New Tower Speaker Option

[Shaka 146]

Huge? They are a 6.5" component HLCD setup with a hand height of 8" when loaded in the Kicker Pods.

 

I'll get back to you later on your other comments. Too busy right now to digest and form a response.

The Kicker that I saw had two speakers and some sort of high frequency driver. I was easily as wide as the Infinity's I'm going to replace. Those Infinity's use up a lot of space on my tower. It would be nice to have a single driver option to free up some space for lights etc....

[WakeDoc 471]

Not sure I understand why you are so negative about Wet Sounds in this thread and positive about these speakers you have never heard. To clarify I do not remember every reading anywhere that Wet Sounds invented compression horn driven speakers and I believe there is a little more to them than just "The drivers are simply coaxial speakers with HLCD's" I think Wet Sounds might have invested in a little more technology than that but, who cares everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I wanted a bullet proof top of the line product and that is was I saved up for and based my stereo budget around. Could I have gone cheaper, sure I have in the past and learned to go all out the first time which has saved me money overall compared to the past. Do you need compression horn drivers if your only concern is surfing, maybe not.

 

To me based on the specifications there are better options out there.

 

XL-POD65 = 6.5" @ 75 RMS / 150 watts max for $479.99 msrp

 

and

 

XL-POD8 = 8" @ 100 RMS / 200 watts max for $559.99 msrp

 

For surfing I think a pair of Icon8's would be a better option at 150 RMS / 300 watts max for $749.99, this would give you the ability to push more power to a proven product with stainless clamps and hardware (aluminum is a pain to keep looking good). This is just one example, there are countless options on the market if you are just looking to hear music while surfing or hanging out on the beach.

[Shaka 146]

I'm not knocking Wetsounds as they make a great product. I don't dispute that their products are well designed, sound great, and are top notch. I give them all the credit in the world because they spotted a need in the marketplace and adapted existing designs to fill it. If you'd read my entire response you'd get that I'm not slamming them. My goal isn't even to piss off the purveyors of marine audio that exist on this board. They are valuable and I respect their opinions. They certainly know more about marine audio products that exist in the 12v world than I do. With that said what gets me going is when they describe the drivers in a fashion that makes one think Wetsounds invented speakers with Kevlar reinforced cones or surrounds made with something other than paper. Speakers with that tech have existed for a long time.

 

WylieTunes used the example of whether I'd rather have a Porsche or a Mustang. No doubt I'd rather have the Porsche but am I better off owning the Porsche? Both the Porsche and the Mustang will get me around town in more style than the average Camry. For me the Mustang is a better fit because I can't afford the price of a Porsche or the maintenance.

 

There's a segment of us on this forum that aren't wealthy. I can't afford to go drop $90K on a new boat. At the moment the $1200 or so to purchase some REV's can be better used in other area of my household. Still I have a need to get new tower speakers so I need to check out the marketplace and find the best option. It may turn out that I decide I must have some REV 10's so I sacrifice by keeping my current setup and save up some rusty coins for next season. However, I'm excited when new products are brought to market that may be the speaker equivalent of a Mustang.

[Shaka 146]

Huge? They are a 6.5" component HLCD setup with a hand height of 8" when loaded in the Kicker Pods.

 

I'll get back to you later on your other comments. Too busy right now to digest and form a response.

Maybe we aren't talking about the same Kicker product.

[Stretch 409]

I e see. Kickers that look like this

.

 

As well as kickers that are more like a normal single enclosure like this

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

The Kicker that I saw had two speakers and some sort of high frequency driver. I was easily as wide as the Infinity's I'm going to replace. Those Infinity's use up a lot of space on my tower. It would be nice to have a single driver option to free up some space for lights etc....

Thats not a Kicker tower product, but rather a cobbled 8" comp woofer and a 6.5" car audio component set in a single pod with a single pair of binding posts.

[Shaka 146]

I e see. Kickers that look like this

.

 

 

As well as kickers that are more like a normal single enclosure like this

These are what I was looking at. I didn't look that closely at them but assumed that hey were using the middle portion as some sort of waveguide for a HF driver.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Shaka

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Hang height on the KMT67 is about the same as their KMTE-S or KMTE-D pods. Its 2 6.5" mid-bass woofers flanking a 3/4" titanium dome tweeter loaded with a flare.

[boatnut 230]

I am amazed at one thing, we can talk about, trailers, boats, fuel economy, etc.... But nothing stimulates better convos then audio equipment on this board, I love it, all I know is my system in my boat kicks a$$, and I have a mixture of everything, so I try to support as many manufactures as I can

 

Edited June 30, 2015 by boatnut

[Shaka 146]

Hang height isn't my worry. Due to tower considerations my speakers have to be mounted pretty close together. It eat's up most of the usable real estate so mounting other things is difficult. A single can opens up options.

[viking 491]

Are REV's worth twice the price? It's a debate worth having especially for those that mostly surf.

YES...........my .02. Peace out!

[doug743 53]

I am sure there is an avenue to getting what you want. The real question is will you be happy with the results. The biggest problem with audio gear is expectation. You can spend $500 on a quality used set, that you know will sound great, or gamble and try some obscure (to the boat market) speaker and hope for the best. If the gamble does not work out, you loose you $500 bucks and no one will probably want your obscure speakers used. The reason most argue audio to the utmost level is truly due to the number of times most have tried to short the system financially and gotten burnt. I can attest to being "that guy" for many years, but now want it done once and right. Two things I cannot do myself.lol so I let the professionals deal with it and support it and when it does not work, they can fiddle with it.

 

now to the wealth comment, we all understand that there are different levels of income in this environment, but we all share the same amount of time. I look at my time as far more valuable than the additional cost and i can't get my time back, i can always try in recoup the money. I spent too many years fiddling with wires ( that i don't know anything about) under a dashboard, in 90 degree heat, on the water, pissed, to end up without a working system for the entire day. That to me is enough to spend up and have it done correctly. So, my short window of time is then ruined by my poor decision. Let us know how it go's

[Shaka 146]

 

 

now to the wealth comment, we all understand that there are different levels of income in this environment, but we all share the same amount of time. I look at my time as far more valuable than the additional cost and i can't get my time back, i can always try in recoup the money. I spent too many years fiddling with wires ( that i don't know anything about) under a dashboard, in 90 degree heat, on the water, pissed, to end up without a working system for the entire day. That to me is enough to spend up and have it done correctly. So, my short window of time is then ruined by my poor decision. Let us know how it go's

Opportunity Costs are a big deal in making decisions. However, one thing my father taught me is that when purchasing you always get the best thing for the buck. That's not the same as getting the best thing period. Sometimes the best thing for the buck is the most expensive product but most of the time it's not. Nor is the best thing for the buck usually on the low end of the spectrum. It's somewhere between the two extremes that what your seeking is usually found.

 

I'm not afraid to plunk down dough on some things. I played music professionally as a performer and a studio guy for most of my twenties and early thirties. Over the years I've had sizable guitar and amplifier collection that helped me serve my clients. When you do studio stuff it's all about getting the kind of sound that serves the music so I needed to have a variety of instruments to achieve these sounds. The result is I've owned guitars that costs as much as several sets of Rev 10's. Thank heavens most of these instruments were able to be reflected as business expenses. Still the guitar that got used the most was a mid-level Fender Tex-Mex Stratocaster that cost $650 new. I've had far more expensive strats and this particular guitar is better than all of them. It's a great example of why the most expensive thing isn't always the best thing.

[boatnut 230]

But sometimes the most expensive speakers is the cheapest in the long run.... Cause reliability, sound, and no issues are a big part, in my case I have rev10's because they are the best, but I think I skimped a little in the amp dept... But that's the give and take, but regardless my system kicks a$$, most definitely loud enough for me and the lake lol

[Shaka 146]

I can get with that. This is one reason why I look forward to increased options. Premium products aren't always the best quality. If for some reason they are then there is a lot of room in the market for quality at a lower price. I think in the future we will see increased competition in the tower speaker marketplace. This Powerbass product is a reflection of that.

[viking 491]

Alot of it has to do with how you make the purchase as well. If you plan accordingly you can pick up name brand geer for 25% off during black friday or comparable sales and you get quality geer at roughly the same price point as the other stuff. Sometimes is pays to be patient.

[boatnut 230]

Alot of it has to do with how you make the purchase as well. If you plan accordingly you can pick up name brand geer for 25% off during black friday or comparable sales and you get quality geer at roughly the same price point as the other stuff. Sometimes is pays to be patient.

Mine Rev 10s were store demos, with full warranty, and they thru in the blue light rings for free

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Been a couple crazy busy days.

 

Shaka,

 

Im sure we all have a different perspective regarding what is innovative. For this reason, im not going to try and convince you that what I think as innovation, is. I'll let you decide that for your self.

 

For starters, what are some marine audio products released in the last 10 years, that you consider to be innovative. This is not a right or wrong questions, just gives me a baseline for your interpretation.

 

Now, here are some things that wet Sounds has bought to the market. Although as a whole or individual components, they may not have been invented by Wet Sounds, I feel that their bringing the technology to the marine market, in a form that was designed for the marine market, is innovative IMO

 

WS-420. Where else can you find a dual EQ in a single chassis with 3 zone volume control and talk back MIC? Even non-marine, who has a mobile dual EQ in a single chassis?

 

Universal marine blue tooth receiver with volume and track skip? I know they didnt invent BT, but it seems innovative to bring a marine unit to market

 

10" HLCD that offer a swivel clamp that also accommodates RGB LEDs. Sure they didnt invent the HLCD, but what was out there prior to the Pro-80 in regards to a true tower pod with a true marine built driver? Before that, many tower speakers where paper laminated car door speakers. Some where outdoor cabinet speakers with homemade looking clamps.

 

LEDs incorporated into the back of a coaxial tweeter: There were many brick and mortar shops doing custom LEDs in speakers, but Wet Sounds went to the drawing board and built a speaker with RGB LEDs in it. Rather then the typical black plastic dust cap on the back of the tweeter, they used an opaque cast poured acrylic cap with an LED inside it. Brought that to the retail market.

 

Have you seen their self powered sound bars with blue tooth built it?

 

On to price v's value, other words bang for your buck. This is another area where your opinion may vary from others. The higher priced item may not be the best value, but on the same token, the cheaper priced item is not a shoe in either. There are plenty of people that find value in a premium item that delivers premium performance. Let me ask you this. Why did you choose a premium centurion tow boat over a cheaper sea ray with a tower? Did you see more value in the boat that was designed from the keel up as water sports tow boat, over the bow rider with a tower? Well, thats Wet Sounds to those power bass speakers.

 

Im all for different options and competition. When a product like those PB speaker is posted on the net and the questions is posed, why is Wet Sounds better or worth the money, im going to offer a explanation. Is there a place in the market for cheaper price point HLCDs, sure, Bay Liner and Sea Ray sell lots of boats with towers. But at the end of the day, those that are serious about a return on investment, will likely go looking for a more purpose built system and it will likely cost more. I owned 2 bow riders before it was time to make the leap to a tow boat, because i was serious about water sports.

[enzo on LI 79]

Did I read an earlier post correctly, that you maybe primarily surf? If so, then why are we even discussing HLCDs? Why not look into something with better sound quality of a high end coax? That seems to be better suited to a "surf" boat. Check out the Icon8 or something like that. Great sound at half the price.

That said...do it once and do it right...Wetsounds are worth the price! If I would have done it right years ago I'd have two pair of Rev10s by now instead of just one! Jm2c

Edited July 2, 2015 by enzo on LI

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Did I read an earlier post correctly, that you maybe primarily surf? If so, then why are we even discussing HLCDs? Why not look into something with better sound quality of a high end coax? That seems to be better suited to a "surf" boat. Check out the Icon8 or something like that. Great sound at half the price.

That said...do it once and do it right...Wetsounds are worth the price! If I would have done it right years ago I'd have two pair of Rev10s by now instead of just one! Jm2c

Very valid point right here. For a surf setup, there is no comparison between a $560 pair of 8" price point HLCDs with a 100W rms rating and a $750 premium 8" coaxial that will handle 250W rms. The SQ from a direct radiating dome tweeter will be far smoother and more balanced then from a a price point HLCD. The Icon-8 pod is easily 25% more volume. This will equal better mid-bass for sure.

 

Less about bang for your buck and more about the best speaker type for the application.