Boston Whaler Audio System Upgrade for Gainesville Client

A client from here in Gainesville recently dropped into Sound Depot and Performance to inquire about upgrading his Boston Whaler audio system. The boat came with a Clarion radio and several speakers, but the system didn’t sound good or play loudly enough. We had a listen to the system and inspected the boat before providing the client with several upgrade options. He picked a plan and left the boat with us to begin work right away.

JL Audio Marine Speaker Upgrades

The front coaxial speakers were augmented with an additional set of tweeters.

A pair of speakers were added to the overhead console.

The JL Audio subwoofer was installed on a Starboard baffle.

The first step to improving the performance of this Boston Whaler audio system was to remove the factory speakers and replace them with JL Audio M-Series coaxial drivers. We installed a set of M650-CCX-CG-WH and M700-CCX-CG-WH coaxial speaker sets in the speaker locations in the center console and the overhead electronics cabinet.

We added a JL Audio MX10IB3-CG-WH subwoofer to the center console to improve the low-frequency performance of the system. A reinforcing ring made from Starboard was added to the back of the mounting surface to improve the performance and reliability of the installation.

The last speaker upgrade was a set of JL M100CT-CG-WH 1-inch tweeters beside each of the center-console speakers. The low mounting location of the factory speakers limits their high-frequency performance. The additional JL Audio marine tweeters add clarity and detail to the system.

Marine-Grade System Amplifiers

All of the wiring for the amplifiers was neatly secured.

Our team of technicians created a mounting panel out of Starboard for a pair of JL Audio M600/6 marine amplifiers. We mounted the amplifiers inside the console. The first amplifier drives three of the coaxial speakers in a three-channel configuration while the second amp drives the last coaxial speaker and the subwoofer in the same bridged configuration plus the tweeters in a conventional stereo setup. In total, the client has 1,150 watts of power on tap to ensure that his music is reproduced with the detail and clarity he wants.

Boston Whaler Audio System Upgrade Project

The addition of the USB port allowed the client to easily plug in devices to the radio.

With the speakers, subwoofer and amplifiers installed and configured for maximum performance and reliability, the last piece of the project was to add a Stinger SMRAUXUSB USB and auxiliary input extension to the Clarion radio. This weather-resistant extension jack makes it much easier for the client to connect his smartphone to the radio.

After two days of hard work, it was time for the client to return to Sound Depot and Performance in Gainesville to check out his new audio system. We hopped on the boat as soon as the client arrived and gave him a demonstration. He was thrilled with the performance! If you are interested in upgrading the audio system on your boat, drop by our store or send us an e-mail to schedule a consultation.