A boat client from Phoenix, Arizona, came to Handcrafted Car Audio looking to upgrade his Mastercraft audio system. He was a direct referral from Exile Audio, a well-respected marine audio manufacturer. The client had contacted them about interest in using their products in his boat, and they suggested he contact us since we were known to do high-quality installations. We were honored and humbled by the referral from Exile.
Mastercraft Audio Upgrade Starts With Consultation
Our team sat down with the client and reviewed his ideas for the boat, and we spent time looking over the boat together, exploring options. Once we had all of our information, we made a proposal to the client that he liked, so we set an installation date.
Exile XM-9 Tower Speakers
As this vehicle is used for wakeboarding, we wanted to make sure he was going to have plenty of output when enjoying that aspect of life on the water. We installed two sets of Exile XM-9 speakers in the tower to give him concert-level output. We ran our own wiring into the wake tower and used solder and heat-shrink on all our connections for the ultimate in reliability. We used grommets at entry and exit points of the wiring to eliminate any possibility of jarring on the water damaging the wire.
Exile Speakers And Subwoofer Provide Great Sound For The Interior Of The Boat
Once the wakeboarders were taken care of, we needed great sound for the driver and passengers. We installed two pairs of Exile SX-65M 6.5” coaxial speakers in the cabin, along with an Exile XI-12 12” subwoofer. This combination of speakers gave the client a party atmosphere any time he cranked it up. Just as in the wake tower speakers, we ran all-new wiring and used solder, heat-shrink and grommets for the best in long-term reliability. We installed the subwoofer in one of Handcrafted Car Audio’s custom ported enclosures, in a cavity that previously held a plastic tub. This way, the client lost no usable space in the boat. Everything we used to make the subwoofer was marine-grade material, and we also installed a protective grille over the face of the subwoofer.
System Power By Exile
We installed a total of three Exile amplifiers: two XM-15.4 amplifiers to power the tower speakers and cabin speakers, and an Exile Harpoon amplifier to power the subwoofer. The client now has power to spare with well over 1,000 watts of clean power. He will never have to worry about whether the volume will overcome the engine noise while cruising, so now getting there is as much fun as arriving.
Dual Zone Control With Exile ZLD
We also installed an Exile ZLD zone controller to give the client easy control over the two different zones in the boat. We reused the existing stereo in the vehicle, but rewired the power and ground directly to the battery so it wouldn’t shut down from a lack of current. We made a custom amplifier mounting rack out of expanded PVC to hold the three amplifiers, and all the wiring, terminals and connections were marine-rated products.
You Can Be Our Next, Satisfied, Client
The client was thrilled with the outcome, loving our attention to detail and the sound quality.
When you are in the market for a marine audio upgrade, we invite you to stop by Handcrafted Car Audio. We would be honored to design and build the audio system you have always wanted.
You can also contact us here for more information about any of our products and services.
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