers in the glove box. Tower is already pre-wired with speaker wire which might cut down on labor. I have zero first hand knowledge of tower speakers. Will this really project well 10-15 ft behind the boat without inter-fairing with my wife's conversations? Plus is the tower speakers usage for water sports.

Option 2: Add transom speakers. JL 6.5" speakers for $209, $69 spacer ring, JL 4 chanel amp for $260. Cutting 5 inch hole in transom. This would probably work really well and I could add tower speakers in the future if I wanted. But no return after cutting holes in transom and would have to use 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch spacers vs being flush due to not a lot of room between the transom and the engine. Attached a pic of transom speakers on a 220 with 1 inch spacer.

I think option 2 is better because it solves the specific problem. However, tower speakers could be great for water sports.

Also, would i be stupid to not add a vol. control for the transom speakers. Thanks in advance.

[Ytmsn]

My vote. I have four transom speakers, and they sound awesome.

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Tower speakers are still going to be loud if someone is in the boat trying to talk, but transom speakers will project out to the back just fine, especially if you have it zoned separately.

But, towers will be better for water sports.

[ajcampen]

My vote. I have four transom speakers, and they sound awesome.

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Tower speakers are still going to be loud if someone is in the boat trying to talk, but transom speakers will project out to the back just fine, especially if you have it zoned separately.

But, towers will be better for water sports.

Thank you, I think I am going transom

[Big Block Power]

I vote both

[Dropped Anchor]

How are tower speakers and headroom? Because of that I would go with transom.

[jhnmdahl]

Transom, and on their own channels on the receiver so you can use the fader on the receiver to turn them up or down separately from the rest of the boat.

[ajcampen]

Thanks everyone. Head room is a major question too for tower speakers. My boat is in Sandusky now so I don’t know.

[SAB220]

2004 220 - I'd like to hijack this thread to ask the following question: What size round speakers do I have in my boat? (The boat is currently shinkwrapped.) I think I have 4 white Sony speakers with a blue writing or maybe a blue dolphin shown on the front. Not sure if these are original speakers or have already been replaced - would just like to have new ones ready. Thanks

[ajcampen]

BBP? you'll know the answer to that.

[Jwill]

2004 220 - I'd like to hijack this thread to ask the following question: What size round speakers do I have in my boat? (The boat is currently shinkwrapped.) I think I have 4 white Sony speakers with a blue writing or maybe a blue dolphin shown on the front. Not sure if these are original speakers or have already been replaced - would just like to have new ones ready. Thanks

They’re either 6 or 6.5.

[Big Block Power]

2004 220 - I'd like to hijack this thread to ask the following question: What size round speakers do I have in my boat? (The boat is currently shinkwrapped.) I think I have 4 white Sony speakers with a blue writing or maybe a blue dolphin shown on the front. Not sure if these are original speakers or have already been replaced - would just like to have new ones ready. Thanks

Yes those bad boys are top of the line Sony factory speakers. No need to change them. Your only going down hill from there. But these fit right in the hole. The frts I had to add a spacer because they are too deep. 6.5 inches.

[SAB220]

Thanks for the info. My children (young adults) tell me the Sony speakers are blown. I'm going to do a little stereo replacement each each year. Replace the radio, get a amp, replace the boat speakers and next year get speakers for the tower and transom. Need to relocate the radio from the glove box - that's going to be my son-in-law problem.

[Big Block Power]

Honestly. Get rid of those speakers first. Get JL or Wet Sounds or Kicker or Polk and be done with that. Those Sonys are junk.

[okielaker]

Honestly. Get rid of those speakers first. Get JL or Wet Sounds or Kicker or Polk and be done with that. Those Sonys are junk.

Careful with that... the surest way to blow your new speakers is to play them too
loud with too little power (clipping). Less chance for harm if you upgrade the amp
first.

[Big Block Power]

Honestly. Get rid of those speakers first. Get JL or Wet Sounds or Kicker or Polk and be done with that. Those Sonys are junk.

Careful with that... the surest way to blow your new speakers is to play them too
loud with too little power (clipping). Less chance for harm if you upgrade the amp
first.

He Already said the Sonys in there are blown. New amp blown speakers not sure how that's going to sound?