Totally Confused!!!

Ok, here's my deal. I am about to start getting everything I need to hook up my tower speakers and sub in my boat. My factory Kenwood only has one set of RCA hookups on the back. I am going to need 3 to hook it all up I think. 2 for the 4 channel for the tower speakers and 1 for the sub. How do I hook all this up? I was told I will need an equalizer to perform this action but I have no experience w/an equalizer. If anyone could help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

If you are running the 4 ch to the tower your amp probably has a swich to make it 2 ch input. If not you can split the signal. You can also split the signal going to the sub. Doing it this way will work, Howvver will not sound the best. It will also limit the amount of control you have over the system. The best way to do it would be to swap the head for one with 3 pre-outs, so you can add a amt to the interior later. Or to buy a decent EQ with the correct outputs. In wich case you will run one set of signal to the EQ, and use the EQ to control the system.

Geoff,

I would add an EQ for three reasons.

1. Immediate tower volume adjustment via a knob you can grab quickly
2. Fading and Sub-level control (as well as EQ adjustment)
3. Signal boost to run the multiple amps

I don't like EQs in car systems but their versatility in boat systems makes them a great investment. You should be able to pick up a decent unit for around $100.

Just hook your deck to the input of the EQ. Hook the front outputs to the boat amplifier, hook the rear outputs to the tower amplifier, hook the sub-out to the sub-amplifier.

Not sure what you have for amps but two 4 channel amps would be a good bet. Run the tower off one, the boat and sub off the other. I recommend any mid-grade amp like an PPI, Phoenix Gold, Orion, Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, HiFonics, etc. You can probably get an EQ to match but I would find one that matched my dash before I worried about getting one to match the deck or amps.

The extra $$ spent on high Sound Quality equipment tends to get drowned out by motor and wind noise in a boat. Spend the money on gas and wakeboarding equipment instead.

One more thing, if your current deck does not have Aux inputs the EQ will add that as well. The Ipod in a boat is a beautiful thing.

(Message edited by mikeski on December 20, 2006)

Look at the HFEQ by hifonics. This is a line driver and EQ. Basically it will pump up to 9 volts into your amps inputs using a single input from your head unit. The HFEQ will allow for three outputs (front, rear and sub) with full control for these channels (eq and crossover). The nice part is being able to fade the towers up/down from the interior speakers. It will do everything you want and is an excellent buy. Mike covered every option this unit will do for you in his post above. One more thing, the HFEQ has a button to choose from two led display colors (blue or red).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9727061795

87 bucks shipped-- what a deal!!

Thanks David and Mike. I just payed for the HFEQ,now I just need to get my 4 channel amp and all the wire. When I go to hook up the EQ do I just hook the head unit to the eq and then the sub amp to the sub output and the 4 channel to the front and rear? Or is that completely wrong? My boat does not have any amps in it now, only the factory Kenwood head unit and the six factory kenwood speakers.