Stereo Basics.
 

Most likely will be buying a new 13 Tige R-20 or RZR. Wife can't decide so I want to switch to stereo stuff for now.
Comes with:
Clarion head unit
4 Wetsound XS-650 in boats

Will be adding a set of REV8's to the tower and a XS-10FA sub so sticking with wet sounds so it matches.

My question is amps and how to run them. I am not a stereo guru. What is the difference with 2 ohms or 4. Do I need 3 amps? 1 boat, 1 sub, 1 tower or can I combine? I know I need amps for the sub and the tower speakers. I also want to add one to the in boats. I don't need a pro system, just want it to sound nice and clear and be able to hear it clearly with the boat running at speed. More concerned hearing while I pull the kids than from the end of the rope riding. From what i read these components should do it, just a matter of how to power it. The wetsounds amps are crazy expensive. Is there other options? Also is this something I can do or should i install the speakers and take it in for the amps and wiring? Is there also a tuning process for the system and amps?

xs650s are 4 ohm speaker. If you wire them straight to the amp the amp will see a 4 ohm load. If you wired 2 xs650 in parallel (+ to+, - to -), It will see a 2 ohm load at the amp. It depends on which amps you buy on how many you need. You could run a syn2, or a kicker zx450.2 bridged to each side of your inboats. Than you could get a mono block amp to run the sub, and I would run a syn2 on the tower. Just depends which brand you want to go with. Arc audio may be something else to look into. .02 anyways. Understanding the wiring is pretty simple once you get started, and depends on how mechanical you are with running proper gauge wire, distro blocks, and building a proper battery bank to withstand the draws from the system. There's alot of help over on Tigeowners too and a specific session with a lot of great guys to help you tackle it by yourself.

You have options. Go ahead and get a syn 4 for the Rev 8s. They can handle the 400w a piece easily. The price difference is only $50 over the syn 2. If you just want run 2 amps you can get a syn 6 to run the in boats and sub. You will have some open channels though. This will allow you to add speakers later though if you choose. You could also get a second syn 4 and run the amp in 4 ohm mono and get 100w to each XS 650 and 400w to the sub.

I would run 2 SYN 4's (or similar 4 channel amp).

amp 1 would power the tower, 2 channels bridged to each speaker = 400W
amp 2 channels 1 and 2 would be run to the two right and two left speakers wired in parallel 100W to each at that load, channels 3 and 4 bridged to the sub 400W to the sub.

If your not concerned about hearing at the end of the rope while riding why even get tower speakers and an amp to power them? Like others have said a decent amp for the inboats and an amp for the sub is all you need. There are many great amp choices for you other than WS stuff, which is very spendy and probably overkill for what you wanna do. Also if you do decide to go with revs on your tower(speakers are very far forward) do know that if you turn it up for rider to hear almost anyone in the boat will go deaf!

I did this same setup on my recent boats, and would recommend that you use (1)Syn 4 for Tower Speakers, (1)Syn 4 for all interior 650's, then a Syn Micro for Sub. For a little extra $$, as someone said earlier about going deaf, get the Wetsounds 420 and you can control all the speakers separately and it is (IMHO) the beat money you could spend. Congrats on the boat!

For your 4 XS-650 in-boats and 4 ohm XS-10FA = Wet Sounds HT-6. 110 W RMS to each XS-650 and 300W to the sub and its all Class-D. This amp will also allow you to add a 3rd pait of XS-650 later. A Syn-4 in 3-chnl mode would also work great, but no room for adding a 3rd pair later.

Tower = HT-4 bridged to 2-chnl mode will give you 300W rms to each REV-8. HT-2 or Syn-2 would allow for a adding a 2nd pair later.

If you are concidering having the system installed by a marine audio installer, then I would let them od the whole install and I would also get thier advice and opions on an amps.

What is different between the Syn series and the HT series amps? I am basically mirroring what Tige puts in the boats with the tower of power option. (4 XS-650, XS-10FA sub, and the Rev 8's) How are they running the system? Maybe I will have to go to the dealer and checkout the factory set up.

I agree that Wetsounds stuff is probably overkill for what I am going to use it for. Just figured since the boat already has wet sounds inboats and Rev 8's for the tower might as well stick with it. Plus I have learned if you buy the best you don't have to redo it later.

Could I run a syn 6 for everything? 650's in parallel L channel 1 R Channel 2 then the tower Rev 8's to channel 3 and 4, and then the XS-10fa bridged to 5 and 6? Would that be possible or will that overload the amp and not work?

If cheaper amps are going to work just as well and LAST as long what would people suggest?

Also does anyone in the Twin Cities metro(MInnesota) know of a good marine stereo installer. Not talking Best buy!! LOL

I really like those Wetsounds HT Amps and you can't go wrong with them.

Do it right the first time and spend the extra money if you can....the last thing you want is to get a lower end amp and it not performto your expectations. That will ruin your day on the water no matter how much you love your new boat.

I think I would do a syn 4 bridged on a set of rev10's or rev8's and another syn 4 with channels 1 and 2 on the 4 XS650's and channels 3 and 4 on the sub although I would consider upgrading the sub to an XS-12 in a box instead of an XS10fa.

Ok so the best options seem to be either:

2 syn 4's($1200) or a HT-6 and a HT-4.($1000)

Does anyone have input on the HT's? Whats the difference? Power?

When are the new sinister amps coming out? That would be the bee's knees. You could run the 4 interiors at ~150 watts per speaker, an XS12 at almost 600 watts and one set of ICON8's(since you don't care about hearing at the end of the line) at 185 watts per or 2 pairs of ICON8's at ~150 watts per. You could do that all off a single amp although I am guessing when it comes out it will be around a grand by iteself.

The full-range Class-D HT series amps are slighlty smaller and more effient then the Class-G/H Syn amp. They come with end caps to cover the terminals. It also has a removable back-lit emblime that can be oriented once the amp is mounted.

The factory Tige Wet Sounds Tower O Power system would have been 3 pair of xs-650 and an xs-10fa powered by a Syn-6. The Rev-8 would have been powered by a Syn-2.

A single Syn-6 would be a good choice to power your tower speakers. The Syn-6 would only deliver 60W to your Rev-8.

The Wetsounds amps are a lot of money, and there are other amps out there that will get the job done very well for a lot less cash.

How about this:
- Polk Audio D5000.5 to run your in-boats and sub (70x4 @ 4Ω + 200x1 @ 4Ω).
- Polk Audio D4000.4 to run your two tower speakers (bridge to 200x2 @ 4Ω).

The D5000.5 can be had for a little under $300, D4000.4 for around $250. I have the D4000.4 and have been highly impressed with it. These amps are labled under several other brands as well; currently the Polks seem to be at the best price that are available for sale (some other cheaper ones are all sold out everwhere) and happen to be the best looking of the bunch.

If you felt you were underpowering your in-boat's and sub, you could always do the D4000.4 for the towers, a D2000.2 for the in-boats (run them in parallel, being 250x2 @ 4Ω, giving each speaker 125 watts RMS each), and the D1000.1 (500x1 @ 4Ω). At that point you would have more than enough power for the subs and in-boats; 2000.2 can be had for $160ish, the D10000.1 can be had for around $230.

Basically, you can have a nice set 2 amps that should be satisfactory for $550 or less, or 3 amps that will be more than you need for $650 or less. A single Syn6 will cost way more than that and give you less power.

Don't take my word for it, go check out reviews on these amps - they are pretty impressive (and marine rated).

Needed to edit, left a word out.

Thats what I figured you meant when I saw 60W to the Power hungry Rev8s!!!