The Nauti influenced stereo upgrade.

[NautiGirl]

How are you planning on using the boat? Let me give you two examples to help.

Are you like my aunt that likes to listen to music at a moderate volume so as not to offend others, doesn't care if she can hear the music while running across the lake at 20mph (going slow to save fuel) and sometimes doesn't even turn the radio on while on while boating? Nothing wrong /w that btw. Just an example.

OR

Are you like my wife who wants to be able to hear her jams at all times, even while flying across the lake wide open with the captains call on, then pull into a cove turn on the stereo and watch as other boats pull anchor and leave?

These answers will help me put something together lol.

[higginspa1371]

Fade just works front 2 and cockpit four. No AMP Standard Radio MX-8BB. Can I tie front speakers to new swim platform speakers. How involved i hooking up an amp?

[Big Block Power]

Fade just works front 2 and cockpit four. No AMP Standard Radio MX-8BB. Can I tie front speakers to new swim platform speakers. How involved i hooking up an amp?

At least cobalt is back up to three good wiring habbits. No don't wire the transom to the bow speakers. I think they are dropping the ohms down to 2 ohms. But sure if that had can handle 2 ohms. I think it can. Do you want a sub. Now is the time. We are about to spend your money

[higginspa1371]

I say spend with the intention I can hook it up and not leave it at the marina for a week out of the water

[Big Block Power]

I say spend with the intention I can hook it up and not leave it at the marina for a week out of the water

How handy are you. Do you have a trailer. Or fastest way is get it to the stereo shop and do it right.

[NautiGirl]

I say spend with the intention I can hook it up and not leave it at the marina for a week out of the water

So you have a couple options. Cobalt didn't do you any favors, you are running six speakers off a Rockford Fosgate Head unit which is really not delivering them enough power to sound good. The way it is hooked up now you are not taking advantage of the money you have invested in speakers if that makes sense.

You have two options

Option one - add an amp to power the two speakers you are adding and leave the other six speakers alone. This will work, problem will be the two new speakers are going to be noticeably louder than the six in the boat. Like NOTICEABLY.

Option two is to add an amp and re-wire all six speakers in the boat plus the two you are adding. This will "fix" the quite frankly crappy job Cobalt did at the factory. Compromise nothing my ass. $100k plus boat and it has a stereo I wouldn't put in a Ford Focus, but I digress.

If it was my boat I would go w/ option two, we did it over the off season and it was a lot of work, but man does it sound good now. Night and day difference. Screaming across the lake at 50mph you can still hear the stereo loud and clear. We have not turned the volume past about half b/c Katie said it didn't need to be any louder. Clear and just awesome sound. Worth it but I am a stereo dork so take that into account.

Stick /w JL Audio or Wet Sounds. I like JL Big Block Power went Wet Sounds. Don't tell Big Block but I think JL makes much better amp's.

This assumes you are not adding a sub, if you want to do that then now is the time but it will change my recommendations.

If you just want to add an amp to power the two new speakers then this will do it: https://creativeaudio.net/m200-2/

If you really want to do it right then add this: https://creativeaudio.net/m800-8v2/ The M800/8 is the amp that the R5 comes /w when you buy the premium audio package just FYI.

Either amp install will also need power wire, ground wire, and new speaker wire. Little stuff that adds up. Honestly its not that hard to install though, if you can cut holes in your boat I can totally walk you through wiring up an amp.

[Big Block Power]

Or would be a bonus if cobalt ran 4 guage wow already but don't count on it. Just maybe. I don't have anything that new to reference too. Sorry. I would run a amp to power 4 cockpit speakers and the 2 transom. Run the bow off the head. I 6 channel amp done. Or prep it for bigger better and a sub and do 2 Amps.

[NautiGirl]

Or would be a bonus if cobalt ran 4 guage wow already but don't count on it. Just maybe. I don't have anything that new to reference too. Sorry. I would run a amp to power 4 cockpit speakers and the 2 transom. Run the bow off the head. I 6 channel amp done. Or prep it for bigger better and a sub and do 2 Amps.

I'm bored at work, lets debate lol.

He is adding a new amp either way which means wire and all the stuff to do the amp install is a sunk cost, he is spending it either way. That means the difference between doing it right and running all eight speakers off an amp vs cutting corners and running some off the head is the price difference in the amps and some blood sweat and tears to run new speaker wire.

Cost difference in the amps is $830 - 380 = $450.

I would spend the $450 do it and be done. Just me.

I know Cobalt says they wire the boat for all options regardless of what the build sheet says, but 4GA copper wire be expensive. What did we spend like $2/ft? I would be surprised if they were running ground and power wires for boats w/o amps, but I have been wrong before.

[puttsputts]

on my r3 I was surprised to learn that the harness and breakers were included for all options. so to add the M200 for the tower, power cable was there as were the speaker wires and only needed to plug into the PMX empty jacks and the new amp. But actually doing it under the deck was not fun.

[Big Block Power]

Correct I'm sure it's there. The problem is was it 10,8 or the proper 4 guage. Jeff I can't remember seeing at the factory hard to tell in your picture. Maybe you can see it. Yes what they have will work. Will it cut out? Maybe. I used the factory wire last year. What was I losing in performance I don't know but it was something. JL and Wet Sounds wants 4 guage so that's what I gave them.

[Big Block Power]

I guess Higgins what was your thought when you cut the holes. What were you going to wire them too?

[higginspa1371]

I was going to use the existing wire harnesses that are in the boat. Swim platform speakers duetch connectors are there and marked . Was hoping just to plug into what is there. Easy button now would be add amp and run 4 gauge in the off season?

[NautiGirl]

I was going to use the existing wire harnesses that are in the boat. Swim platform speakers duetch connectors are there and marked . Was hoping just to plug into what is there. Easy button now would be add amp and run 4 gauge in the off season?

Yup. But I am telling you if you run a dedicated 75 watts to the speakers on the back of the boat you are going to be super sad when you hear them compared to the six in boat speakers. You might as well plan to buy an 8 channel amp and just do it right.

[Big Block Power]

If they are pre-wired I wonder what channel they have them tied into. I wonder if it's to the bow. They can't tie into the cockpits. They also may run that for the premium system with a amp and you may not get any sound out of them if they don't connect it to anything with the base system.

[Bfun220]

I'll add my $.02
For now I'd tie into the bow speakers. I assume your head unit is 2 ohm stable as you already have 4 speakers off one channel. Not the best set up but would get you through this season.
In the off season go with Nauti's #2 option and do it right.