Audio Cables and EQ

I need some help from the audio wizards. I'm getting ready to upgrade my stereo system this weekend. I will be installing 3 JL amps and an EQ.

I have two options for the EQ:

1) I could mount it by the driver. If it's by the driver, it will be easily controlled by me . However I'm going to have to run the 4 A/V cables around the rear of the boat (1 to each amp from the output, 1 from headunit into EQ).

2) I could mount it in the glove box. The A/V cables will be much shorter and easier to run. The amps and head unit will all be on that side of the boat. However, I would not be able to control the settings from the driver seat.

If I were to go with option 1... would the quality of the A/V cables come into play? That is would the cheap ones from Radio Shack do the system justice? Or do I need to put some decent ones in? If so, what brand do you recommend for this application to get the most bang for the buck?

Or would you say mount it in the glovebox and save the trouble from buying long a/v cables and running them around the boat?

Thx in advance...

(Message edited by alteczen on March 22, 2005)

I have to do the same thing to Jasons boat,

From a instalation stand point it would be better to run the run the EQ as close to the Amps as possable, But in real life thats not always thes case.

I like having the EQ as close to the driver as you can so I would run the rca's as far away from power wires as you can with out having to run long lengths of rca's.

IMO the longer the RCA run and the closer to power the better the RCA should be, Let me explaine, I would bet you would notice the bennifits of a better RCA cable it it was more than 10 foot long and close to power wire,

Some times your power wire comes no where near the RCA's and the length of RCA is very short in that case I would say its not mandatory that you get a high quality cable. If you can get a good quality cable and forget about it, If you buy them online you can save a bunch. Stinger makes 5 or 6 diffrent quality of cables as well as Monster Cable, and Lightning Audio Ect Ect.

Buy good cable. I doubted what good cable can do for a sterio. I bought some radio shack cheap cable to "suffice" until I wanted to drop some cash on better cable (plus I didn't have a choice where I was living). I looked at the cable and noticed black spots up and down the cable. The wire was unable to handle the power load. I swithced it out and the clarity was better, as well as the wire is no longer burned. BTW, I was running 100w.

I was just thinking about this yesterday, great minds think alike!

One of the main reasons I am adding the EQ is for the volume control at the driver, so it's location is a given. There will be a single pair of RCA's from the deck in the glove box to the EQ and four sets of RCA's to the amps (boat, bow, tower, sub). I think I will try to install the amps on the driver's side of the boat for this reason alone, there is lot's of room in my Driver's footwell area.

The benefits will be having the passenger compartment available for storage and having the added weight on the side of the boat that is being lifted by the rotation of the prop (Nautique rotation reverse to most others).

Since we are on the subject, which EQ are you using? I don't like the Audiocontrol units because the 3.1 doesn't have a sub-out and the 4.1 doesn't have aux-in. I am debating between the Soundstream MPQ5XO or the Clarion EQS744. Also I am thinking I might use cables like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=94846&item=5761613 452&rd=1

I don't like Monster Cable.

Grant/Wakeman

Thanks for the help....

The 3 amps are 6 ch 600w, 4 ch 450w, and a mono 240w for the sub. I don't know of a way I can run the cable w/o running it to the back of the boat and around, under the seating. There's no access to under the floor.

The power cables will be run close to these as well. If I choose to run it like this, such that it's mounted by the driver, how good of cable should I go with? I know monser is pretty pricey and they have different levels of quality. What other brand is good but you don't pay as much for the name? What model/type of cable by that manufacturer should I go with - what would you do basically?

I know the basics of hooking this stuff up but I'm I total newb in regards to using the highend installation stuff.

Mikeski,

I went with the Kicker KQ9 (http://www.avcarexpo.com/347.html). I'm mounting my amps in an X-Star and I don't have the room to hide the amps on the driver side. But by looking at those cables you posted those seem like they would do the job. Is knukoncepts good stuff....? I don't like Monster either..way too much $$ for just cables..

Thx...

Have you considered running them around the bow? I ran mine under the inside lip under the front seats, it was way shorter than going around the back. Also do you really need to use an exeternal crossover? Why not just use the crossoevers on the amps, most people tend to get them set within a few uses then never touch them again.

I went with the external so I didn't have to mess with the controls on the cd player to make adjustments for the bass, treble, and tower speakers levels. I go from rap to punk to country...a bit of everything. I end up changing bass/treble and the fade (tower speakers) way too much. Plus the std Clarion 3MD has not impressed me. I'm hoping the EQ helps the signals to the 3 amps.

I haven't thought about running it through the bow. I will have to look at that. Has anyone else done that on a 04 X-Star?

(Message edited by alteczen on March 22, 2005)

You listen to "Country Music". you should have said that up front

Raido Shack cable will work just fine, run it right next to the battery cable and over the alternator, you will never be able to tell the differance. Dont waste money on expencieve cables

hehe...not just country but it does play from time to time. It's mainly punk and rap.

I've been contemplating a similar issue with running RCA cables to LC1's mounted on the driver's dash. Has anyone ever drilled a hole in the floor of the storage compartment and running the cables straight across and up through another hole under the driver's feet? It might depend on where the stringers are and how they are placed - any thoughts?

Talltigeguy,

See if you can follow the steering cable? In my old boat the steering cable went into the center section so I just followed the path to between the deck and the LC-1.

I used an Arc Audio eq it has the fader for the tower to cabin speakers it also has a sub volume and a master volume. I've been happy with it.

What did you use for mounting brackets on that...? And did you run rca's to the other side of the boat?

I used L shaped brackets on each side of the eq.
The RCAs are run under the floor in there own wire loom clamped to the under side of the floor just above the front ballast on my VLX.

Grant-

Bwhahahahahahah, that's some funny •••••

I will be installing a line driver in the next few weeks, and the instructions say to install it as close to the source as possible. So for for the EQ in your case, mounting it by the head unit would be best.

Any chance you want to upgrade your headunit? Get something with a wireless remote and run a IR repeater if you need to.

They just tell your that for signal loss purposes and noise purposes, good lossless RCA cables run at least 2' from parallel power runs should eliminate this requirement.

I can't change my head unit without changing the remotes by the driver and on the transom. The Clarion remotes won't work with other headunits (that I'm aware of). Sony was the only other mfg that produced a headunit that I could mount marine remotes with.

Rockford has marine decks and remotes, but they are dropping the marine line, so you can get good deals on them.