Sea Ray Sundancer Yacht Audio System For Vancouver Marine Client

A client from Vancouver contacted Ralph’s Radio about a upgrade for his Sea Ray 420 Sundancer yacht audio system. After getting together with the client, looking over the boat and exploring ideas, we worked up a solution for him. After reviewing it, the client liked our ideas, so we set a time to begin working on it.

It All Starts with a Good Source Unit

The Fusion marine radio gives control of the audio sources and zones in the yacht.

The Fusion remote control gives control of the four audio zones.

In this yacht, we replaced the vast majority of the equipment while doing several upgrades along the way. The goal was to make the boat a party on the water. We installed a Fusion MS-AV700i source unit in the main cabin area and flush an MS-NRX200i remote controller into the main cockpit near the pilot. The client gained easy control over the four different audio zones: cockpit, cabin, berth and bow. We also added SiriusXM Radio and Bluetooth streaming to increase the entertainment options. An MS-UNIDOCK – a unique waterproof device that holds portable media and connects to the Fusion stereo system via USB – allows for even more musical choices.

When You Want a Party, You Need Lots of Power

Numerous amplifiers by JL Audio, Wetsounds and Audison were used to power this audio system.

All of the amplifier wiring was routed neatly and wire-tied for reliability and ease of servicing.

If you have ever attended a concert, you know what raw power is all about. If you want an marine audio system that jams, you need lots of it. For this reason, Ralph’s Radio used a total of five amplifiers on this Sea Ray, giving the client more than 3,000 watts of clean power. At any moment, the party can happen in any of the four areas with a twist of the volume knob.

We used two JL Audio 450/4 amplifiers to power the main cabin speakers. A JL Audio 500/1 powers the subwoofers. An Audison LRX5 powers the front tower speakers, and the Wetsounds SD6 powers the three pairs of JL 8.8” coaxial speakers. We fabricated a custom amp rack out of marine-grade composite to hold the amplifiers, and neatly loomed and secured all wiring to allow easy servicing in the future.

Speakers Make the Difference in a Sound System

One of the JL Audio 8″ coaxial speakers that helps fill the yacht with sound.

A custom adapter plate was fabricated to mount the flat speaker on this curved surface.

The solution for audio in the front of the yacht came in the form of JL Audio tower speakers.

Elaborate side panels were built to space out the JL Audio coaxial speakers in the radar arch.

A spacer plate was fabricated and upholstered in white vinyl to fit one pair of the speakers.

The cockpit area of the yacht contains speakers and audio controls.

One area where you never want to skimp in a marine audio system is the quality and quantity of speakers. They have to take the abuse of life on the water and sound great for extended periods of time at louder levels. That’s why we placed three pairs of JL Audio’s M880-CCX-SG-WH 8.8” coaxial speakers throughout the yacht. One pair went in the cockpit, one pair in the radar arch and a third pair in the rear of the craft. In some areas, we had to make custom speaker adapters to allow them to fit, since they are much deeper than a normal marine model.

For great sound in the front, we added a pair of JL Audio M880 tower speakers, mounted on the top railing. As you can see in the pictures, we hid the wiring inside the tubing, making for a clean, custom look.

Subwoofers Make the Music Come Alive

The JL Audio subwoofers are designed to work in the open environment of marine audio applications.

One of the JL Audio coaxial speakers, and one of the two JL Audio subwoofers that help this system to sound so good.

Have you ever felt music hitting you in your chest? It was as though you were immersed in the music. You were experiencing a good-quality subwoofer system. It’s what makes the music come alive. In this Sea Ray, we installed a pair of JL Audio M10W5 10” marine subwoofers, with one behind the pilot and one in the main cabin area. The combination gave the audio system incredible dynamics, making the party more enjoyable.

Sometimes You Just Want to Watch TV

There are times in life when sitting back and enjoying a favorite show or movie is the perfect ending to a great day. The team at Ralph’s installed an LG Smart TV in the main cabin area, along with a WiFi router with extender. Since most marinas offer WiFi, this allows the passengers the capability of pulling up, docking and then relaxing for the evening to a good show. To make the sound more enjoyable, we added more power to the existing cabin speakers.

Experience Better-sounding Marine Audio for Yourself

When you are ready to upgrade the marine audio system in your boat, we invite you to stop by either of Ralph’s Radio locations, in Vancouver or Victoria. One of our highly trained staff will work with you to design and build the solution that best fits your needs. Let us show you why people have been trusting us with their audio needs for more than 60 years.

You can also contact us HERE for more information about any of our products and services.