A client from Manakin Sabot recently contacted the team at Extreme Audio to inquire about upgrading the audio system on his Sylvan pontoon boat. The client wanted a sound system that would play loudly, deliver better bass response and be able to stream music from his smartphone. After inspecting the boat, we proposed upgrading the stock speaker locations with larger speakers to deliver more bass and adding a high-quality amplifier to ensure that the system sounds great with the volume cranked. The client loved our plan and scheduled an appointment for us to complete the installation.
JL Audio 7.7-inch Coaxial Marine Speakers
The pontoon boat came with 6.5-inch speakers from the factory. While these are a popular size, the relatively small woofer cone area limits how loudly they can play and how much bass can be produced. We used three sets of JL Audio’s new M6-Series 7.7-inch M6-770X-S-GmTi-I coaxial speakers to upgrade this pontoon boat sound system.
The new M6-Series speakers feature integrated LED lighting attached to the basket that lights up the translucent woofer cone. We used a high-quality Morimoto XBT Bluetooth RGB controller that works a smartphone app to allow the owner to choose a lighting color that matches the boat or his mood.
Marine-Grade Pontoon Audio System Amplifier
The six speakers are powered by a single JL Audio M600/6 amplifier. This six-channel amp is rated to produce up to 75 watts of power per channel and features a corrosion-resistant powder-coated heatsink, a gasketed cover over the controls and stainless-steel hardware. We mounted the amp on an ABS plastic panel that is secured in the storage compartment behind the helm. Marine-specific power wiring and an ABYC-approved circuit breaker from Stinger deliver power from the pair of Interstate marine batteries to the amp.
Fusion Apollo Source Unit
To give the client truly state-of-the-art connectivity and performance, we replaced the factory radio with a Fusion Apollo-Series MS-RA770 digital media receiver. The radio is mounted in the stock location on the left side of the helm and includes the ability to stream music from his smartphone using Bluetooth or from an iPhone via Wi-Fi using Apple AirPlay. The latter is a first for a marine source unit.
Richmond’s Marine Stereo Upgrade Experts
With all the new audio equipment installed on this pontoon boat, our technicians completed the installation by configuring the controls on the amplifier to ensure that the system would sound great, even at full volume. The client returned to Extreme Audio and was thrilled with the performance of his new sound system. If the stereo on your boat needs an upgrade, drop by our store in Mechanicsville or Midlothian, or send us an e-mail using our contact page.
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