Best place for a sub in a boat?

abadsvt 07-08-2006, 6:58 PM

Hello all i will be getting my boat hopefully in a couple days and one of the first things i want to do is add a sub to the boat. I have 2 JL Audio 12w6 subs. I was thinking about the most common spot underneath the drivers seat but aren't car subs designed to bounce off something to get the low bass? I am buying a 2001 Mastercraft prostar 205 V-drive. I thought about in the compartments next to the motor also but i thought that would be best for fatsacs and storage but would that be a good spot. What about one on each side of the motor? I would like to get pretty load bass coming from the boat. Most boats subs just don't sound anything like what they would sound like in a car. I hope i made sence. Thanks Josh

ps. i will post pics of the boat as soon as i get it.

abadsvt 07-09-2006, 12:28 PM

No-one has a sub in there boat that can chim in some info?

(getssum) · (getssum) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 07-09-2006, 12:54 PM

Most people put their subs either under the drivers' Feet under the dash or in the compartment where the observer sits. U can put them in the back in the compartments next to the motor also, but as you said, those spots are usually better for gear, fatsacks, etc.

Reason for boat subs not sounding like what they would in a car is because of the open air environment. Place the same sub in a car and a boat and it will "hit" a lot harder in the car as the sub compresses the air. Here's an experiment to show what I mean. Take your car with the sub, and close all windows, doors, trunk, etc. Play whatever song you want to determine the bass.

Now open all the doors, trunk, windows, etc and play same song. Bass will be a LOT different. This is why you typically see more watts, amps, subs in a boat than a typical car installation.

some sites for you to look at...

soundillusionsaudio.com

abadsvt 07-09-2006, 3:20 PM

Is there a way to get that bass in a boat? I understand what you are talking about regarding open air and car enclosures. I have heard subs under the drivers seat and they do make the music full sounding but i would like to get a little more. Have you ever heard subs in the storage compartments next to the motor? I would imagine that it would be alot louder than the drivers seat because the back seat would act like an enclosure. The down fall is that storage is always nice to have and also when you are driving, the motor i believe would drown out the bass. Does that sound right? What about behind the passenger seat in that large area? It is closer to everyone and if you build a box right you might not loose that much storage. Do you think that the large enclosure might bring out the bass more? I would like if at all possible to hear the bass on my boat from shore when we park and BBQ. Thanks for helping.

stevie211 07-09-2006, 6:53 PM

go ahead and put your subs in the back hatches. Just make sure that your ports will make their way into the passenger compartment. otherwise with the hatches closed you will not have much bass.

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 07-09-2006, 10:19 PM

I would suggest one at the drivers feet and the other under the observers seat. Personally I think the drivers feet is the most effective place for subs in a boat installation. The rear lockers choak the sound a lot more than a car boot does.

(bob) · (bob) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 07-10-2006, 12:14 AM

I suggest not putting them in the rear compartments as you will not be able to hear the bass the same as just putting them at the drivers feet. Im not too familiar with the 205 set-up but if the passengers seat is like the drivers I'd put the second sub there. You can get car style bass with LOTS of power and real good/efficient subs. The big difference between a car and boat is in a car you are inside the chamber the sub is in even if the sub is in the trunk and in a boat...well your in the chamber if your inside one of the compartments beside the engine or under the front seat depending where you put the sub. I moved my sub from the enclosure in front of the copilot(under the front seat) a long time ago to the shelf beside the drivers feet and the second one to the shelf opposite. All the difference in the world.

(phat_in_cincy) · (phat_in_cincy) **Join Date: May 2003** 07-10-2006, 6:41 AM

I've posted this before...
I built an enclosed (sealed) sub box and put it in the bow walkway. It houses a 12" Kicker sub, doubles as a filler cushion support and offers great massages!
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(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 07-10-2006, 7:18 AM

Do you have pictures of the construction process?

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-10-2006, 7:42 AM

I had a ported box built that fit under the steering wheel but fires up, by far the best souding I've foudn in my boat. I've tried sealed and ported firing into the cabin, noticably mroe db's firing up.

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(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-10-2006, 7:45 AM

a few more Upload