Replacing Marine Speakers

H

Holy Grail

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Looking to replace the basic Clarion speakers I got from the factory with the boat four years ago. Hearing that Infinity makes good basic speakers. Don't need anything too fancy, but would like an upgrade from the basic, low watt Clarions. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!
 
I put Polk speakers on my boat.
I got them from Amazon for $38 a pair with free shipping. When they had a one day only sale

WOW what a differences in the sound !!!. :)
db651.jpg
 
If you are putting them outside go with Fusion High Output which are completely waterproof. Very large magnets on them which are shielded to reduce compass interference.

The biggest thing you need to look at is to match up your existing hole. If you want a clean finish you will need to make sure the speakers fit in the hole the old ones came out of. Once you get into cutting fabric and fiberglass if they are inside or trying to make a 4” hole into a 5” hole is not the easiest thing to do.

Any questions have Paul talk to me.

P.S. Are you done with my book “Guide to how to use Marine Radar” ?

See you at TOBAY
 
Wow! You're back Kevin! Awesome! Glad you are safe and sound. Still have the book for sure. Constantly read it to absorb as much as I can. Will give it to Paul to give to you if that's ok. Thanks for the input on the Fusions. Totally agree about the hole. That's my biggest concern to make sure it matches. Hopefully Tobay gets their act together soon. Big time electrical problems. No overnighters allowed.
 
I know of two ways to make a smaller hole bigger.

1) get a scrap piece of material (wood, starboard, etc) that longer than the original hole. Use the old speaker screws and mount the scrap piece with two screws inside the hole so that it goes thru the middle of the original hole. Then use a hole saw the size of the new hole using the scrap piece for the pilot hole.

2) get an "oops" arbor. http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/14275
 
The Polk speakers were the exact replacement for the Clarions 6.5" speakers. :)
And they are marine approved.

quote:

Marine Certified

Marine Certified means your db loudspeakers will perform reliably on the water as well as they do on land. So we attacked every db speaker with a series of punishing real world and accelerated weathering lab tests to see if they could take what some pretty nasty marine and automotive environments could dish out. We exposed dbs to hundreds of hours of salt fog, intense ultraviolet light and extreme temperatures from -40° to 185° F (-40° to 85° C). They performed as well after the tests as before (they didn't look so good). No wonder Correct Craft® builds Polk Audio speakers into their award-winning Nautiques® ski and wakeboarding boats, and Bullet® uses Polk db speakers in their marine "tower" speaker enclosures.

Click to expand...
 
My Clarions are the CM 1622, so they are 6.5" which seems to limit my choices. Would love to get the Fusion FR 602 or FR 702, but doesn't looke to be feasilbe.
 
Dremel tool with the appropriate bit cuts fiberglass easily.
 
The fusion MS-FR602 speakers which I just put in my boat, need a 5" to 5 1/4" hole. I believe your clarion's also use a 5" hole. Take one of your speakers out and measure the diameter of the hole. Most speakers have no direct coralation between the speaker size and the hole size needed to mount them.
 
Les, I didn't know you sold speakers. [:-banghead]
Thats a nice price for them. :)
 
I have a pair of the Clarion Speakers. I need to remove the plastic covers to clean behind them.

Anyone know how to remove the plastic covers?
 
Yep remove the speaker and you'll find 2 little screws on the back that holds the plastic covers on.
 
I installed a pair of 6 1/2 inch alpines in my boat last year. Totally marine proof and they sound GREAT.

--Steve
 
I've put in JBLs and had really good performance and sound with them.
 
Has anyone used the Bose Marine speakers that are at BJ's? They're surface mounted and I believe are $158 for the pair. We're thinking about them for the cockpit.
 
I put a set in a Sabre and they sounded great if you are talking about the ones with the built in box behind the round speaker
 
I decided to run 2 sets of components.I bought 2 sets of Phoenix Gold RSD's.Little tricky getting a pair to mount in the arch but the 2nd pair fit in the stock location and I made a cut out for the tweet.I had to make a spacer for the arch mounts.The sound is night and day vs a coaxial speaker.
I do run a 10' Alpine sub in the cockpit wall.
They don't cost anymore than the choice mentioned above.
 
Wow a 10 foot Alpine Sub must really give you asome range.
 
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