Wetsounds Stero Overhaul

Im looking to do a overhaul on my 2003 23lsv this winter and have a couple things i'm hoping to get some opinions or insight on.

1.) Stereo: I really need new tower speakers. Im deciding between 2 Pro 485 vs. 4 Rev 10's. I really don't want to wait till the new 485's come out becuase im hoping to get a better deal. Also new interior speakers would be nice. Are wetsounds the best for interior or are there other ones that are comparable. It would be 6 new interior speakers plus the tower and i am wandering what would be the best way to power all of this. I would like it to be loud but it doesent have to blast everybody off the lake.


Any opinions or insight will help greatly. Thanks

I think the XS650's are the best 6.5" boat speaker if you are planning on using any pro audio tower speakers because they are tuned to match. I have them and would buy them again. I have the 485's on my tower and would buy Rev10's today if I were buying today. That said, I might wait until the new 10" speakers with separate horns if I could.

sound is subjective I just sold my 485's to get the new version when they come out.If given the choice I would take the 485's over the rev tens any day. Another thing to consider is it will be cheaper to do 485's as you would only need one amp to power them where as for rev tens would require two amps. As for interior speakers I'm hooked on the bullet holowpoints but hear they are currently being made of unubtanium while they are being re designed..The wetsounds in boat speakers are with out a doubt a great speaker which I'm sure you would be happy with.Here is a couple links have a listen and decide yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=183Y3...layer_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihH6H...layer_embedded

Kyle,
That is a difficult decision between the Pro485 and REV10s because they are both excellent products.
The Wetsounds Pro485 has more low frequency reach in the treble from a more substantial horn with a larger diaphragm. You are going to get only so many octaves from any midbass driver and the 8-inch midbass drivers from the Pro485 have the upper midrange reach to integrate well with the horn. This is a 'linear' (little in the way of unwanted peaks or valleys) speaker with upfront midrange. It has the linearity, purity and balance similar to two pair of REV8s. Although, the Pro485 has stronger midbass than another four 8"s due to more pod displacement. If the Pro485 were to stay in the Wetsounds line-up just as is it would be successful for a very long time.
The Wetsounds REV10, with a larger 10-inch midbass driver, has deeper bass extension. The REV10 has midrange that is slightly recessed by comparison. The REV10 has a little extra kick in the upper treble, which is more in the percussion and upper harmonics area and well above the vocal range. Other than this slight accentuation of the upper highs this speaker has no peaks or bumps in the response. Frankly, this is a popular sound for many who try to create this curve with their EQ. Its a matter of subtle tonal distinctions but what differentiates these two speakers. If you put more power to two pair of REV10s there is no question that the greater surface produces a more dynamic speaker.
I probably haven't made the choice any easier but those are the clinical differences. There isn't another tower speaker on the market that I could recommend over these two choices.

David
Earmark Marine

Dave does the rev ten give up some some driver surface area for the horn flare thus reducing the actual surface area of the ten inch midbass driver?if so would that put the surface area of the midbass driver closer to that of the 485??

Thats a great comparison David. I think i might be going with the 485 because they are older I can get a better deal, and they are still super loud. Any amp recommendations??

a wetsounds syn 4 or arc audio ks 300.4

or a syn2 / arc ks 300.2 per 485.

Harold,
To answer your question about surface area....
The flare of the horn in a REV10 is far enough away from the speaker's surface and small enough that it woudn't have much if any affect on such a large diameter speaker. It might have a very minor impact on a much smaller speaker like a Pro60 since the horn mouth is identical compared to a much smaller driver area with a shallower architecture. But it is probably no more of an issue than the impact of a thicker grill and the Wetsounds grill is very acoustically transparent given the narrower spokes. Its just not a concern in my opinion.
Now, if we compare a Pro80 proaxial to a Pro485 component style we give up the cone surface area for the horn pass-through on the 80 as compared to the continuous cone of the 480. This constitutes about a 6 percent difference in surface area. Again, it would be far more impactful on a smaller 6.5" speaker but not such an issue as a ratio of a larger speaker. The larger difference is that a proaxial will have some small degree of loss through the spider and fine voice coil gap versus a component where the pod is completely sealed due to the solid dustcap. Its irrelevant in a infinite baffle set-up because there isn't much back pressure and no impetus for cancelation but in an air suspension application there will be a very slight loss given that it is a very resistive path through center of the speaker.
When comparing an 8-inch to a 10-inch there is a 68 percent increase in surface area which almost guarantees another 2 dB or so in output.

David
Earmark Marine

Thanks dave that helps answer my question cant wait till the new gear comes out

It's almost spring. Any word on when this new product is going to be available.

Kyle,
Amp recommendation for a pair of Pro485s? An 800 watt Wetsounds Syn4 bridged into two channels is a good match. That's 200 watts times four 8-inch drivers. Its a proven winner.
Brandon,
As a dealer we ask for an update every couple of weeks. Regardless of the answers we get, from my experience, you can never be certain until the product is actually on the boat crossing the Pacific. Too many issues can cause a delay before then. So its still looking like Spring in all its vagueness.

David
Earmark Marine