WetSounds WS-420- Worth buying?

[shawndoggy]

Thanks to all for your replies! Ragboy, video was really helpful and think I will go with the install in the amp locker to keep it simpler.

IMHO, when you mount it behind a closed locker door, you loose one of the key selling points of this unit which is to be able to quickly and easily adjust volume on the two zones independently.

I think I'm probably the only one who has found the talk-back mic feature to be kinda useless for communicating with riders.

[Timmy!]

IMHO, when you mount it behind a closed locker door, you loose one of the key selling points of this unit which is to be able to quickly and easily adjust volume on the two zones independently.

I agree! If you go with the Kicker ZXMRLC, you just run 2 phone cords to the controllers which are a lot simpler than RCA's.

[shawndoggy]

I agree! If you go with the Kicker ZXMRLC, you just run 2 phone cords to the controllers which are a lot simpler than RCA's.

It's too bad that kicker didn't do a sub control on the zxmrlc. Two zones is *almost* just right but not quite.

I had a ws420 in our old boat and now a clarion eqs746 in the new boat. I really prefer the clarion because I don't like how the ws420 handles the sub channel. The sub channel is tied to the cabin level on the ws420, so if you have the cabin volume cut, you also lose the sub even if you have your towers screaming. With the rev series speakers sounding as good as they do, they are really bearable to listen to in the boat.... but it's nice to have some sub too. A standard eq like the clarion, or the new exile unit, or the audiocontrol three.1 or the many other choices out there, allow you to keep sub output while faded away from the cabins.

Of course you give up the dual zone eq with these setups. Again, though, I'm not sure a dual zone eq makes much sense with the rev series speakers. On the older HLCDs that had such strident highs, it could be nice to tone down the treble on the towers a bit more than the cabin speakers. But it seems to me that my revs have about the same tonal response as my cabin speakers (I'm running polk mm651um's). So I haven't missed a dual zone EQ at all with the clarion unit. Master volume, fade between tower and cabin, sub level control and a line driver all for less than either the zxmrlc or the ws420.

Now with the clarion I don't have a talk back mic either. I found that was a total waste of time on the old boat. I know some people swear by it, so I think I'm an outlier in that regard. We also have kids on the boat a lot, and as soon as a 9 year old sees you talk on the pa, they're going to want to do the mister microphone all day long on your boat.

[Timmy!]

It's too bad that kicker didn't do a sub control on the zxmrlc. Two zones is *almost* just right but not quite.

Luckily I have the sub control for the ZX700.5 plus the zxmrlc all on one mounting piece.

[chpthril]

It's too bad that kicker didn't do a sub control on the zxmrlc. Two zones is *almost* just right but not quite.

I had a ws420 in our old boat and now a clarion eqs746 in the new boat. I really prefer the clarion because I don't like how the ws420 handles the sub channel. The sub channel is tied to the cabin level on the ws420, so if you have the cabin volume cut, you also lose the sub even if you have your towers screaming. With the rev series speakers sounding as good as they do, they are really bearable to listen to in the boat.... but it's nice to have some sub too. A standard eq like the clarion, or the new exile unit, or the audiocontrol three.1 or the many other choices out there, allow you to keep sub output while faded away from the cabins.

Of course you give up the dual zone eq with these setups. Again, though, I'm not sure a dual zone eq makes much sense with the rev series speakers. On the older HLCDs that had such strident highs, it could be nice to tone down the treble on the towers a bit more than the cabin speakers. But it seems to me that my revs have about the same tonal response as my cabin speakers (I'm running polk mm651um's). So I haven't missed a dual zone EQ at all with the clarion unit. Master volume, fade between tower and cabin, sub level control and a line driver all for less than either the zxmrlc or the ws420.

Now with the clarion I don't have a talk back mic either. I found that was a total waste of time on the old boat. I know some people swear by it, so I think I'm an outlier in that regard. We also have kids on the boat a lot, and as soon as a 9 year old sees you talk on the pa, they're going to want to do the mister microphone all day long on your boat.

Dual Kicker ZXM-RLC's gives you 2 more zone for sub and bow. But, how many mono amps out there do not support a sub control. Almost all the Kicker Mono and Hybrid amps support the sub controller and even alot of their ZX stereo amps support it when run in Low-Pass. So this gives you 3 zones at your finger tips.

If you have a helm remote, you still have master volume control and even mute on a lot of them.

So retail on the Clarion is > $79.99? I guess thats why most seem to get about 2 seasons out of them in thier boats.

Just checked, the Clarion EQS746 shows to have a retail price of $149.99. IMO, using a discount price from an Internet store like Sonic Electronics is not an apples to apples when used to compare to another product @ retail. I bet I could a discount e-tailer selling the ZXM-RLC at below Kicker's MAP.

[shawndoggy]

Dual Kicker ZXM-RLC's gives you 2 more zone for sub and bow. But, how many mono amps out there do not support a sub control. Almost all the Kicker Mono and Hybrid amps support the sub controller and even alot of their ZX stereo amps support it when run in Low-Pass. So this gives you 3 zones at your finger tips.

If you have a helm remote, you still have master volume control and even mute on a lot of them.

So retail on the Clarion is > $79.99? I guess thats why most seem to get about 2 seasons out of them in thier boats.

Just checked, the Clarion EQS746 shows to have a retail price of $149.99. IMO, using a discount price from an Internet store like Sonic Electronics is not an apples to apples when used to compare to another product @ retail. I bet I could a discount e-tailer selling the ZXM-RLC at below Kicker's MAP.

They go for $50ish on amazon all the time.

Sure, there are other ways to control a sub amp. Not all of them come with a sub controller, so that's an added expense in some cases (I know, not kicker). If you are using kicker amps, the zxm-rlc deserves a long hard look if only because the control units look like kicker's sub control.

I hadn't realized that the zxm-rlc's had come down so much in price tho! http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-ZXMRLC-.../dp/B004W0ISO4

At $80 for two, you make a very good case for a four zone solution. Hadn't ever thought of that, and I could see where it would be desirable.

Like I said in my post, there are a plethora of other EQs on the market that work in a way that I find more logical. I happened to buy a clarion, but any of the others would work in a similar way. My reasons for chossing the clarion were functionality first and price a distant second. I'd'a probably purchased the exile unit had it been available when I was putting together my system. The way the WS420 works is pretty unique. Some people like it. I don't for the reasons stated.

YMMV.

[skippabcool]

They go for $50ish on amazon all the time.

Sure, there are other ways to control a sub amp. Not all of them come with a sub controller, so that's an added expense in some cases (I know, not kicker). If you are using kicker amps, the zxm-rlc deserves a long hard look if only because the control units look like kicker's sub control.

I hadn't realized that the zxm-rlc's had come down so much in price tho! http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-ZXMRLC-.../dp/B004W0ISO4

At $80 for two, you make a very good case for a four zone solution. Hadn't ever thought of that, and I could see where it would be desirable.

Like I said in my post, there are a plethora of other EQs on the market that work in a way that I find more logical. I happened to buy a clarion, but any of the others would work in a similar way. My reasons for chossing the clarion were functionality first and price a distant second. I'd'a probably purchased the exile unit had it been available when I was putting together my system. The way the WS420 works is pretty unique. Some people like it. I don't for the reasons stated.

YMMV.

I could be wrong but the ones for $39 are not Kicker approved dealers meaning that you would not have any support if you need it. Essentially buying as is.