Recommendation for Loudspeakers on Double Decker Pontoon Boat

[dropkick13 0]

Hey guys, just bought a double decker pontoon boat and want to throw some Loudspeakers up top for some island parties and raft ups I hit during the summer.   I'm shooting for extremely loud and bass heavy (seems to be what most people like) and have a budget of $1k for the setup.  I was planning on getting two JBL Eon 15's based off my DJ friend's recommendation but I figured I'd ask here as well.

 

I plan to power the setup with a Honda EU2000i genny (not yet purchased) or perhaps the Ryobi 2000.

 

Also, I'm hoping there exists some way of connecting a blue tooth module directly to the speakers, than controlling wirelessly via phone.  Is that possible? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[///M5 2,833]

Eon's won't give you bass. Does the $1k budget include them?

Is all the partying going to be on the boat? Are you trying to deal with water around you? Can I assume you'll "hang" them up before you go out and take them down? Does the budget include somethings to mount them (if so/not curious how fast the boat goes for that purpose)?

No matter the answer you are on the right track. I'd be shopping your local Craigslist for some used PA fronts like that and figuring out where you can slap a sub and such.

You will need some sort of volume pot, I personally would recommend an analog one but you can buy a kick ass ALPS for $30 or a generic POS for nearly free.

Review the budget so we are clear to make sure the ideas work.

[jonbearsmt 919]

sweet boat

[JRC 0]

y dont you just get some marine speakers woofers and tweets.....alot of the stuff is very reasonable and sounds great and are very durable

[dropkick13 0]

y dont you just get some marine speakers woofers and tweets.....alot of the stuff is very reasonable and sounds great and are very durable

 

 

I'll have a simple, cheap system for hanging out in the boat.  This setup I'm asking about is for 100+ people parties outside.

 

sweet boat

 

 

Thanks!  Definitely needs a little work but I got a good deal.  It should offer a good time for a lot of people!

 

Eon's won't give you bass. Does the $1k budget include them?

Is all the partying going to be on the boat? Are you trying to deal with water around you? Can I assume you'll "hang" them up before you go out and take them down? Does the budget include somethings to mount them (if so/not curious how fast the boat goes for that purpose)?

No matter the answer you are on the right track. I'd be shopping your local Craigslist for some used PA fronts like that and figuring out where you can slap a sub and such.

You will need some sort of volume pot, I personally would recommend an analog one but you can buy a kick ass ALPS for $30 or a generic POS for nearly free.

Review the budget so we are clear to make sure the ideas work.

 

The $1k budget is for whatever setup I get so if I were to get 2 EON's, my budget would be pretty much eaten up.  That said, I'm not set on the EON's as I've never even heard them.  Unfortunately, I need to rely on advice and don't have time to hear different setups.   The $1k budget would not include the generator obviously.  The budget could be stretched a bit too.  Money is not too much of a concern but I have a habit of letting spending get out of hand while trying to make things bigger and better, heh.

 

When I'm running these speakers, assume the speakers will be placed on stands on the top deck (where my friend is standing in the picture).  There could be a few people on the bow, but figure more often than not we do raft ups and island parties so partying will be around the boat 25-100 ft away ish.  

 

Obviously, nothing will be fixed to the boat.  

 

I'm not planning on having a mixer or anything like that.  I'd like to be able to just throw on Spotify from my phone and then control it wirelessly via Bluetooth, if possible.  

[JRC 0]

wow i must be tired or somethin 2nd eff up of the night

sorry bout that zebra makes some good pro stuff and very cheap

[///M5 2,833]

y dont you just get some marine speakers woofers and tweets.....alot of the stuff is very reasonable and sounds great and are very durable

And won't be heard three feet away. Absolutely terrible option. OP was on a WAY, WAY, WAY better path before.

The $1k budget is for whatever setup I get so if I were to get 2 EON's, my budget would be pretty much eaten up.  That said, I'm not set on the EON's as I've never even heard them.  Unfortunately, I need to rely on advice and don't have time to hear different setups.   The $1k budget would not include the generator obviously.  The budget could be stretched a bit too.  Money is not too much of a concern but I have a habit of letting spending get out of hand while trying to make things bigger and better, heh.

 

When I'm running these speakers, assume the speakers will be placed on stands on the top deck (where my friend is standing in the picture).  There could be a few people on the bow, but figure more often than not we do raft ups and island parties so partying will be around the boat 25-100 ft away ish.  

 

Obviously, nothing will be fixed to the boat.  

 

I'm not planning on having a mixer or anything like that.  I'd like to be able to just throw on Spotify from my phone and then control it wirelessly via Bluetooth, if possible.

You want bass and loud, either need more budget by a lot or to go a different route. Buying a used amp, some used pro audio speakers, and subs is the route you should go. See what you can find locally on CL. The Eon's will get nice and loud, but will have no bass. You could add subs & an amp to them and be set though.

[dropkick13 0]

You want bass and loud, either need more budget by a lot or to go a different route. Buying a used amp, some used pro audio speakers, and subs is the route you should go. See what you can find locally on CL. The Eon's will get nice and loud, but will have no bass. You could add subs & an amp to them and be set though.

 

Hmmm, ok.  Simplicity will be a factor to as it won't be enjoyable to lug a 6 piece set around (2 generators, sub, amp, 2 speakers).

 

*Note* When I say bass heavy, I don't need to make ears bleed a mile away but out in the open outside, bass has nothing to bounce off of and just doesn't travel well so I'm wanting something more bass oriented than an indoor setup to counter the lack of an acoustic environment.

 

Would I be better off (in terms of overall loudness and heavy bass) with a single speaker, sub, amp, single 2k watt generator on a $1,000-$1,500 budget (excluding genny)  or 2 speakers that are bass heavy for loudspeakers and a  2k watt generator?  

 

I'm feeling like the real key here will be to just get something started and I can always add onto it later if I'm not satisfied, but I'd definitely like to have as few pieces as possible (takes up space, more pieces to protect, more pieces to haul around).

 

I realize I'm being quite subjective so just let me know if I need to explain my preferences/priorities better.  In order of preference:  Loud + Bass Heavy + Decent Overall Quality > Simplicity (few pieces, less weight, portability) > Budget (though something over $5k would be unreasonable for me).

 

Also, remember I want to play music straight from a cell phone so there will be no mixing board or anyone to man the station.

[///M5 2,833]

Music straight from the cell phone won't happen. You need some processing. That being said a $100 miniDSP with a volume knob would kick ass for that. Other option is to make sure that your pro audio tops can cross themselves and buy a sub amp that also has a crossover. Then you can split and balance indepently. You may find that the amplifiers however do not like the input from your cell phone since it will be very low. If you have hiss you'll need a line driver as well.

In my boat I have a ported Xcon 15" with 1kW on tap. It makes the boat hump, but if I were doing what you are I'd take it up a step further and at least do an 18". I'd probably build the sub box into the cab/cabin or at least be flush with it and keep it semi-permanently on board. The highs I'd put on pillars coming out the front of the boat up by the points of the pontoons aiming backwards. Something with a rather directional horn instead of a widespread will also be better.

The best modular approach is to do the sub/amp/passive volume knob/and some used pro-audio monitors. If you don't love the monitors your first upgrade will be to sell those and get bigger ones. They really will not work at all without a sub. Believe me. I know how to get girls to remove their swimsuits on a boat and load isn't the goal, you NEED bass.

Of course, a linedriver may be the first update if it hisses hot and heavy.

**No matter what you do, I would highly suggest an analog or any volume control in between your phone and the amplifiers. Other people WILL screw with your play lists and volume and without the extra protection in between you will end up with blown shit.

In my boat I have three zones (wakeboard boat). Z1 is the in boats. Z2 are the tower speakers. Z3 is the sub. Each have their own volume control. I also use a 4th volume knob for overall. I have no headunit either as I use an Android tablet connected to a 1Tb hard drive of music. My system was similar in price to yours, but I'm building my speakers for integration which makes it a bit more cost effective. You need to get there by buying some used monitors. Start shopping

[dropkick13 0]

Music straight from the cell phone won't happen. You need some processing. That being said a $100 miniDSP with a volume knob would kick ass for that. Other option is to make sure that your pro audio tops can cross themselves and buy a sub amp that also has a crossover. Then you can split and balance indepently. You may find that the amplifiers however do not like the input from your cell phone since it will be very low. If you have hiss you'll need a line driver as well.

In my boat I have a ported Xcon 15" with 1kW on tap. It makes the boat hump, but if I were doing what you are I'd take it up a step further and at least do an 18". I'd probably build the sub box into the cab/cabin or at least be flush with it and keep it semi-permanently on board. The highs I'd put on pillars coming out the front of the boat up by the points of the pontoons aiming backwards. Something with a rather directional horn instead of a widespread will also be better.

The best modular approach is to do the sub/amp/passive volume knob/and some used pro-audio monitors. If you don't love the monitors your first upgrade will be to sell those and get bigger ones. They really will not work at all without a sub. Believe me. I know how to get girls to remove their swimsuits on a boat and load isn't the goal, you NEED bass.

Of course, a linedriver may be the first update if it hisses hot and heavy.

**No matter what you do, I would highly suggest an analog or any volume control in between your phone and the amplifiers. Other people WILL screw with your play lists and volume and without the extra protection in between you will end up with blown shit.

In my boat I have three zones (wakeboard boat). Z1 is the in boats. Z2 are the tower speakers. Z3 is the sub. Each have their own volume control. I also use a 4th volume knob for overall. I have no headunit either as I use an Android tablet connected to a 1Tb hard drive of music. My system was similar in price to yours, but I'm building my speakers for integration which makes it a bit more cost effective. You need to get there by buying some used monitors. Start shopping

 

Thank you so much for putting so much thought and time into helping me out.

 

I agree with your stance on the semi permanent setup being ideal, however, I bought this boat 7 years used to see how much I'd enjoy having a gigantic pontoon boat on this river.   I won't have this particular boat for more than 2 seasons or so as I'll either sell it and get a different type of boat, or sell it and get a similar but new boat that will be worth investing in permanent and/or semi permanent customization.   Another advantage to keeping everything 100% portable is that when I'm at anchor and not beached, I'll be able to aim the speakers as the wind shifts my boat around (having the entire setup on the top deck which is completely open).   As for the audio setup specifically, my house has been turned into a bit of a party house (recent break up with serious girl friend, heh), so this setup will double for in house entertainment as well.  That said, I want to tailor the setup to the outdoor / boat use and do not care at all if it's not ideal for indoor use as that's just an ancillary benefit. 

 

I had to look up what you were referring to regarding the miniDSP:  http://www.minidsp.com/applications   Looks like just a control box with perhaps a cross over in it?  What sort of monitors are you referring to?

 

You're an acoustics engineer and I assume a perfectionist when it comes to this.  Keep in mind, simplicity will go a long way for making me happy   The most ideal setup I could imagine would be having all of the pieces of the system thrown on the top deck and my tablet/phone below in the cabin WIRELESSLY selecting music.  As for volume control from a MiniDSP, I can definitely see where you're getting with that.  I don't think it would be a huge deal if volume had to be controlled up top with the rest of the setup.  So, can my insistence on having this wireless song selection be made to happen?  If I continue with the idea of having all pieces portable, what would you now recommend?   The more I can consolidate pieces, the better (willing to sacrifice some sound quality).  Perhaps 2 loudspeakers for mids/highs, 18" sub with ported enclosure, miniDSP w/ volume control, some sort of Bluetooth module to wirelessly control song selection (I still don't know if these exist), and I'm thinking now I might need a second generator like this setup:   http://www.wisesales.com/eu2000i-companion-package-honda-generator.html#.UV70Q5PPy6M

 

Thoughts on the above?   Thanks again, appreciated a million times over. 

[dropkick13 0]

Oh yea, If I can find a spot for it on the bow somewhere, I also wanted to get a TV for playing youtube videos from a phone/tablet but I'm not seeing that fruition into reality.  

[BoozCruise 0]

Im the guy standing on top of the boat. Do what the guy says Dropkick. More bass = Less clothes 

[///M5 2,833]

I'd put two poles up way front of the pontoon that allow you to use the rigging mounts for the pa speakers.  Aim them at the back of the boat, one on the left one on the right.  You'll never have to re-aim anything then.

 

Portable and large sub enclosures aren't really one and the same.  You could build a sonotube sub and make it somewhat portable.

As for the volume control, you are in scary land here if the input to your amps isn't real close to the source.  Being portable which means unplugable I wouldn't want a bunch of drinkers running around tripping on that wire.  I'd be sure to spend time running permanent wiring and put the volume attenuator near the source.  Perhaps a box or something it all bolts into with a dock so no one unplugs/plugs it.

 

When I was your age, I bought a 30' Sea Ray for the same purpose.  Was the loudest on the lake

[dropkick13 0]

Yea I see there's really no easy plug and play setup for what I want. I've never seen a sonotube before, those things look crazy. What's the advantage?

One reason I was wanting to keep the speakers on the top deck is to reduce the likelihood of them getting splashed, hit with a football, etc. However, I think mounting some poles up there instead of using stands is a great idea. Do you think I could just up my budget and find some loud speakers that have good subwoofers built in already to make this setup easier? I would really love

If I do decide to do a permanent/semi permanent setup for the sub, what would you recommend doing?

[///M5 2,833]

Yea I see there's really no easy plug and play setup for what I want. I've never seen a sonotube before, those things look crazy. What's the advantage?

Do you think I could just up my budget and find some loud speakers that have good subwoofers built in already to make this setup easier? I would really love

No, can't find them together if you want to move them. For your goals you are going to need a very large sub enclosure. Sonotube is the cheapest, easiest way to do this.

Can't recommend anything really without knowing enclosure size limits. That is always the first step.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Sounds like some one is gonna be doing a little motor boatin

[dropkick13 0]

Yea I see there's really no easy plug and play setup for what I want. I've never seen a sonotube before, those things look crazy. What's the advantage?

Do you think I could just up my budget and find some loud speakers that have good subwoofers built in already to make this setup easier? I would really love

No, can't find them together if you want to move them. For your goals you are going to need a very large sub enclosure. Sonotube is the cheapest, easiest way to do this.

Can't recommend anything really without knowing enclosure size limits. That is always the first step.

hmmmm...ok.  Let me snap some pictures of the back of my boat where the batteries are and see what you think.  I could have a smaller box under a back seat to be close to the batteries, or put a large box mounted on the top deck.  

[///M5 2,833]

Big sound = big box

[dropkick13 0]

Big sound = big box

sounds logical.  Think I could get away with a box on the top deck?  I'm not sure how the electrical would work out.  I'd have the 2k w inverter generator up there, sub, amp, and 2 speakers (two generators if necessary).   Would hooking up the system to a battery up there, then the battery to the generator work?  That might keep the power more stable too perhaps as I'd assume the battery would act as a capacitor? (Might not be the right terminology). 

[///M5 2,833]

I wouldn't put anything up top.

If this is what you have, I'd personally probably build a sub into one of the couch bottoms. If you are taking the couches out for standing room then you'll have to go vertical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpxNWewrJ3k

[dropkick13 0]

I wouldn't put anything up top.

If this is what you have, I'd personally probably build a sub into one of the couch bottoms. If you are taking the couches out for standing room then you'll have to go vertical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpxNWewrJ3k

 

Yep that's the one.  Do you think that's enough space under the couch bottom?  Man, a girl would definitely enjoy sitting on that couch....

 

What are your thoughts for hooking up the electrical?

[///M5 2,833]

Have to make a complete custom base for it...and protect it from water.

If you want it to be easy to remove, just zip tie pvc along where you need the wires to go and run the wires through it.

[dropkick13 0]

Have to make a complete custom base for it...and protect it from water.

If you want it to be easy to remove, just zip tie pvc along where you need the wires to go and run the wires through it.

ah right, simple.   What sub would you recommend?  What cu ft requirements for the enclosure?

[dropkick13 0]

Have to make a complete custom base for it...and protect it from water.

If you want it to be easy to remove, just zip tie pvc along where you need the wires to go and run the wires through it.

 O and also, do you think I will need two of those 2k watt inverter generators or just one?