Stereo Upgrade for 2016 Ashland Tidewater Center Console Boat

A client from Ashland recently contacted Extreme Audio about upgrading the audio system in his 2016 Tidewater center console boat. The vessel came with a Polk Audio source unit and unbranded speakers. However, as with most boat owners, he wanted the system to play more loudly, sound better and deliver dramatically improved bass output. After looking over the boat to determine available space for new speakers and a subwoofer, we put together a quote to upgrade the marine stereo system to meet the client’s goals. He loved the plan, and we scheduled an appointment to begin the installation.

JL Audio Marine Source Unit

The rugged MM-50 gives the client all the audio sources he wanted.

Our technicians crafted a laser-cut acrylic adapter plate for the MM-50.

The first step in upgrading this boat was to install a new marine-grade source unit. The client chose the JL Audio MediaMaster MM50 digital receiver. This compact radio is mounted in the dash of the boat just above the switch panel. It includes an AM/FM tuner and Bluetooth for audio streaming from a smartphone.

The output of the radio feeds to an ARC Audio X2-1100.5 five-channel amplifier. Our technicians mounted the amp inside the center console to keep it safe and dry. In terms of power production capabilities, the four main channels of the amp can produce up to 150 watts per channel, and the subwoofer output is good for an impressive 500 watts.

Marine Speaker and Subwoofer Upgrade

The roof received a new pair of 6.5″ coaxial speakers.

The rear side panels were upgraded with new speakers too.

The Wet Sounds subwoofer was mounted in the side of the console.

The bow was an excellent spot for a pair of JL Audio speakers.

With the amp in place, our team set to work replacing the original 6.5-inch speakers in the bow of the boat with new JL Audio M3-770X-S-Gw-I drivers. These 7.7-inch speakers are much larger than the ones they replaced, so they not only play louder at the same power levels, they produce more bass. Of course, being JL Audio marine speakers, they offer excellent sound qmuality and clarity, even at high volume levels. We replaced the speakers in the overhead panel with a set of matching JL Audio M3-650X-S-Gw-I drivers. There wasn’t enough mounting depth available up there for the 7.7-inch models. Our team added a second set of the 7.7-inch drivers to the rear side panels of the boat to round out the sound delivery.

The last step of the upgrade was to install a Wet Sounds Revo 12 subwoofer on the side of the center console. This 400-watt subwoofer is designed specifically for marine applications and can be used without a dedicated enclosure. The console served as the perfect mounting location.

Richmond’s Best Marine Audio Upgrades

With the system installed and the settings on the amplifier configured to work with the new radio and speakers, the client returned to Extreme Audio to pick up his boat. He climbed on board for a listen and was thrilled with the way it sounds. If you are interested in upgrading the audio system on your boat, drop by our location in Midlothian or Mechanicsville. You can also reach us by phone or e-mail using our contact form.

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