Wet sounds 60's vs 80's

[Timmy!]

If you go with the 80's you will never say "I wish I had gone with the 80's", if you don't you might wish you had the 80's

(I have the 60's and they sound pretty good but I don't have enough power on them)

[Dave K]

How much power to the Wet sounds 60's do I need.

My boat is in the audio shop now and I have to have a decision for the installer tomorrow. He said he could use the existing 4channel Alpine amp and can bridge it to give me 100 watts RMS per speaker.

Is this enough??

He also told me that to hear any change in loudness and I suppose performance I would need to go to 200 watts RMS per speaker. If I changed amps to only 150 watts RMS per speaker, the human ear really couldnt hear a difference.

Does this make sense??

[Dave K]

On some amps it will say a certain wattage. example 900 watts. That probably isn't RMS though.

Q. Is there a basic rule to figure out RMS??

[chpthril]

How much power to the Wet sounds 60's do I need.

My boat is in the audio shop now and I have to have a decision for the installer tomorrow. He said he could use the existing 4channel Alpine amp and can bridge it to give me 100 watts RMS per speaker.

Is this enough??

He also told me that to hear any change in loudness and I suppose performance I would need to go to 200 watts RMS per speaker. If I changed amps to only 150 watts RMS per speaker, the human ear really couldnt hear a difference.

Does this make sense??

What happened to the Kenwood delivering 150W's rms to each, thats the way to go.

If the alpine is only 100W's x 2 @ 4ohms in bridge mode, then upgrade NOW, you wont be happy with the $$$ you spent on the Pro60's. With that kinda power, you could have just bridged what ya got on the tower right now.

You need a good 2 chnl amp that will do at least 150 watts rms at 4 ohms. Even more is better as it will allow for additions.

Your ears will hear a 50 watt p/speaker difference.

[chpthril]

On some amps it will say a certain wattage. example 900 watts. That probably isn't RMS though.

Q. Is there a basic rule to figure out RMS??

No. Most entry-level amps seem to lead with their "Max" watt output when advertising. Your quality amps will make the RMS (continuous) watts, in both 2ohm and 4ohm p/chnl, readily available in their lit.

[Timmy!]

You need 150 watts IMO, Wetsounds recommends 200 watts rms. I have a Kicker 200.2 which is 70x2 at 4 ohms and it's pretty weak on the Pro 60's.

[Dave K]

I was rather shocked when I went and talked to installer today. He said that I could use the existing Alpine amp and maybe try it out before buying and installing another? Seems i get 2 different stories, 1 from the sales guy and 1 from the installer. I tend to lean towards the installer too.

It was alittle funny because I thought he was trying to talk me out of buying this other kenwood amp???

This is the one:

KAC-7204 Stereo/Bridgeable Power Amplifier

http://www.kenwood.ca/Car_Entertainm...fiers/KAC-7204


Thank God for the forum !

[chpthril]

I was rather shocked when I went and talked to installer today. He said that I could use the existing Alpine amp and maybe try it out before buying and installing another? Seems i get 2 different stories, 1 from the sales guy and 1 from the installer. I tend to lean towards the installer too.

It was alittle funny because I thought he was trying to talk me out of buying this other kenwood amp???

This is the one:

KAC-7204 Stereo/Bridgeable Power Amplifier

http://www.kenwood.ca/Car_Entertainm...fiers/KAC-7204


Thank God for the forum !

If the installer is going to install the correct amp down the road for free, then fallow his advice and bridge the Alpine at 100W's x 2. Other wise, listen to the sales guy and go with the correct amp, the Kenwood 2chnl, and get 170W's to each speaker. And if you wanted to upgrade to a 2nd pair of 60's or MB8's later, you would still be getting 125W's rms to each speaker.

[Dave K]

I gather the Kenwood amp would have enough power and be ok?

[chpthril]

I gather the Kenwood amp would have enough power and be ok?

It's enough to power 2 pairs nicely.

[Dave K]

With 13,213 posts do I have to call you Jedi Master now ..LMAO.

Thanks alot for the help !

[chpthril]

With 13,213 posts do I have to call you Jedi Master now ..LMAO.

Thanks alot for the help !

No, my young Padawan, but may the force be with you anyway!

[wetsounds1]

Some installers are not familiar with our products think they can get away with less power. I rate the speakers at 150 watts RMS for a reason! So trust me, run the larger amp. It is because our speakers are a PRO Audio based speaker and not a car audio speaker. So many are not as familiar with the demands of a pro audio based system.

You want at least 150 watts RMS to get the speakers to truly perform the way they were meant. If you hear a comment about the mid bass. It is from someone who does not have enough power to them. These speakers have a ton of mid bass. But what happens when you do not run enough power, is you supply enough power to get the horn to sing but not enough to get the mid bass driver to where it needs to be. So you are left with more horn than mid. With the proper power, the mid bass driver is getting what it needs and the system is balanced the way it is supposed to be. As we design our speakers around certain power requirements.

Also, you gain more head room on the amp. Cleaner power, cooler running.

Think of it this way. You can put a V-6 in a Ford super duty truck. And it will move. But it will run hot and get bad gas mileage. Because it is working very hard to get that truck going. Sure, the truck will go down the road. But would you be happy with it? No. And the engine is working hard and would be in-efficient because it is not enough power or torque to get that rig going. So you would be cussing the truck when in fact it is not the truck but the engine you put in it! Same with the amp. Most cuss the speakers as that is what they hear when the actual issue is the amp!!

Put in a big power stroke diesel in that same truck. And you have a big motor with lots of power and torque. The engine does not need much effort to get the truck going. So it is more efficient and runs easier and cooler. Then you are happy with the truck as you picked the right engine.

The amp is the engine. Small amp can make the speaker play music as the V-6 can make the super duty go down the road. But you are not going to be happy with the performance. So get the big amp and rock on!

Tim
Wet Sounds

[philwsailz]

Well said Tim, the motor analogy is spot on.

Phil
Kicker

[Dave K]

You will have a nice sounding tower setup there

If you go with the 80's you will never say "I wish I had gone with the 80's", if you don't you might wish you had the 80's

(I have the 60's and they sound pretty good but I don't have enough power on them)

Well after all the input,.. and questions,.. and answer, I CHANGED MY MIND!!!

Thank you and good night.

Actually......

I slipped by the shop today and the installer was in the process of installing the 60's up on the tower. We listened to them briefly, and they came down off my boat, packed away, and back to the sales floor. We felt the Alpine wasn't amp either for these bad boys.

so.....

I ended up with a pair of Pro 80's and went with a Kenwood amp to give me 170 watts RMS per channel. The installer ran out of time today so I didn't get to hear the 80's up there yet, but I am confident this was the right decision for me at least. Tomorrow is lake day so we will be putting the system to good use!!

Thanks everyone..

Oh by the way can anyone lend me some gas money???

Cheers everyone and have a great weekend