Four Winns switch to JL Audio

deafwish · **Posted:** Thu May 23, 2013 6:06 am

ric wrote:

My opinion on a boat its best to go with the most efficient system possible. Speakers that are 92db or better sensitivity. Class D amps. With really good high sensitivity speakers you can make your ears bleed with 200 watts compared to 600 with 89db speakers. That's a bunch of power savings!

Agreed, but not the case when we're talking about serious bass. :wink:

Longer excursion & bigger voice coils are generally far less efficient, but handle cr@ploads more power.

We need to see a Four Winns build with some massive mono's and some ported enclosures.
I thought you American's go overboard with everything?!

DirtyHabit · **Posted:** Thu May 23, 2013 9:13 am

deafwish wrote:

How computer nerds have poisoned the industry...

I used to cruise around with Soundstream Rubicon's and even had an Alpine MRV-F1507!

Oh man I almost forgot about Sounstream....that was nice stuff! Ahhh the good old days.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Sat May 25, 2013 5:56 am

deafwish wrote:

I thought you American's go overboard with everything?!

The issue is too much noise for everyone else on the water nearby.

DirtyHabit · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:35 pm

Well got the new boat out for the first time yesterday....thought I would give an update on my impressions of the JL Audio system that was included.

Components that came installed were:
(6) JL Audio M650 6 1/2 cockpit speakers (2 of them on swim platform)
(1) JL Audio M10W5 sub in ealed enclosure in port storage under seat
(1) JL Audio M700/5 Class D 5 channel amp in starboard bow storage (helm wall)
(1) Sony CDX910UI Marine Head Unit w/ trasom remote and IR remote

I didnt really have time to inspect and dig into the installation, wiring and such to see what guages they used...my guess would likely be the smallest gueges they can get away with but I will reserve judgement until I have a peek at it. I do have to say...when I looked at the amp and saw how small it was...I was disappointed. Those feelings did not last long. Once I realized it was a class D amp....I knew it would be adequate.

Initial listening impressions:
Sounded really good! Cockpit speakers were defined and responsive even underway. No problems hearing the music at all. Bass was low and tight ( was definitely happy to see the sub in an enclosure and not infinite baffle). Will the system blow away a 4000 watt mega tower system...no way....but it sounded great....filled the cockpit and the platform area with fairly impressive sound. Head unit was easy to control....although I havent really messed with many of the features yet. I just plugged in my iPod and rocked out. I did tinker with some of the EQ's and processing features...which I was not overly impressed with. Nor have I ever been of fan of pre made EQ curves and digital processing....so that might skew my thoughts on that. I also did not have time to dig into the amp....I do know this model had a host of crossovers and input level controls....which I definitely will want to tune to my own preferences. Overall first impression....great system for my needs for sure. Wish list and complaints...jury is still out on that. Give me some more time to find out what I really dont like about it. There will be something for sure....my first guess would be the head unit. I have a love/hate relationship with Sony products. If I ever have to call their customer service for this head unit...it will lean towards the hate side on this one...their customer service is a nightmare. I would also sort of like to have another pair of speakers in the rear of the cockpit....although I did not have any problem getting clear music anywhere I was sitting.

deafwish · **Posted:** Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:33 pm

Nice work, mate!
Any photos/ videos of the final install?

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 787

^^ Thats what came with the boat. Sound like a big improvement over the old kicker system

DirtyHabit · **Posted:** Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:37 am

Well deafwish its a factory install from Four Winns.....but I will definitely snap some pics this weekend of things to give you an idea of how they handle their installs. Im expecting smaller wire guages than I would prefer...but you never know. Ive been pleasantly suprised so far. The components were all pretty nice....and the sealed sub enclosure was a definite unexpected plus. The quick look I took of the amp and sub seemed to have a pretty clean install.

Yeah blue....this is the "premium audio upgrade" option. I havent heard the kicker on the previous models...well...not in the SL anyway. But initial impressions are pretty good. Its not going to blow anyone out of the cove...and it wont win any competitions....but the option at the price I got it for...wasnt any more $$$ than buying those same components myself. And those are probably what I would have chose...with possibly the exception of using Polk speakers. But the JL coax's sound real nice to my ears so far. Better update after this weekend after I spend more time with my ears on it.

timn330 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:23 pm **Posts:** 15

I have a chaparral 267ssx and I replaced all the Clarion speakers and amp with JL audio. It sounds great. I'm going to do the same with the my 242.
Dirty, can you send a pic of where the subwoofer is located on yours?

Thanks.

DirtyHabit · **Posted:** Wed Sep 24, 2014 2:25 pm

Hey Tim....I don't have any pics of mine specifically....but I do have the OEM install on mine...and its the same as in this stock pic. They install it in a sealed box mounted inside the port under seat storage. You can see the box in the pic below. Seems like a pretty good location...and I definitely like that its in a sealed box....but I do think I'm going to port that storage compartment and vent a little more bass into the cockpit.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 787

Boourns, that takes upp too much space. Which amp did they use?

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:58 am

DirtyHabit wrote:

Hey Tim....I don't have any pics of mine specifically....but I do have the OEM install on mine...and its the same as in this stock pic. They install it in a sealed box mounted inside the port under seat storage. You can see the box in the pic below. Seems like a pretty good location...and I definitely like that its in a sealed box....but I do think I'm going to port that storage compartment and vent a little more bass into the cockpit.

If it was me i would not port the dry storage as you now have allowed the moisture and insects an entrance...

Instead think of this.

remove the speaker from the sealed box. slide said sealed box up to the outer wall of the storage.

cut hole the same size in the glass. use weather sealant foam to seal the box to the back side of the glass wall. and reinstall the speaker on the outside in cockpit with longer screws.

this will increase your cockpit bass and keep the storage dry and sealed.

the sealed box within a storage box only works to the advantage as a BANDPASS box if and only if both inner and outer air spaces equal each other. AKA the air space at the cone of the driver and the airspace within the basket. BUT obviously it looks like about 8-10x the airspace so bandpass is not happening.. Best solution is as stated above with speaker in the cockpit.

timn330 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:23 pm **Posts:** 15

Just spent the first weekend with the boat and I was right in my assumption, the stock stereo blows. I've ordered 2 sets of JL MX-650CCX a 10'' subwoofer, 2 tower pods, and an amp. The stock cloth/plastic covering over the cockpit speakers keeps falling off. What have people done to modify that?

www.iFourWinns.com

Four Winns switch to JL Audio

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