Tower Speaker Advice

[bobback 3]

Looking at buying some tower speakers. Don't need the best of the best, but something decent. Will only be using them for surfing; will of course have to purchase another amp and add a dual battery.

 

Like a compact size.

 

Recommendation on speakers? And an amp.

 

thx!

Edited January 29, 2012 by bobback

[CenturionSkier 43]

Wetsounds!!!!!!

[tprice 118]

H, help him out!

H helped put together my sound system and for a decent system and price-- it rocks.

[bobback 3]

Wetsounds!!!!!!

 

I was thinking the Pro 60 is all I would need...if so which amp?

 

Thoughts?

Edited January 29, 2012 by bobback

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

 

I was thinking the Pro 60 is all I would need...if so which amp?

 

Thoughts?

 

For a surf setup, I would actually not recommend the Pro60. They are an HLCD (Horn Loaded Compression Driver) speaker designed for projecting high volumes over a long and direct distance for wake-boarding, etc. You would be best served to go with a Coax based speaker that will be less direct-radiant, thus filling the back area of the boat with a "warmer" sound then an HLCD. Look for a Marine-grade speaker with a continuous mid-bass cone and grill-mounted tweeter. Within the Wet Sounds line, I would look at the XST-65 and a Syn Micro combo over the Pro60.

[truekaotik 458]

I think the engine will drown out a set of simple coax speaker, the engine is under decent stress these days with ballast system and such. Coax is good, just need to atleast have 4 to get a decent warm sound like Wylie is describing.. I recommend doing 4-M770 by JL audio or 4- xs650's and a syn2, or a m200/2 or even a m400/4...All these can push the 7.7's

Edited January 29, 2012 by truekaotik

[bobback 3]

Definetly looking for a warm sound.

 

Instead of getting 4 speakers, would there be a better option of staying with a set?

[truekaotik 458]

You can do a set and it will be OK... My tower started with two mb quarts 6.5" and it just wasn't enough (for me) I heard the boat motor and wash most of the time, I then added the mb quart set up with 4 6.5" components ( just cause the pod was set up that way, you can definitely go with coaxial with 1" dome mounted to grill.. This was good for surfing but still sucked for wakeboarding, that's why I went with Rev10's... I've only had this boat since August but have had many inboards and I/O drives... At rest the "car" speakers are fine, moving is another story.. Just trying to help with my experiences...

[truekaotik 458]

If your boat puts out great sound inboat wise while your surfing but you just can't hear the words, I would go with the pro60 like you wanted, it is a HLCD so it will push past you but still sound great accompanied with your inboat mid and sub still being that close... And you will have them for skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, or the neighbors across the lake ;-) lol

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Definetly looking for a warm sound.

 

Instead of getting 4 speakers, would there be a better option of staying with a set?

 

Bob, since you stated in your original post that you are looking for a surf only setup, I will stick to options options that will achieve the best sound fot your goals. If someone was looking for a setup that would perform best in both worlds, like surfing and wake-boarding, then we would be talking a setup that included an HLCD such as the Wet Sounds Double-UP, Rev-8's or Rev-10's, or a pair of Pro485's. These setups may be more then what you are looking for.

 

The real question here is, how loud do you really want it at the end of the surf rope? Personally, I like to use my tower speakers to deliver the tunes to the rider, not my in-boat setup. Cranking the in-boat volume up for the rider tends to blast out the passengers and driver. This wears me thin after a day on the lake, but that's just me. The tower setup will deliver the needed volume, and be clean and clear, without the need to use the in-boat setup.

 

The Pro60 will have about half the mid-bass surface area a pair of 6.5 coax. So for a surfer, they would be starring a high powered tweeter in the face as the ride. All highs and very little mid-bass. A quality pair of marine coax tower pods will deliver over the engine and to the surfer. Which setup would depend on how loud you actually want it to be. The XST-65 with a Syn Micro will be 75W RMS to each speaker with room to add a second set later. You could step up to the XST-650 and a Syn4. This would give you 125W rms and room to add a 2nd set later. The Syn2 would also be an option, but it would take the XST-650 right to the edge.

[truekaotik 458]

 

Bob, since you stated in your original post that you are looking for a surf only setup, I will stick to options options that will achieve the best sound fot your goals. If someone was looking for a setup that would perform best in both worlds, like surfing and wake-boarding, then we would be talking a setup that included an HLCD such as the Wet Sounds Double-UP, Rev-8's or Rev-10's, or a pair of Pro485's. These setups may be more then what you are looking for.

 

The real question here is, how loud do you really want it at the end of the surf rope? Personally, I like to use my tower speakers to deliver the tunes to the rider, not my in-boat setup. Cranking the in-boat volume up for the rider tends to blast out the passengers and driver. This wears me thin after a day on the lake, but that's just me. The tower setup will deliver the needed volume, and be clean and clear, without the need to use the in-boat setup.

 

The Pro60 will have about half the mid-bass surface area a pair of 6.5 coax. So for a surfer, they would be starring a high powered tweeter in the face as the ride. All highs and very little mid-bass. A quality pair of marine coax tower pods will deliver over the engine and to the surfer. Which setup would depend on how loud you actually want it to be. The XST-65 with a Syn Micro will be 75W RMS to each speaker with room to add a second set later. You could step up to the XST-650 and a Syn4. This would give you 125W rms and room to add a 2nd set later. The Syn2 would also be an option, but it would take the XST-650 right to the edge.

Aww you used my "original post" comment I've said before... Lol

Bob he's right, I got off track I guess. Only thing I would add is to go with the syn4 and the xst650.... You will want to add another pair later... IMHO

 

These two jokers just like going against anything I post ;-)

[DavidEM 1]

bobback,

You have stated that you want speakers for "surfing" and you want a "warmer" sounding speaker.

So I would definitely stay clear of the Pro60s. Wylie_Tunes is spot on. As a smaller HLCD and with a much larger voice coil and the horn throat coming through the middle of the midbass cone they do not have the midbass cone surface area nor the ability to offset the more dominant horn tweeter with warmth. The Pro60 is more about volume and projecting to wake range. I would have to cover all 6.5" Proaxial HLCDs regardless of brand with that same description.

The Wetsounds surf speakers (better with two pair) or a larger HLCD like a single pair of Wetsounds REV8s or REV10s will give you a much warmer balance and still have the projection, if properly powered, to overcome distance and competing engine noise under load.

 

David

Earmark Marine

[truekaotik 458]

Lol bob... So now that you have been told every tower speaker by wetsounds is the best for warmth BUT the pro60, what do you do??

Pick what you want and if you don't like change it man.. Trial and error is always best for your specific taste...

Bottom line what you want is the Rev10's on a syn4, nothing compares period.. If you can't afford those find some you can. You mentioned WETSOUNDS so that's there line. There are other brands out there that are good also. Good luck with your choice and above all stay true to what you want...

[bobback 3]

Just want the volume to be "loud enough" to hear the music and sound good while surfing.

 

Correct in saying I only want the tower speakers to deliver the sound to the rider, not in boat. I imagine the tower speakers have a separate volume vs. the in boat volume.

 

Wylie_tunes...you are recommending: The XST-65 with a Syn Micro will be 75W RMS to each speaker with room to add a second set later. You could step up to the XST-650 and a Syn4. This would give you 125W rms and room to add a 2nd set later.

 

Is the price difference on these 2 set-ups worth paying? Looks like it would be about 400 bones more for the xst650 and syn4.

 

thx!

Bob

[bobback 3]

Bottom line what you want is the Rev10's on a syn4, nothing compares period.. If you can't afford those find some you can. You mentioned WETSOUNDS so that's there line. There are other brands out there that are good also. Good luck with your choice and above all stay true to what you want...

 

Are you talking about one set of Rev 10's?

[truekaotik 458]

Yes that's what I personally bought for my boat (1pair and waiting for a new release). You can do 2 sets (4 total) like Wakedoc has or 1 pair rev10's and wait a month for the rev410 (which is buzzing to be released) but whatever you run they will recommend a syn4 per pair of rev10's..

Edited January 29, 2012 by truekaotik

[truekaotik 458]

Here is wakedocs boat with 4!

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=ihH6HHZRYf0

[truekaotik 458]

Also since you want to run the tower seperate than the inboats like Wylie prefers, you will need a ws420eq or the krypt version of it... ;-)

[truekaotik 458]

But from your original post (the rev10's are the best) this would be my recommendation again...

2 pair of JL audio 7.7's or 2 pair xst650's (Wylie's suggestion)..

I think you will want more than one pair just by experience... OR go bIG BALLER with the rev10's :-)

Edited January 29, 2012 by truekaotik

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Just an FYI, the REV-10 has a hang height of over 11.5 and are over 10.5 wide. 13" depth as well. The REV-10 is a phenomenal speaker, but far from a compact size. Now, the REV-8 on the other hand, is an 8" HLCD in the same size housing as the Pro60, and about the same as the XST series tower speakers.