how much power to hear at 70'

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-06-2008, 11:21 AM

Ok so my question is how big of a system do I need to hear it while riding at 70'? It doesn't have to be killer loud but enough to hear. How big of an amp? watts? I've never been on a boat with tower speakers so I'm clueless!

(ponte_06_x2) · (ponte_06_x2) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 03-06-2008, 11:36 AM

i pod and head phones. get a water proof case and hit play.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-06-2008, 12:09 PM

haha...noted

(stler645) · (stler645) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:05 PM

Sorry to give the obvious answer but, "it depends."

What kind of speakers? I'd say with conventional (not horn) speakers you need at least two pair and at least a true 50W per speaker. That would be the bare minimum and go from there. The more power the better. Remember, it is much easier to blow speakers by underpowering them than it is to blow them by overpowering them.

(stler645) · (stler645) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:08 PM

I forgot to mention, make sure you cross them over relatively high (90-100 Hz) if you are using 6.5"s or something similar. Trying to get cones that small to produce those kind of frequencies with that little airspace will just drive them into distortion when you crank it.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-06-2008, 1:11 PM

Would a pair of the speakers in this link and a 200watt fosgate amp do it? http://www.boatownersworld.com/CMC/universal_tower.htm

(stler645) · (stler645) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:17 PM

I'm a big fan of the Polk Momo's, but you still need two pair. Trust me, you will not hear one pair while riding.

(boomshot) · (boomshot) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:24 PM

How about don't do that?

It is obnoxious and threatens to give the sport a bad name.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-06-2008, 1:26 PM

Nah, I think I'm going to do it....But I tell you what I'll only play edited CDs!

(stler645) · (stler645) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:33 PM

Well I just make sure to ski, surf, wakeboard and tube with it cranked. This way I give all sports an equally bad name.

(boomshot) · (boomshot) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 1:36 PM

Well thank goodness Sonny.

Seriously I am neither an old fart nor a young fart who is trying to ruin fun. I just see tower speakers as being perhaps the most commonly abused and used-against-us trends in wakeboarding. Their misuse opens the floodgate for people to lob criticism for the other systems on our boats that matter way way more - (ballast, primarily) at the necessary legislation bodies.

(sidekicknicholas)

4 kicker dx60 speakers powered with a cheap sony 600x4 amp.... crystal clear

(wannabewakeboarder)

Jimmy b.
Where do you ride, I noticed your form Stl, I really noticed the 645, as in ph. number?

(jon_a) · (jon_a) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 03-06-2008, 4:12 PM

get a pair of wetsounds pro 80s and a kicker 350.2 amp and you will be good to go.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-06-2008, 4:32 PM

All great ideas but I'm kinda on a budget so I don't think I can afford wetsounds or anything like that....I was hoping that I could be able to hear just the two Polk Momos even if its just a little, I don't really care if you can barley hear it. I'm not really looking for something that sounds like your sitting in the boat when your 70' back.

(jon_a) · (jon_a) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 03-06-2008, 5:17 PM

work with a dealer and he should be able to set you up with some wetsounds and amp for a grand. If not I'll set you up. You are going to have to spend at least that in order to get the sound quality you want

(Message edited by jon a on March 06, 2008)

(wakebrdr38) · (wakebrdr38) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 03-06-2008, 6:34 PM

not true... i did mine for 250 and you can hear it crystal clear. pm me and ill tell you how. oh yeah and thats 4 speakers, 4 cans, and a 1000 watt (600 rms) amp

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 03-06-2008, 6:36 PM

Dennis,

the answer is highly dependent on the boat. If it's behind the supra in your profile, which I believe does not have mufflers, you are going to need some big power and HLDCs. Does the Supra have the big block???

To make it worth while for the rider I would guess a pair of Wetsounds with a solid 200+ watts would be the lowest cost reasonable solution. Sure you could go NVS as well but it will cost you a bit more.

IN MY OPINION: any car speaker based solution on the tower will simply be an ornament on your tower. They work OK on I/Os but not so well on inboards, even worse if the the inboard does not have good mufflers.

(sinkoumn) · (sinkoumn) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 03-06-2008, 6:45 PM

www.freshairexhaust.com

edit: If it will fit the Supra, but it will definitely help hearing the tower speaks at 70'

(Message edited by sinkoumn on March 06, 2008)

(kko13) · (kko13) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 03-06-2008, 7:45 PM

wetsounds+few 100 watts= all the tunes your heart desires at 70ft and beyond. HEARING IS BELIEVING!!!!!!!!

(stler645) · (stler645) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 03-06-2008, 8:49 PM

"Where do you ride, I noticed your form Stl, I really noticed the 645, as in ph. number?"

I hit you with a PM.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-07-2008, 5:23 AM

Yea, the Supra is the boat that it will be going on and yes it is a pretty loud boat, but I'm not real sure what it has.

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-07-2008, 9:11 AM

Now I'm curious!! Who has the cheapest system that you can hear while riding? Lets hear what all you have, and where you got and for how much!

Ben Kerran 03-07-2008, 9:54 AM

I have a feeling some people have a very different definition of "hearing while riding" than others.

(load) · (load) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 03-07-2008, 10:14 AM

Ben,

In you case the problem is not hearing while riding, it is being able to hear after riding behind you system!

Ben Kerran 03-07-2008, 10:18 AM

Good point

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-07-2008, 10:25 AM

Yea, my definition of hearing it is, being able to hear it enough to understand the words and thats it....

(denwbaseball) · (denwbaseball) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-07-2008, 3:48 PM

Ok this my sound like a stupid question but.....If I plan to use a 4 channel amp does my cd player have to have 2 sets of the RCA amp outputs? And could I but a 2 channel amp and hook up 4 speakers to it? Also what about a Mono amp can I hook up 4 speakers to one of those? Sorry for the stupidity!

(Message edited by DenWbaseball on March 07, 2008)

(sidekicknicholas)

Our speaker amp setup was like
$550 and you can hear it 100% clear, I couldn't be happier