Amazing Yamaha AR240 Audio System Upgrade for Ocala Client

A client from Ocala recently contacted one of our sales guys about upgrading his Yamaha AR240 audio system. This client had worked with the salesperson on upgrades to his Camaro and his wife’s Audi S7. When they took delivery of their new Yamaha sport boat, they knew right away that the Polk Audio sound system wasn’t going to meet their standards.

Yamaha AR240 Audio System Design

The client had done an above-average amount of research into the options available for this 2018 Yamaha boat. He sent us photos and links of the work other owners have done to their AR240 jet boats. We took this information and designed a solution that would offer the most performance and value for the client. We decided to leave the Polk Audio source unit in the system because it is tethered to the multifunction display in the helm using an NMEA2000 interface. We would upgrade the speakers, add subwoofers and install new amplifiers to ensure everything would sound great, even with the volume cranked.

JL Audio Speaker and Subwoofer Upgrade

The two 10″ subwoofer help bring the music to life.

The passengers in the rear of the boat were treated to the JL Audio coaxial speakers.

The titanium and black color scheme of the JL Audio speakers looked great in this boat.

An additional set of JL Audio speakers were added to the bow area of the boat.

It is easy to see why these JL Audio speaker were chosen for this boat, they look like a factory upgrade.

We started by installing two sets of JL Audio M770-CCX-CG-TB 7.7-inch coaxial speakers on either side of the boat. The speakers’ gray and black cosmetic design blends perfectly with the seating upholstery.

Next, we added a pair of JL Audio M10IB5-SG-WH 10-inch subwoofers to the storage area under the seats behind the helm. These subwoofers will take care of reproducing bass frequencies and allow the midrange speakers to focus on vocals and high-frequency information.

Marine Tower Speaker Solution

The wiring for the tower speakers was hidden from view.

The party can continue outside the boat with the addition of the tower speakers.

The next step was to install a set of JL M880-ETXv3-SG-TKLD-B 8.8-inch tower speaker enclosures on the ski tower. We used JL’s M-SWMCPv3-2.375 mounting brackets to ensure the large enclosures would be secure on the bar. As you can see from the photos, all the wiring for the enclosed tower speaker system is hidden from view for a clean and tidy look.

System Amplifiers

The amplifiers for the system were securely mounted on a starboard plate.

The 2018 Yamaha AR240 audio system is powered by a pair of JL Audio M-Series marine-grade amplifiers. An eight-channel M800/8v2 amp powers the four 7.7-inch speakers with up to 75 watts each, and the remaining four channels are bridged into a two-channel configuration to provide the tower speakers with up to 200 watts each. We also installed an M600/1 subwoofer amp to power the 10-inch subs with 600 watts of power.

We mounted a pair of HD-RLC remote controls on the helm to provide control over the subwoofer level and the wakeboard tower level so the client can fine-tune the system depending on how he’s using the boat.

Electrical System Upgrades

The additional batteries allow the client to play the system longer with the motor off.

The boat came with a pair of batteries. There is a main starting battery dedicated to ensuring the client will always be able to start the motor to get home. The second battery is dedicated to electronics. We added a pair of Interstate MT34 Mega-Tron II batteries to the existing auxiliary battery so that the client can play the stereo all day without having to run the motor.

We use yellow and red Pacer marine-grade power wire to feed the amplifiers and comply with ABYC marine wiring standards. For signal and speaker wires, we use JL Audio marine-grade interconnects and wiring.

The amplifiers are mounted on an amp rack constructed from Starboard, a polymer material that won’t deform or get moldy in high-humidity applications.

System Tuning and Delivery

The last step in the installation process was for our technicians to fine-tune the crossover and level adjustments on the amplifiers to optimize each speaker in the boat. This process ensures that the music will sound great and offer a smooth and natural frequency response. Proper amplifier sensitivity control also ensures that the client can crank the volume without fear of damaging any of the speakers.

After three days of work, it was time for the client to return to Sound Depot and Performance in Gainesville to hear his new Yamaha jet boat audio system. He loved how clearly the system played and that he could crank the volume without anything distorting. If your marine audio system doesn’t put a smile on your face, drop by our store, give us a call or send us an e-mail using our contact page. Our team would be happy to design a custom solution that meets your needs and expectations.