www.iFourWinns.com

Starting another thread so I don't hijack the Fusion thread. Working on the stereo on the SL242, Looking at head units and remotes to replace the factory Sony. I have Polks on the swim platform and will be replacing the four inside with Polks also. My question is tower speakers, they seem to be all over the place price wise. Wet Sounds get good reviews but are pretty high. Ive seen these bullet cans you add your own speakers to and everything in between. I am not a huge audiophile, just want a good sound behind the boat.

Any suggestions?

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Askieffer
2009 SL242

Traditionally, tower speakers fell into two categories - near field listening like swimming behind the boat and long range sound projection for reaching a rider in tow.

A traditional marine coaxial is the common choice for near-field listening. They offer a warm, well balanced sound and can be plenty loud. These can be found in 6.5", 8" and 6x9. You can get them loaded in pods with universal clamps or you can purchase the pods and speakers separately. If you go with separates, I recommend steering clear of the inexpensive imported aluminum pods with a polished finish. It scuffs easy and tends to fade with in a season or two. A quality powder coat or a composite pod is the better choice.

A pro-audio HLCD (Horn Loaded Compression Driver) is whats preferred when the main goal is projecting audible music back to a rider 80ft behind the boat. Historically, HLCD's have been very harsh on the ears when listening close in. This was due to the very aggressive horns and lack of mid-bass to balance out the sounds. There are a couple exceptions to the rule. The Kicker KM6500.2 is a 4-pod component HLCD setup. The horn and mid-bass driver are separates. This gives us a pair of continuous-cone 6.5" drivers and a pair of horns. With a traditional HLCD, we have the horn through the center of the mid-bass driver. This reduces the surface area, thus reducing the overall mid-bass output. The lack of mid-bass and aggressive horn is what made the HLCD a not so favorite option for near-field listening. To compensate, and improve the mid-bass and balance, we go with a larger HLCD to gain back some of that lost surface area. The Kicker horns have plenty of projection, yet are not as harsh as others horns when close up. They offer a great balance. You can also add a 2nd pair of mid-bass drivers for a "6-Pack" tower setup. This increases the mid-bass output for an even better near-field sound. The all new Wet Sounds REV series HLCD have been a game-changer since their release last year. With a completely new cross-over and horn, the REV-8 and REV-10 offer an incredible balance between long range projection and near filed listening. There is very little compromise with the REV series, for those looking for a great party-cove setup as well as getting music out to their rider.

So once you decide on what your listening goals are, you can then begin to narrow down the field. If at all possible, get a demo of any speaker options being considered. You also need to take into consideration, proper amplification. Solid power can make a speaker come alive. Hope this helps.

I don't own a boat audio shop like Mike, but I have heard these on a couple of boats, and they sound fantastic. They would be my choice if I had a tower.
Good sound, decent price, and easy to install.
http://www.memphiscaraudio.com/products ... ne-towers/

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Thanks Cap'n, I'll check those out.

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Askieffer
2009 SL242

Its hard to beat those Memphis for the price. They are 6.5 HLCD. If your primary goal is projecting volume out to a rider in tow, the HLCD is the ticket. The down side to any small HLCD, is the lack of mid-bass to offset the aggressive horn. Up close, like floating behind the boat, these will be a tad on the "bright" side as compared to a 6.5" coaxial.