Underpowered in Boats?

[roadrash600]

So I have a 2011 RZR and I am getting ready to install my tower speakers. In surveying my plan I'm noticing that from the factory, it looks like I have a Syn Micro powering 5 XS650's.

I don't see an actual model number on the speakers, and on the website it appears the XS65i looks the same on the front, and that model might be close to correctly powered with this amp, but I think I have the larger magnet on the back that looks like the 650's.

Is it just me or are these bad boys grossly underpowered? Is this a common factory install?

[chpthril]

Im not sure of to things 1) I do not believe your boat would come with 2.5 pair of speakers. If you have the base level stereo, you get 2 pair on head-unit, no amp. next level would be a 3rd pair a 10 IB sub and the Syn-6.

Yes, the OEM speaker would be the XS-650 and no, a Syn Micro would not be grossly under powering them.

So if you do indeed have only 5 full-range 6.5" in-boats and a Syn Micro, then thats not the factory system, unless something has changed.

[roadrash600]

It seemed odd to me as well. Maybe there is another 6.5 in the bow that I missed rounding out that 3rd pair. In looking at cabling should I be using pure copper or is the CCA ok? Do you have a preference on Cable brand? 0Ga can get pretty expensive if I want to run to a distribution block, but I don't want to end up with stiff or poorly conducting cabling.

[chpthril]

There should be 2 in the bow and 4 in the main cabin. Does your boat have the 10" XS-10fa sub-woofer under the helm at the drivers feet?

The cost of a 1/0 ga trunk line is less then individual 4 ga lines for each amp. Its also much cleaner of an install and much better to have less cable lugs on the battery/switch.

100% OFC is more expensive, but its better. Better current carrying (not an issue unless you are boarder line on the cable size), resists corrosion better.

[roadrash600]

I do not have the sub. It may well be a local boat shop install. I know they are a wet sounds dealer, they may have installed it after delivery. I bought it off the floor toward the end of that year.

I've decided on the 1/0 with a distro block. the pictures on here just make the install look so clean as you said. Plus I can add to it in the future with less hassle. Right now I am just adding a Syn2 to power a pair of Icon 8's. But the Micro in there now is run on 8Ga wire so any upgrades I want would require another cable run. I'll future proof it now.

Thanks for the info.

[chpthril]

Ding ding ding, no more calls please, we have a winner!

Ok, im 100% positive your boat was ordered with the base level sound option, your dealer can confirm this by looking at the order/invoice, and the amp and one speaker was added at the dealer level.

Those speakers come in pairs, so I would ask the shop where YOUR other speaker is, that YOU paid for. im assuming they did charge you for a pair, cause what in the world would they do with the other, besides install a 5th speaker in the next guys boat Beyond that, something just doesnt add up.....5 speakers and 2 chnls just doesnt work, no way shape or form. So after you work the 6th speaker, find someone with some boat stereo experience and install that 6th speaker and swap the 2 chnl for a 4chnl amp.

What tower speakers are you going with?

[roadrash600]

I'm installing a Syn2 for a single pair of Icon 8's for now. May add a 2nd pair later.

Ya that's what I've been trying to figure out. Even if it is 6 speakers, I was thinking that Syn Micro is no bueno. I didn't even think about one pair being wired off the head unit, the bow speakers may be and I just never sit up there to have noticed. Definitely warrants investigating but after all my research into this upgrade, that setup didn't seem quite right.

[chpthril]

I would go with a Syn-4 for the in-boats if you want to match the amps, or the HT-6.

[roadrash600]

I'll keep that in mind. What size wire do you normally run for the tower speakers, 12Ga? I want to pre-wire it for a 2nd pair of towers, would you recommend running 4 pairs all the way from the amp or do you add a splice somewhere?

[chpthril]

I would prewire with 12ga. Then split off with a short stretch of 14ga for each speaker. Do this for each side, then adding that 2nd pair later will be plug-n-play as the wire will be there for them.