Tower speaker cans -- size?

So unfortunately my boat is in storage right now and I can't get to it for measurements or to grab the actual cans and bring them to a store with me.

However, I'm already getting the itch to prepare for the season, and considering the kickers we have are basically dead and useless I want to upgrade. Anyone know what products I should look at that will fit these '06 stock cone-type cans from Malibu?

Looking to know what speakers will have the inserts needed to get that flush look. Thanks for the help.

Are they even power right? Knowing how they are wired and will be powered will be the 1st step. Way too many speaker performance issues get blamed on the speakers when it's the amp!

Haha, nah the speakers are blown. We bought this boat used last year and two tweeters are toast and one woofer clips.

The tower is wired into a 350.4, very standard. I'm just worried about what model/brand speakers will have 6.5 coax available that will fit that can. Not looking for some funky wiring, straight 4ch.

Pull out kickers, drop something new in. Looking to verify what will fit before I purchase and thought someone here has done the same already, straight swap.

They are probably blown from being under powered! Are the wired in parallel and brigbed, in series and bridged, or 1 speaker per channal? The 350.4 is only 60w's x 4 @ 4ohm.

Well, you know the Kickers will fit and they will take way more juice, I was throwing 120w's to each of mine from a zx640.4.

That amp is likely what blew them. You should have an amplifier that puts out at least 50% more rated wattage than the speakers can handle. Look for something that pushes 250WRMS x 2 at 2 ohms and avoid a 4 channel amp if at all possible.

Just looking to know what works with these cans. Power is fine, and everything works, hooked up one of the in-boat speakers that aren't blown and those sounded great and no probs with the amp.

Concerned about getting something that fits/looks right. Do you know if all kicker 6.5 models have the identical 4-screw dimensions and if they provide the inserts needed like above?

I put 2 Wet Sounds coax's on my tower and they sound pretty good and you can hear them good when riding

I have no idea what the cutout diameter is, and that will be your problem with finding replacements.

Going from the picture you have posted the speakers you currently have appear to be the Kicker 05DS60 (http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3574_Kicker+DS60.html) which has a cutout diameter of 4 7/8". If the cans are cut to just fit the kicker speaker you are more then likely going to have to replace it directly with the same speaker. The Kicker 07DS600 should fit (4 13/16)or 08KS600 may fit (5"). I would recommend waiting until you are able to take a can off the tower. Then take it in to your local stereo shop and test fit speakers to see what will fit. That will probably avoid a headache or two.

(Message edited by thesack on April 09, 2009)

Adam-

The speaker shown is the DS60 that we used to use at Malibu several years ago. It is same or similar to the in-boat speakers that were in Malibu at the time.

Most cans will use what we generically call a 6 1/2. The DS60 shown is generally referred to as a 6-inch. The adaptor might be there to allow use of the DS60 in the can which might have a srew-hole and thru-hole cut for a larger 6 1/2.

Without going into a lot of details, for car speakers, there are some loose standards. Certainly within the Kicker brand, we can count on bolt holes being in the same place, so you can at least comfortably go with the current DS600 as a direct bolt-in replacement as thesack shares above. You could also step up to the KS600...

I will also agree with thesack that you will be in better shape if you can take the can and test fit. I have a hunch you can put a larger 6 1/2 in that can and get a little more cone area, and a little more power handling. A Kicker KS650 might fit well, but again, take the time to really fit it; make sure you like how the speaker fits and sounds, and how the grill looks next to the can.

Finally, TigeMike is on the money too... Under-powering blows more speakers than people realize, and you should take the opportunity to set any new speakers up right, and that might require a bigger amplifier.

you have 4 speakers, get a four channel amp if you decide to upgrade.

Good luck and let us know!

Phil
Kicker