Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: Roc on September 06, 2015, 01:31:53 PM

Title: Salon speaker location options
Post by: Roc on September 06, 2015, 01:31:53 PM
I did a search and found the posts describe cockpit speaker location.  I'm looking to upgrade the stereo.  I currently have Poly Planar box speakers mounted on the bulkhead facing aft.  They don't have a great sound and was thinking that flush mounted speakers, mounted in a cabinet somewhere, would give better bass and better overall sound quality.  I understand that speakers need to be mounted in an enclosed cabinet to function properly, and I'm wondering were you folks have installed them to get some ideas.  I'm thinking about the the upper little cabinets, just forward of the port (ports below the rubrail) on both sides of the salon.  They would face directly aft.  In measuring the available teak to make the hole (I hate to drill into good wood!!), I wouldn't be able to fit a 6 1/2 diameter speaker, but would need a smaller diameter to fit.  Has anyone put a speaker in those cabinets and do they give good sound?  If anyone has pictures of their mount locations, that would help with some ideas.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 06, 2015, 02:00:42 PM
Roc, here's what I did:

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6845.0.html

Speaker Locations

Most folks "know" where they want to put their speakers down below. I'm just contrary:

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=747836&highlight=speakers (http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=747836&highlight=speakers)

and

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=397140&highlight=speakers (http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=397140&highlight=speakers)
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: patrice on September 08, 2015, 06:01:59 AM
Hi,

Instead of installing permanent speaker in the boat, I went with Bluetooth portable one.

This the one we have.  The sound is good and can be brought with us if we go on a pic nic or other ....

http://ca.jbl.com/product-detail-new-jbl/jbl-charge-black-.html
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: dfloeter on September 08, 2015, 12:53:44 PM
We installed six inch speakers in the side cabinets facing forward. I reasoned that I wished to not see them and the sound would bounce around anyway. Sound doesn't bounce as much as hoped but the installation works well.
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: Ken Juul on September 08, 2015, 02:02:02 PM
Boze outdoor box speakers.  PO mounted them on the port side on the bulkheads fore and aft.  Simplifies running wires from the nav station mounted radio.
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: Mike and Joanne Stimmler on September 08, 2015, 02:41:49 PM
I also had the Bose (I cheated on the spelling because I have a Bose system at home) speakers on my boat but I mounted them from the forward port and starboard facing aft and I was very happy with the sound. I wish I could have used them outside but I already had two big holes in the fiberglass for the existing speakers.

Mike
Title: Re: Salon speaker location options
Post by: Ron Hill on September 09, 2015, 02:19:15 PM
Roc : I had two small 5" enclosed speakers that I mounted on the FWD corners of the salon.
Then I found two smaller 3 " self contained speakers that set on the shelf above the aft sliders that I wired in to the other 2 channels.

Easy to run the wires, because I had the stereo radio backed in to the Vberth hanging locker.  So the control head was on the Vberth bulkhead on the starboard side.

A thought