Adding speakers to cockpit

[ippa2]

I have a '97 330 Sundancer and I added 2 new Polk speakers in the cockpit last year. Only 2 6" round speakers in the whole cockpit. One next to the helm and one next to port side forward seat.

I'd like to add two 6" or 6"x9" behind the helm seats. Maybe right below where the radar arch attaches.

My question is can I splice my speaker line from the 2 forward cockpit speakers or do I have to run a new speaker wire from the stereo to the cockpit? I'm pretty awful with electrical and wires etc. Mechanical good, nuts, bolts, belts, pumps etc.... wires and positive and negative not good....:smt021

The radio is the stock radio from '97. Forget the make, but it's middle of the road at best. Clarion I think. Thanks in advance!

 

[tdschafer]

Ippa,
If it were me I would run new wires to the amp which is supposed to be in the mid-cabin hanging locker on the starboard side. That is really the proper way to do it. If you want to take the shortcut and bridge it off of the existing speakers one of the things you will have to be aware of is the impedance of the speakers. First, you will want to be sure that they are equal, usually 4 ohms. Then there are a few ways to hook them up but primarily it is in series or parallel. Rather than try to explain it please see this link:

http://www.bcae1.com/spkrmlti.htm

They do a pretty good job of explaining how you would want to run the wires. I hope this helps.
Good Luck!

 

[mwph]

Nice link Todd. Thanks.

 

[ippa2]

Was the amp standard? I've looked in that mid ship closet and did not see an amp. I also don't have a sub woofer...

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[tdschafer]

I'm not sure. I have no sub either and also have not found the amp. I had gotten that advice from others on this site. Maybe we don't have an amp? :huh:

 

[Pyrojodge]

Just my 2c... I wouldn't go 6x9 because a lot of the better marine manufactures are not producing them and its a PITA to replace... ask me how I know....

2nd I'm not sure if you would have the watts to power both sets speakers...

 

[EarmarkMarine]

ippa2,
If you only have one pair of original factory speakers on the cockpit you may not have an external amplifier. If that is the case then you can 'series' another pair of speakers off those channels without running an additional four conductors to the stereo source unit. However, that would result in a higher impedance load and a little less overall power that would be further divided by two additional speakers. So, you would not get any additional output. But you might get a more even distribution throughout the cockpit if that is your objective. You cannot 'parallel' another pair of speakers off those two channels as that would halve the impedance and place the stereo source unit in an unstable position. It would distort so early that you would get even less output as compared to the 'series' or present configurations.

You should have an external amplifier for this application. An external amplifier will have more power but is also suited to accept two speakers per channel...different from a source unit. Here are a few guidelines.

Go with a small and very efficient Class D two-channel amplifier that has a very low current consumption so that you only have to run a heavier gauge supply to the cabin DC panel. If you pass a certain threshold of consumption then this will be unsafe and you will need to run a heavier gauge cable a longer distance directly to the house battery bank.

If you run a two-channel amplifier you will not be able to gain the two pair of cockpit speakers independently so you might want to stay with an equal size of speaker and it would be helpful if all speakers are roughly on the same vertical plane.

If you have an inequity in speakers and/or a pair of speakers that are located to have a distinct positional advantage, such as at a much higher elevation, then you would need a four-channel amplifier for the cockpit so you can make compensations. And, you must run extra wiring in this case.

David
Earmark Marine

 

[ippa2]

Thanks for all the advice... clearly i'm in over my head with this whole thing, but I might think about adding an amp in said closet and running to the two new speakers... we'll see if I can get around to that.

Either way I need to educate myself a little on this.

 

[Creekwood]

I upgraded my two cockpit speakers with JL Audio 6.5" and it helped a lot. I also replaced the interior speakers with JL Audio automotive 6.5s. Given they are inside and dont get the moisture/UV, and the automotive are a lot less $$, it worked out well.

My next step is to put another pair of 6.5s in the holes where the access covers are on the arch. That will require spacers and probably a decsion like yours on how best to wire them, and perhaps if I want to get an amp.

I don't want or need a lot of loud for my use. i don't think its safe to be cranking the tunes while running since it masks any bad sounds that I would want to hear right away. I do think having more speakers in an open space like a cockpit allows better sound at lower volumes. (maybe a subwoofer would be nice)

For what its worth, I did replace my head unit with a Clarion CMD5, which, while not the latest and greatest, did plug right into the wired helm remote which saved a few bucks, but more importantly, the hastle of rewiring a remote. if i were you I would ditch the old clarion from 19 hundred and ninely seven.