Stereos in tunnels (stv's & mirages)

[JustMercMe]

I know some of you guys have them. How do you have them mounted? I think the best looking one yet ( for my type of boat) has to be the way Vector Pat (I think) had his mounted on the floor in his Mirage. (Family and Performance Boating last year) How do you guys mount the speakers? Give me some ideas?

Thanx,
Itchy

[Hottrucks]

My Talon has a place in the dash for the radio and the speakers are in the kick panel area. You may try that and as far as a radio box Check some of the hot rod shop or mags they have a pre made box for under the dash or if you wanted you could use it upside down on the floor there cheap and will work well on any flat surface. If you cann't find one let me know and i can see if I can remamber where I got it for my duece

[stvhelm]

Triad makes a nice stereo console for the sponson that is just awesome. check the third page in the "my photo gallery" link at the bottom of my signature for a picture.

[MirageSmack]

Isn't that console molded into the boat? If not, I wonder if that would fit reasonably well in a Mirage.

[stvhelm]

No its not molded in. you can buy it from triad and add it to the euro. I would I magine you could Glass up some wood and lay some vinyl over it in any shape you want. its good place to add a stereo, glove box, and some extra gauges or switches without cutting up the dash

[MirageSmack]

I'll check with Triad and see what's up. I've been looking for options without cutting my virgin dash or just hangin a clunky stereo below the dash.

[Scream And Fly]

Here's a look at the radio/accessory console in Helmut's STV.

Helmut, can we get little headphones so we can listen to some CDs in our helmets at 122 mph?:D

Greg

[Techno]

If you don't need physical or eye contact then some radios come with a wireless remote and some have an optioned wired or wireless controller. Just an option to put the radio anywhere you want. The controller is either a hand held or mounted on the wheel, which I guess is old school, or a joy stick mounted on a something.

[Stoker100]

Mr. Perfect whom I bought my "Best of the Best" rigged boat from drilled two holes through the bottom to mount the stereo and then filled the holes with globs of silicone. Real brilliant (moroon)!

You could always glass some brackets in!
larry

[stvhelm]

are you talking about the console? through the bottom of the boat?:eek:

[Jason Huber]

My Racer has the S/E center cooler/console w/ provision for the radio head-unit, so that was a no-brainer... Small 8" DVC Kicker sub mounted to the frt. bulkhead. The fairly large area under the deck makes the little 8 act much bigger. 6x9 Polk 3-ways in boxes in the sponson-channels on either-side of the rear seat. My EFI 2.5 has the weazer alternater so I run an Optima Gel, & dont' dare run an amp. Surprisingly, the Pioneer head-unit has enough internal power (200w) to drive the 2 6x9's really well, and it also provides sub-control (hence the dual voice-coil sub) off the rear channels. Low-buck, easy (removeable) install, and no holes to drill other than the sub-box to bulkhead. Good luck! ;)

[JustMercMe]

I'm trying to go into this without drilling any holes. It just does'nt seem right to me to drill holes in a boat....I've got two 8" tubes that would be great in the tunnels, but I think some regular speakers in boxes might be lighter and work better. I just don't have any idea how I could mount them to the boat.

[Stoker100]

BOTTOM OF THE BOAT !!!!

[Stoker100]

Was rigged by American Star Marine in San mateo, CA....
Very professional huh.

[MirageSmack]

I have that same console you have, but I don't want to cut the one that came with thye boat. I'm currently looking for a spare. I want to use it if possible since it is easily removable for speed passes. Your setup sounds alot like what I will proibably do...and I like the kicker idea up front. I was going with a pair of speaker sup front, along with 2 in the back. Do you think the sub up front will sound better?

[Techno]

The whole point of sound staging is to mimic a live performance. Putting all the speakers in front is ideal and what you do at home.
At a concert there aren't speakers (or performers) behind you.

You could splash the console to make a cuttable one and keep the original. Or build what you need.

[Offshore Racer]

Hey Larry If you would like to say something to my face. Then tell me where to meet you! The results will be very educational for you! For the record a stereo shop installed the stereo. If I would have seen what you say they did. It would have been fixed. By the way how’s the forth or fifth motor doing. I think you hold the record on not knowing how to run motors. But you are real good at destroying them. Here is a tip. Learn to drive the boat first! Novice!! By the way the next offshore race that I will be in will be in L. A. Come visit me in the pits. Ill be running No. 22 in the Super Cat Light Division.:)

[Jason Huber]

Originally posted by MirageSmack
I have that same console you have... Do you think the sub up front will sound better? Techno is "technically" correct on the sound-stage theory - although I would have to say that as it relates to most of us that own little boats with big motors - WHERE the sound eminates from is probably less important than just-plain playin' it LOUD so you can hear it over a screamin' V6 @ 100mph!:D Not many spots in the Mirage to put speakers w/out breaking-out the hole-saw... IMO - mounting a small sub enclosure was the path of least resistance as were the 6x9 boxes to the rear. I could care less where the music is coming from... I'm not an Audiophile. ;) But back to Techno's point - maybe mounting the sub (bass is non-directional...) and some mids/tweeters up-front would be the ticket (no large holes)?? Hey Larry - sounds like you touched a nerve! :eek:

[GP-1]

The "sound stage" thing gets so beaten to death... Since your (or at least my) boat isn't enclosed, I doubt you can do much to duplicate a concert environment... Except an outdoor one -- which sucks anyway.. Like Jason said, who really cares where it's coming from..


My, this place is getting violent, isn't it??

[Techno]

An idea I got to eliminate the power requirement was to install ear buds in the helmet. Hardly no cost stereo you can hear all the time, as long as your wearing the helmet and don't cost much in watts.
A split system like this might be the best. Low watt/cost for sitting and eardrum breaking buds for high end. A bit of finagling and you could have intercom too.

One reason I push the front staging on boats is its perfect for it in all but bow riders. A large open area up front fairly easy to get to. kind of protected from the weather. Don't have to cut nuthin. Might have the bow bulkhead to clamp stuff to.

[GP-1]

Oh God..... Don't EVER let Randy Pierson hear you talk about putting weight in the front of your boat just so you can listen to music... He called me an idiot seven different ways when I suggested it.. Apparently, giving up .47391 mph is WAY to high a price to pay for music..

Seriously, my boat is really sensitive to any additional weight forward of the seats, so I'll probably listen to him.....

Damn...

[MirageSmack]

I'm not an audiophile either. I have a '92 Ski Racer thats never had a stereo in it, thought it would be nice. But it all has to pop out easily, since I know speakers are heavy and all. Thanks for the advice and I'll figure out whats best I guess. later

[ApolloImaging]

Itchy if i remember right ( and I have a hard time remembering a week ago so I may be wrong:rolleyes: ) Pat took a piece of 3/4" plywood that he had gelcoated and either glassed or epoxied that to his floor. Then he mounted the radio housing ( which im pretty sure you can get at any marine supply place) to that. The speakers are 5 1/4 marine speakers mounted into the front bulkhead, it works pretty cool that way making a natural enclosure for them, although im sure you wouldnt want to cut into that too much since its a major structural component, but probably 5x7s or maybe 6x9s could go in there as well.

[LaserLTV]

In my Laser LTV I mounted the stereo in the dash, the 6x9s under the deck, the 6 1/2" round speaker in the side panels and the amp and 10 sub are under the rear set. The head unit is a Jensen MP3 player, Jensen 6 1/2" speakers, Pioneer 6x9 speakers, 600 watt amp (off brand, sooner or later they all get wet) and an Infifity 10" sub with a 1.2 cubic foot box. It's not ultra high dollar, but it sound great and with the remote we can float around with the family and enjoy it. Any way, you cant hear it at 90+ MPH anyway.:D

http://forums.screamandfly.com/Gallery/data/502/709dash21.jpg

[blkmtrfan]

Show us the rest of that boat, it look pretty nice :cool:

[LaserLTV]

Here is a side shot

[Hottrucks]

Don't know it this helps but I found those pre molded radio boxs in of all places and I hate to say it Overtons there new sale book came in the mail and it was in there take a look it may help you they also had some other mounts and covers

[blkmtrfan]

Nice boat LaserLTV, looks great :cool:

[MirageSmack]

That is a great lookin boat! If you get the time, post some interior pics later. Thanks!

[LaserLTV]

Thanks, I really like the boat. It's a flighty but fun. Here's a pic of the interior.