ICON8 or Rev8?
 

Starting to think about getting some tower speakers, and I have been interested in the Rev8's, seems to have good reviews and my uncle has a pair on his boat. Now with the ICON8's coming out though I am curious to hear information on them. From my understanding, and I have very little, the rev8's would be better for wakeboarding, which people primarily do on my boat, verse the ICON 8 for wakesurfing? Which I do not do very much of. The big question is for what I am doing is the REV8 my best option?

From another thread this is what I got out of it. If you want to be able to hear them wakeboarding get the REV's. If you don't care about hearing them wakeboarding save the money and get the ICON's. In the past HLCD's have been too harsh to sound good in and around the boat. I haven't heard the REV's btu from everything everybody says they sound good in and around the boat.

I'm not a fan of smaller 6.5" Proaxial HLCDs in general. Even for wakeboarding I might consider the Icon8 8-inch coaxial over a 6.5" HLCD. I might give up some treble projection but I might also gain in many other respects.
However, if the primary objective is projecting to wakeboarding range then the REV8 should have a distinct advantage over the Icon8. In the case of the REV8 I don't think that you are at a disadvantage for near field listening such as at surf range or when lounging around the boat at rest. The smoothness of the REV8 is a departure from what people came to expect from HLCDs in the past.
An HLCD is going to be deserving of a little more robust amplifier so keep that in mind. Balance is important.

David
Earmark Marine

I have not heard the ICON series yet but have, in the past, owned Pro 60's, Pro 80's, MB-8's and now the Rev 10. I spent about an hour listening to the Rev 10 and Rev 8 and they are different from other HLCD's. The Rev series sounds phenomenal in the boat and behind the rope.

To further elaborate on this point. I was talking with a HUGE Wetsounds dealer that is located out in Northern Cali and even though he sold TONS of WS he did not put the pro series on his tower due to their harshness in the boat. Instead he ran Focal speakers which are a great speaker. After hearing the Rev series - he is now putting WS on his tower.

That's my two cents.

MK,

Yes the REV 8 would be the speaker to look at. The ICON 8 is designed for wake surfing and near field (party cove and in and around the boat) The ICON 8 plays VERY loud and has a ton of output. But being a non HLCD, it cannot project to wake range like the REV's.

Tim
Wet Sounds