A client from Camilla recently contacted the team at Precision Audio to inquire about an audio system upgrade for his 2018 Regency 254 DL3 pontoon boat. The factory-installed stereo didn’t play loudly enough and certainly didn’t produce enough bass to make cranking it up enjoyable. We started by inspecting the boat to determine what we could install and where. After a discussion with the client, we developed a plan that would deliver the amazing sound system performance he wanted.
Pontoon Boat Speaker and Subwoofer
We started by removing the stock speakers from the boat to make way for two sets of JL Audio MX650-CCX-SG-TB 6.5-inch coaxial speakers. These new speakers fit perfectly into the factory speaker openings in the boat. The sport gray finish looks perfect against the black-and-gray fiberglass interior.
Next, our technicians constructed a subwoofer enclosure for a pair of Rockford Fosgate PM212S4 12-inch marine subwoofers. The enclosure fits into one of the large storage lockers in the floor of the pontoon boat. Once the enclosure was finished, we treated it to a coat of Line-X to make it waterproof.
Pontoon Audio System Amplifiers
The new sound system is powered by a pair of Rockford Fosgate Punch Series marine amplifiers. A four-channel PM400X4 amp provides up to 50 watts of clean power to each of the JL Audio coaxial speakers. A matching PM500X1bd monoblock subwoofer amplifier provides the subwoofers with a total of 500 watts of power.
The amplifiers are mounted at the back of the storage locker on the left side of the boat and are fed with 4-AWG power wire and MESA power distribution blocks. We added a MESA Power MP1200 AGM battery to the system to provide extra play time for the stereo. The second battery is isolated from the main battery with a 200-amp Stinger solenoid, so the client always has reserve power to start the engine. A marine-grade SCBM150 circuit breaker protects the battery from short-circuits.
Three sets of Stinger SMCRA2 marine RCAs connect the new amplifiers to the Kenwood KMR-M322BT receiver that came with the boat. Regency installed a KCA-RC55MR remote control on the left side of the helm near the ignition key to make it easy to control the audio system without having to open the storage locker door.
Visit the Marine Audio Experts at Precision Audio Today!
With the system installed and the controls on the amplifiers set to work with the Kenwood radio, JL speakers and Rockford subwoofers, the client returned to Precision Audio to check out the new system. He loved the way it sounds and was thrilled with the installation. If you are interested in upgrading the audio system in your pontoon boat, drop by our store in Bainbridge or Thomasville, or send us an e-mail using our contact form.
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