Erik, a fellow Wakeworlder picked up his beautiful 07 Malibu VLX this afternoon. Erik and his sister had requested to have a quality sounding and cleanly installed stereo system to add to their factory Sony/RF stereo system. It was agreed that we wanted to have a very simple and effective system with low current draw, minimal modification, stealth/clean appearance, fill the interior and surfing area. Erik wasn't concerned about blasting the wakeboard rider with music but wanted it to be audible. We wanted a sub that did not require much airspace and would allow us to run the entire system off 1 amp but have more than enough output to fill the interior area. Here is what we ended up with:
Great looking VLX
Tape up the boat while its in the shop.
Boston SL65 6 1/2" in Bullet Cans. New 2 piece acrylic trim ring made to change bolt patter and match diameter of cans and diameter of SL65 surround. There is and option to add some LEDs to the clear trim ring later.
Boston S65 added to factory bow speaker location. The factory location was not used before.
Boston GT-50 amp running 6 interior speakers, 2 tower speakers and sub. Simple trim for amp with top exposed to allow internal fan to circulate air across heatsink. Bass knob added for easy adjustment.
Boston G310-4 in .5cu. ft. enclosure under drivers dash with feet to lift above factory hoses and cables. Built using a new breed of MDF that has a chemical injected during production that makes it intended for marine and outdoor use (tested on coast of Hawaii for 3 years with zero distortion, rot or mildew). This sub provided much more bass than Erik was counting on. It allowed the factory kick plate to be used with room for a second one or a second one and 2 radiators.
The end result was an excellent sounding system that is very simple and effective. It didn't require tons of custom work or any upgrades to the factory electrical. It is more than enough for many people and if its not enough it is easily upgradable to Hollow Points or another sub. I am very happy with the finished product and feel that it is a well rounded system. Wakeworlders, please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you Erik for giving me the time to put a system together for you and put a smile on your face. I did test it for engine noise before you picked it up but I still need to do a lake test for you!
My number one priority when shopping around for the install was a clean system. I have always enjoyed looking at the many stereos on here and I always respected the clean installs. The big sound is cool too, but the installs are what gets me...
I can't say enough about Ben and the crew at Acme Tops & Tunes. If you are looking for an install, or advice on an install, I would definitely go see Ben. He knew what my priorities were and took the time to create something that he knew I would enjoy. Although it is not quite the system that many of you have, it is basic enough to give me some incredible sound (cleanly installed at a very reasonable price) which is exactly what I was looking for.
I am most inpressed by the quality of the install. Not a wire in sight, and a few custom made pieces that turned out fantastic. You wouldn't even know there is a 10" sub behind the kick panel (until you fire that thing up...)
Scott- Yes, that G3 puts out a huge amount of clean bass. It is very, very impressive for a sub that only requires a small enclosure. I was shocked hear that thing for the first time. I didn't realize it was going to put out so much bass.
Thanks again Ben! We were out on the water this morning. You're right, it does sound even better on the water. You'll have to check it out some time. I owe you a pull or two. See you soon for some window tint!
Eric- I am glad to see your happy with everything. Ben does do awesome work. I am Ben's Boston rep and I love that woofer. It is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites for both SQ and SPL. Give it 5-10 hours of playing to break in and it will get even louder and sound even better. Congrats on a great system.
Ben, I'd like to know more about the marine grade MDF the sub box is made out of. Who is the manufacturer/distributor? Also do you know of anyone selling prefabed sub boxes made out of the stuff?
Zacky - Thanks again for letting us complete such a great system for you. I'm glad that everything met or exceeded your expectations. It was great working with you on this project. I might take you up on the offer for a pull if I don't find a Malibu of my own before the end of the season.
Dafinman - I don't want it to sound like I'm holding out on you but I want to do some more experimenting with the product. It is just as workable as MDF. It does have a higher density (making it heavier) than MDF which is good for sub enclosures. I have never heard of the product and I found it on accident a few months ago while talking to a distributor about hardwood floors and building materials. It is about 250% more than MDF but eliminates the need for resin. Once I do a few tests I will post up some pictures. According to the vendor Erik received the first sub enclosure made of this product and they said people are crazy who are spending the time to resin MDF. Thanks for the compliments on the install. I work with pretty talented people.
haha, when i put my sub underneath the stearing wheel, that foot pannel was history! thats tight that you could fit the sub in there, and still keep it on. looks great!
Sam, Dafinman - The cost of raw materials works out to be the same but the time is what counts. The time I would spend applying the resin and then waiting for it to dry before giving it to one of our upholsters is cut down from a couple hot hours to 5 minutes.
Alex - I was even amazed how little space the enclosure took once it was elevated over the hoses and pushed back. There is room for another G3 10" and 2 radiators while still being able to keep the factory kick plate.
David - Thanks. I've admired some of your speaker rings as well. The tape is 3M 233+ and the material in the center is headliner material with the foam side out and the soft fabric against the hull. We make sure to take every precaution possible. Customers have given me weird looks when taking off my shoes to get in a boat but its better than the look I would get if I had electrical tape or Dynamat goo on my shoes.
Ben(Soundbox)- I couldn't agree more with your philosophy. I would run (not walk) if I brought my boat somewhere to have work done and they climbed in with their work boots on. This isn't to say that I never let people wear flip flops on my boat (usually not though) but it definitely says something about the professionalism of the shop and the care they will use with your property. Very Nice
Ben- You definitely have one of the nicest profile pics out there. I may be a little biased though...
Alex- You are the first one to pick up on the fact that Ben was able to get the 10" sub to fit behind the factory panel. I personally have not seen that done before. I actually prefer the stealth look...
For the guys that were questioning the new MDF vs standard MDF I started soaking both pieces last week to see the difference.
8tens - All the guys at the shop are on the same page regarding respect for customers property. We use the 3M 233 tape by the case but its all for good reason.
zakman - If you don't mind I might need to leave that profile pic until I get a Malibu of my own. I'm glad everyone what pleased with the system and it sounded great on the water.
Zak it's not that hard to fit a 10" behind that panel, I have a W713 behind there with the kick panel still in place. I did do a cutout to see the speaker though.
Jason - Do you have any pictures of your set up? You must have been sealed and moved some of the hoses out of the way. I would like to get 2 Boston SPG555s behind the stock panel. I think it can only be done w/o a heater.
Nice job Ben! Clean, simple and Im sure it sounds great. As a business owner you have to cater to the customers wishes and it sounds like you did just that. Great job, keep up good work.
Rod & Shawn - Thanks guys. Many people think that we only do mid-high end custom. We actually do the full range of installs every week in cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, side by sides, RVs, Long haul diesels.....
Tanner - The product is Extira and it seems to be working great. We soaked a piece of Extira and a piece of MDF in a bucket for 2 weeks (both were 3/4" and the Extira did expand about 1/16" and the MDF expanded about 1/4". After letting both pieces dry the Extira did seem more rigid and the edges were not flaking. I have not confirmed but the extira is supposed to resist rot and mold compared to the MDF. Cutting and routing the extira is exactly the same as MDF.
Great looking VLX 
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