PRO AUDIO CUSTOM BOXES

Alright, who has made custom pro audio boxes. I would like to see them and some of the components.

I currently have 4 6 1/2" MB Quart separates on the tower...and I am not satisfied. I want bigger and better. the tower speakers just are not putting out enought to keep up with the two JL 12W7s and the MBs down in the boat...

I am thinking of putting up 4 10" pro audio speakers and 2 compression horns firing back towards the rider and 4 6x9s in the same box firing down at the boat. I thought about doing an NVS1 system, but I really want a fiberglass box with speakers firing down as well, so it is not quite an option.

for the pro audio setup I was wondering if it is better to run the 10" speakers on 1 amp and the horns on another amp. I think that NVS uses a crossover and hooks up both speakers and the compression horn in parallel, but I was thinking that I might get better use out of the power running two amps.

are there any other ideas out there? I am still in the design stage and open to ideas.


Thanks

Richard,
You didn't mention how many MB's you are running inside the boat.
My idea would be to add more interrior speakrs or switch them out for more efficient speakers....but not pro audio for inside the boat. Just more efficient car audio speakers, or more of them.
I don't myself claim any expertise for "Interrior speaker" and I'm sure someone else will chime in with good input there. However, putting more and more on the tower becomes an issue weight wise.
With respect to the glass box. I get contacted often about building glass boxes and there are allot of people out there that can do some real nice work. But, the wieght becomes an issue to design the box to support all the speakers. Next thing you know, you have a box that weighs over 30 pounds. And you're talking about adding over 50 lbs of speakers. Good Pro Audio Woofers and hi output Compression drivers run around 7-8 lbs each. Even Neo mags are only about 1/2 pound lighter overall. Neo mags...that's another discussion but basically I don't like them.
AMPs, I initially ran a separate amp for the compression drivers. But I still had to run a crossover to protect the diaphram. Most amps will run in a hi pass mode but the crossover can be less then the 2K area you would need. Also, the small amount of power that gets drained off for the HLCD, is minimal.
However, if it's just a "One of" going the separate amp route may still be a simpler way to go...just be sure to use an appropriate crossover.
Where abouts are you, and boat and tower? no data in profile.

Good luck,
Duane

over kill bro, I woulld just run 4-6 6x9 up on the tower and even that is to heavy for most towers it is going to swing like crazy. Just go with some high powerd 3ways and a stong amp and you should be set. Firing woofers into open air is just going to be a waste bass needs somthing to reverb. off of. any way just an opinoin all i would say is watch the wieght up there you could end up cracking the gel coat on the deck of your boat.

duane-
i am in livermore, ca. I ride behind a 99 air nautique. I had spoken to you earlier about getting one of your NVS1 Setups, but I was looking for a new boat at the time. I installed the stereo in the air before memorial day and it is impressive, but after hearing pro audio setups I am just not satisfied (I am never satisfied though)

Mike-
I have tried the 4 6x9 setups and I am not impressed. Three of my buddies on Shasta have setups from various companies on this board and I am not impressed. As far as firing woofers into open air...pro audio 10" speakers are not woofers...they are setup more as a mid-bass speaker. I know it is not for everyone, but if you have ridden behind a pro audio setup and you like it loud then you (or anyone for that matter) would want more as well.

Duane,

I started a template that could hold the speakers used in your systems. I was going to make a fiberglass box, but abandoned the idea. Do you think their might be some demand for that sort of thing? By my measurements the box would be 54" wide, which is pretty wide for most towers, and it will weigh a lot like you said. However I think I could get the weight down to about 20 lbs.

Do you use a crossover on the woofer or just the hlcd? The pro audio stuff fascinates me.

richard,
I thought I recognized your name.
The phrase I remember you making was "If its the best, then I have to have it" was that you?

Anyway, you mention now that you have heard some Pro Audio set ups. Can you share with us which one that was? At this point, the only other ones I am aware of besides mine are DIY types that have copied mine.
Bottom line is, if you haven't heard mine, why don't you drive over Vasco and take a listen?
Here is my number 408-569-6040...bring your board. I'm available tomorrow.

Mike d, I hear you about the woofer thing, but that is applicable to "Sub" woofers, not woofers producing higher freqs. Example, I run my 8's or 10's at 200 Hz and up which would put them into the category of Mid range or Mid Bass woofers/drivers.
good luck,
D out

yeah, that was my comment. I heard a knock off of yours at shasta...it looked almost exactly like yours, so I assumed it was. I then asked him if he got the system from you and he said he made it himself. the speakers appeared to be eminence and everything...it was clearly a copy (or some extremely similar thinking when he designed the system. ) The sound that could be heard at 100+ yards was absolutely impressive though. I might be able to get out there to ride tomorrow, but I am not sure. I am going to the 49er Raider game tonight...so anything I do tomorrow will be fairly slow moving.

I still think your system is the best system for sale, but I am leaning toward something custom and offering something to the people in the boat as well as those riding (and everyone withing 500 yards )

E-mail me and let me know what time you will be out there tomorrow. richard@theholmgrens.com

Thanks

Paul,
email me your contact information from the www.NVS1.net website. It never hurts to talk.

richard, check you mail,

D out

(Message edited by nvsairwarrior on August 14, 2004)

Hey Rich lest see some phptos of your W-7's In your AIR

Mr. West,
Make it easy on me and let me know if you are still running the 13W7's and if so how many?
D out

Im runnng 2 12 W-7's
Harold is running 3 12 W-7's
Tabiggs is running 3 13 W-7's

Grant,
Thanks for the clarification.
I actually thougth that Tom had removed one and is with 2 now...?
I suppose richard is off to the game by now.
Since this discussion is about boxes, did you get a weight of the "Enzo" box less speakers, and lights, and...?
BTW Grant, it is a beauty.
D out

Hey guys,

This is exactly what we did, after a lot of talking with Duane, (old posts) we decided to go Pro Audio cause it's kinda nice to hear it while you ride.
BUT- Our tower is not very wide so *** would have been cramped to get the NVS's up there so we decided to make something.
Disclaimer-
It is kinda done. And if you are to close it WILL hurt your ears!

We really like the drivers but are not happy with the size of the horns, so we put one up top for now, we may end up putting the eminence horns cause they are really thin. Here are some pics-

We were also at shasta but didn't talk to anyone about it.

Luke,
Nice job as mentioned before. Not sure who it was that richard ran into at Shasta. I know of a couple of NVS systems that have hit Shasta this year but if it was a DIY guy, I have no clue who if it was not you.
The point here is that more an more people are realizing the performance significance of the components that I use. Yes you can hear some music at 75 feet if you are useing 6.5's or 6x9's, x6 and x6 respectively, but, like richard stated (paraphrasing) if you think that is loud, you don't know what loud is!
NVS was created to inspire the rider, if after hearing the NVS stuff you are not inspired to achieve a higher level of performance, we will return all monies paid! It's that simple.
Bold? not really, just do a search on NVS and see what people besides myself are saying.
Thanks,
Duane

just got back from the game...
the boat I saw at shasta was a B52...I had never seen him there before and I am there nearly EVERY weekend. He said that he was from oregon, but I don't rember what city. Luke, I didn't think it was your system, I would have recognized yours, but come to think of it, I never see your boat at shasta, where do you ride or stay? My cabin is at silverthorn.

Grant- I will get some pics of the 2 12w7s in the air when I get back to the lake. the boat is on the lift there and I didn't take pics after the install (partially due to the fact I finished at 1AM and left for the lake an hour later, and partially because it just does not look as clean as yours). I would have been there this weekend, but since the fire was within about 150 yards of my back porch it is a little smokey there.

As is the case with every project I have, it is not done because I will never be satisfied.

Duane: I didnt get a final weight of the empty Enzo box but it felt like 40-50 lbs. I added everything when it was finished and came up with 70 LBS. I know it weighs less than my last setup. The neo magnet bostons cut the over all weight of the box in half. If I had to run regular speakers I would hate to guess what it would weigh

Rich: Dont worry about it, I know what you mean when you say nothing is ever finished. Im the same way. Shoot some photos and dont worry about it.

Richard, you DEFINITELY do not want this level of speaker firing down at your head from 4 feet away.

I have the Entity 1010s on my X2, and one of my friends though it would be HI-larious to crank it up all the way while I was standing on the sun deck.

I was not laughing.

or probally hearing either. Joe
i have the 1010's also they scream literally on the water. I ve actually had people yell thank you after we turn the music down or off at sunset when leaving the skiers cove.

Yeah, we ride on a somewhat narrow, quiet river. I've had people come up to me at the end of the day while I'm wiping down the boat, and tell me they could hear us coming from 5+ minutes away.

It's unbelievable how much sound comes out of 6 speakers.

steven-
I didn't want the pro audios pointing down...I wanted 4 10s pointing out toward the rider and then I wanted 4 or 6 6x9 pointing down and possibly forward into the boat and open bow. But as of right now I think I am leaning toward just installing the 1010s and being done with it. Just got to convince the wife that it is a necesity.

Richard, it is a neccesity.

I only have four 6.5 Xplods, one Xplod 10" in the boat, and the 1010s on the tower. It is louder than I ever could have dreamed. It sounds like you already have a serious interior system, so the 1010s are going to put you way over the top. They can be a little loud if you're sitting in the back seat, but the volume level is fine anywhere else.

richard, nvert had a pro audio system with JBL components.

i am not sure if they are still in business though.

if you want to step up a little from the eminence drivers, look at EV DL10x drivers and perhaps DH1 horn drivers. also similar components from JBL or RCF.