A client from Metairie came to Prestige Car Audio & Marine in search of an incredible upgrade for his 2015 36’ Yellowfin audio system. When our team went outside to look over the boat, all we could say was, “That is one incredible fishing boat.” If you can imagine combining a fishing boat and a speedboat, you would end up with something like this one. As we looked over it with the client, we noticed it had a nice factory stereo head unit in the console, and two decent JL Audio amplifiers, but beyond that the system needed some serious help.
The more we talked to the client, the more we realized he wanted a truly incredible-sounding audio system, and that got our creative juices flowing. We listened to the goals expressed by the client and offered our own expert suggestions along the way. At the end of the consultation, we took some time and worked up a proposal for the client which he liked, so we set up a time to start working on his boat.
Multi-Zone System Design
As mentioned, the boat came with a stereo system in the console that was a nice unit, so we used it as the source that would feed all our new equipment. We also decided early on to use all JL Audio equipment, since this guy wanted only the best, so JL fit the bill perfectly. The audio system was built into zones that the factory stereo could control, so the captain can easily direct the sound wherever he wants.
Front Zone
In the front of the boat, we placed two M12 12” subwoofers and two pairs of M880-CCX-SG-WH 8.8” coaxial speakers on a custom mounting plate. We used multiples of these custom plates throughout the boat. They are made of ¾” Type 1 PVC that is covered in gray marine-grade vinyl that matches the exterior paint. The boat had been wrapped by Big Daddy Wraps in Harvey, and after we shared with them the work we were doing on the boat, they agreed to wrap our pieces too. On the inside of the fiberglass panel is a second ¾” Type 1 PVC panel, allowing us to sandwich the fiberglass between them. We used machined brass inserts for all mounting points for the panels as well as the speakers, so we could use stainless machine bolts to hold everything together. You won’t find any screws in this build.
The reason for the sandwiched PVC is for mounting strength. The JL Audio subwoofers and speakers are of such high performance that the reinforcement is needed to maximize sound quality and output level. In simple terms, it made everything a lot more rigid, and rigid is good for speakers.
For power up front, a M1000/1v2 amplifier sends 1,000 watts of clean power to the subs while a M800/8 sends 800 watts of power to the four full-range speakers. As you can imagine, anyone standing near the front of the boat experiences incredible bass impact coupled with great clarity of sound.
Center Zone
In the center of the boat, there is a lot of sound going on. About halfway back to the hull, there are three M12 12” subwoofers on each side panel, with each pair getting 1,000 watts of power from an M1000/1v2 amplifier, for a total of six 12’’s, three amplifiers and 3,000 watts. Just as in the front, each side panel has the custom sandwiched PVC panel with more of the Big Daddy Wraps gray vinyl covering it.
There are many full-range drivers giving the boat sound near the center of the vehicle. In front of the console are two pairs of M880-CCX-SG-WH 8.8” coaxials mounted on our custom panels. These speakers were powered by a M800/8v2 amp, providing 800 watts for them.
Above the captain’s head is a pair of M770-CCX-SG-WH 7.7” coaxials aimed down toward his head. They are powered by an M600/6v2 amplifier that is bridged, giving each speaker 200 watts per channel.
Attached to the tubing around the console are two pairs of M880 tower speakers – the 8.8” M880 coaxial speakers in their own sleek fiberglass enclosures. Two of the speakers are firing forward and two are firing rearward, helping to blanket the boat in sound. Another M800/8v2 amplifier powers the tower speakers with 800 watts of wonderful music.
Rear Zone
Farther back in the boat are two more pairs of the M880-CCX-SG-WH speakers on the side panels, again with a M800/8v2 amplifier powering them.
To keep the bass impact strong anywhere in the boat, we mounted a set of M10 10” subwoofers in the rear of the boat, powered by a 600 watt M600/1v2 amplifier.
Custom JL Audio Speakers
The great looking JL Audio two-tone speakers were custom-built for this boat.
One interesting sidebar on the installation was the speaker grilles. JL offers them in white or titanium. We wanted to have white outer rings and titanium centers, and convinced JL Audio to source us the titanium grilles. With the separate grilles we were able to create a two-tone speaker to separate this boat from the competition. We think it added a neat final touch.
Secure Amplifier Mounting
When it came time to make the amp racks for all these amplifiers, we used the same ¾” Type 1 PVC sandwiching method with the gray vinyl. As you can see in the pictures, when you look down into the cubby, you see lots and lots of amplifiers. It reminds you more of being at a live concert than being in a boat.
Battery Upgrades
We added two Odyssey 2150 extreme-duty batteries to the boat to help with the current needs of the new stereo system.
Topnotch Marine Installation Practices
For this client, we did everything in normal Prestige fashion when it came to the marine installation. That means all-stainless hardware, solder and heat-shrink on all connections, and all wiring neatly loomed and securely mounted to allow for easy servicing in the future.
Save Money, Do It Right The First Time With Prestige
We have seen many a boat come through our install bays that needed to be completely redone because another shop cut corners to lower the price for the consumer. The sad reality is the boat stereo ended up costing more money in the end when you factor in having to do it twice. You see, boats are going to wreak havoc on an audio system. From the equipment chosen to the installation, everything has to be topnotch or failure is going to happen sooner versus later. Our goal is to give every client a marine audio system that will give them years of reliable use. Whether it is an over-the-top system like this one or something simple, our standards are the same.
Final Check-Out
Our extra time doing a final checkout of the boat system meant the client received his boat in perfect working order.
Once the installation was finished, our team spent significant time on fine-tuning the system and doing a detailed check-out procedure to ensure everything was in proper working order. When you are building an audio system that has more than 8,000 watts of power and 28 speakers, you want a shop that is detail-oriented.
Client Loved His New Yellowfin Audio System
Once we finished the checkout, it was time to deliver the boat to the client. Would he like it? Whenever we build something this big, the whole team is nervous, looking impatiently to see the client’s first impression. The good news is he loved it! He marveled at the attention to detail of the install and, when we cranked it up, he instantly knew his boat was going to be a party on the water.
Stop By Today To Discuss Your Next Marine Audio Upgrade
When you are ready to upgrade the audio system in your boat, we invite you to stop by Prestige Car & Marine Audio in Metairie or contact us HERE. One of our team will work with you to design and build the solution that best fits your needs.
Leave a Reply