Upgrade speakers or amp?
 

Looking to spend around $500-$600 max to improve the sound of 6 in-boat speakers in my 2011 21v.

Currently the 6 in-boats are Kickers, and the amp driving them is a Kicker DX200.4.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_20611DX...200.4&skipvs=T

Would I be better off replacing the amp? or should I replace the speakers? Thinking of the Exile SX65Ms, but would my amp be too weak to drive them? Would definitely like some recommendations on speakers for my budget range.

Or...do I want to spend my $500-$600 and replace both the amp and the in boats?

Easy answer, do both

Keep the original DX200.4 on your front pair @ 100WRMS per speaker
put a PPI p600.2 on your rear 2 pairs @ 150WRMS per speaker ($137)
Get 3 pairs of exile speakers for around $150 a pair ($450)
Your in for a touch under $600. You get everything

I have the PPI 900.4 on 8 exile's and it sounds great. $180 for amp and 150 pair for exiles.

Thanks.

Since the Exiles are only 100rms, is there any advantage of going to the PPI 900.4 over the PPI p600.2?

If I went with Greeko's suggestion, since the p600.2 is a 2-channel amp I'd need to split the leads to serve the 4 speakers (1 pair at mid cabin, 1 pair at transom) ? Is it that simple?

Unfortunately I don't really have any more room on my board for a 4th amp (I didn't mention before that I currently have an amp pushing tower speakers and an amp pushing a sub). What are my options to totally replace the DX200.4 with a 6-channel amp? I'd need at least an amp with 600 total watts and 6 channels, right?

I have a 2 battery setup atm (1 house, 1 starter, perko/ASR). If I replace my DX or add, say, the 600.2 to my system, think that'll require me to add another battery? We do a lot of cove listening and I can currently run the system hard for at most 2-3 hours.

I bought 3 pair of the SX65M's for 100pr new in the box. Talk to your dealer for the bro deal.

Use the ppi 900.4 for the 6 speakers, replacing the kicker 200.4.

If you're trying to stay on a budget I would replace the amp first. See if you're happy with the sound, then upgrade the speakers if you're not happy.

That amp is delivering about 25-35 watts per channel to the current speakers. The best money to be spent will be to upgrade the amp. A Kicker KXM400.4 will basically double your power. That would be one good choice. Your stock speakers are good units; they just want more power.

It will be better almost always to add power to any system first, then replace the speakers later if you want. Otherwise, you aer USUALLY adding higher-power-handling gear, while still under-powering it.

Adding the amp first is the best bang for your buck as a first step.

Phil
Kicker

The Kicker KXM800.5 would double the power to the in-boats and have 400W available to a 2 ohm sub. Its maybe only slightly larger footprint then the DX200.4, but it could replace 2 amps.

The Wet Sounds HT-6 would give you 110W rms x 6 @ 4 ohm.

The Arc Audio XDi1200.6 would deliver 150W rms x 6 @ 4 and 2 ohm and deliver 600W rms x 1 @ 4 on 5/6 for a sub.

The WS HT-6 sounds perfect, but wouldnt fit on my board.

I like the idea of consolidating the sub amp and amp for the in boats. How does the Arc Audio XDi1200.6 deliver 150W rms x 6? Isn't it 150w rms x 4 on channels 1-4?

What would those amps do to my dual battery setup?

Sorry, that was a little confusing so let me clarify. The XDi1200.6 will deliver 150 @ 4 and 2 ohm on 1-4. 150 @ 4 ohm on 5 and 6 and 300 @ 2 ohm on 5 and 6, then 600 x 1 @ 4 on 5/6.

So it does deliver 150W x 6 @ 4 ohm

Thanks for your patience with me, i just dont get this stuff. I got 6 in boats, and each speaker will get wired to 1 of the 6 channels. There'll be no channels left, and I used up 150w x 6 = 900 watts, but it's a 1200 watt amp. What am I missing?

You only need a 4 channel amp. Wire 2 speakers to channel 1, 2 speakers to channel 2 and 1 speaker to channel 3 and 1 speaker to channel 4.

Onlybutter,

chnls 1 through 4 have an rms of 150W whether the speaker load is 2 or 4 ohm. Chnls 5 and 6 have an rms of 300 @ 2 ohm. Theres the 1200.

Since the Exile speakers are 100rms, wouldn't I want to push them with an amp that puts out at least 100rms per speaker?

What about running my 2 fronts with my current DX200.4, and then adding a Rockford Fosgate M600-4D or a XM15.4 - 800W (both are 100 watts x 4 channels @ 4) for the 4 main cabin speakers? Those amps are kinda pricey at around $450. Add in the 3 pairs of Exiles and I'd be looking at around $950. A little over the budget but what else is new. That would rock, yes?

Just run the ppi 900.4 and 6 exiles call it a day. Be around $600

Alright I'm gonna go with the PPI P900.4 and 3 pairs of SX65Ms. Not sure if my local dealers sell Exiles but I'll check. If they don't, anywhere else I can get them other than the ExileAudio site?

Bakes online call them they'll give u a better deal.

Crap. Cannot find the P900.4 ANYWHERE. Already ordered from 2 separate companies and then both ran out of stock. Need some other options that on in the same realm of the P900.4. What about an Orion XTR 600.4? http://www.orioncaraudio.com/xtr-4-c...5-xtr6004.html

Already got the Exile speakers - need the amp now - help!!! :)

Brad, I ordered one from that link 2 weeks ago, than found out yesterday they're out of stock and can't fulfill my order. Any other ideas? Gotta get this going!! Lake time!

Anyone running either of these (or recommend them for my system):

Infinity KAPPA FOUR
http://www.caraudiogiants.com/infini...FbFFMgod-gIAOA

Kenwood eXcelon XR400-4
http://www.caraudiogiants.com/kenwoo...FYtDMgodWVUA2g

These two use the same board as the PP 900.4I amp just a little more.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...-JAD800.4.html

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...PAD4000.4.html