Walker Custom Aluminum Boat Audio System for Vancouver Client

Ralph’s Radio in Vancouver and Victoria recently finished this Walker custom aluminum boat audio system. The client contacted us almost a year ago and invited us to work with Walker Custom Aluminum Boats in Coombs, BC, to develop an audio solution that could be integrated into his new boat from the very beginning of its construction. We met with the client and design team at Walker to plan the system and provide all the product specifications they needed to build the system into the boat.

Audiophile Marine System Design

Walker builds their all-aluminum boats to their client specifications. If you need something a little longer or shorter, just let them know. This process ensures each client gets a vessel that is exactly what they want. Part of this flexibility includes the ability to include mounting locations for speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers right in the original design.

Our client wanted a system that would sound great from anywhere on board. The cabin of the boat is home to two sets of Focal Utopia No. 6 component speakers and the forward berth has a third set of these premium 6.5-inch component speakers. A single 12-inch Focal E30KX subwoofer reinforces low-frequency information across the system.

Product Installation Process

Being able to work on the boat during construction made running the wires easier.

Plenty of sound deadening was used to tame the resonances of the aluminum.

The Corian pods provided by Walker housed the Utopia speakers.

The forward berth of the boat was treated to the same Utopia speakers as the rest of the boat.

To keep the party going outside, we installed a set of WetSounds speakers.

The space Walker designed for the amplifiers was a perfect fit.

Once we provided Walker with all the speaker mounting sizes, they created mounting locations, made from DuPont Corian, at the rear of the cabin, cutouts on either side and above the helm, and a third set in the trim panels of the berth. A set of WetSounds water-resistant speakers provides sound when the owner and guests are outside on the deck of the boat.

Walker invited us to run our wiring through the boat in the middle of the assembly process before all the trim was in place. We installed several rolls of SoundSkins damping material behind each speaker to eliminate vibrations and control acoustic reflections. Damping material can make a huge difference in the performance of an audio system.

Walker also provided an amp rack for three large Audison amplifiers. We used an AV 5.1k and a pair of Voce AV Quattro four-channel amps to power the system. The system is entirely active. This means each tweeter, each midrange and the sub has a dedicated amplifier channel assigned to it. This not only gives us amazing flexibility in tuning the system, but ensures excellent system efficiency.

Walker Custom Aluminum Boat Audio System Configuration

We installed a Fusion MS-AV750 source unit above the entrance to the forward berth. This marine-grade DVD receiver provides a tuner; Bluetooth audio streaming; CD playback; and digital media support for MP3, FLAC and M4A files. The source unit includes multi-zone control to give the client the ability to adjust the outdoor, cabin and berth system volumes independently.

We fed the output of the Fusion source unit to an Audison bit One HD digital signal processor. This DSP allowed us to divide up the signals for the tweeters, midrange and subwoofers drivers. With 13 outputs and the ability to route the inputs to any output, it was easy to configure the system.

Formal System Tuning Process

We used varying microphone placements to get an averaged RTA reading during tuning.

We tuned the system using our laptop and AudioControl RTA.

Several months later, with the boat finished and docked at a marina here in Vancouver, we returned to tune the system. Using our AudioControl SA3050 audio analyzer, we set up each listening zone to provide smooth and natural frequency response. The amplifier sensitivity controls are set to ensure the system will play loudly without distorting. With nearly 2,400 watts of power, it’s no problem for the system to be loud while sounding great.

With the final tuning complete on the system, it was time for the client to have a listen. He was thrilled with the detail and clarity of the system – even at high volume levels. This system sounds better than most home audio system from almost anywhere on the boat.

The client is very happy with his Walker custom aluminum boat audio system and we enjoyed working with Walker on this project. This is likely to be the first of many audio solutions we’ll develop together.

If you have a boat of any size and are looking for a premium audio solution, drop by Ralph’s Radio in Vancouver or Victoria and speak with a member of our team. You can reach us by e-mail for more information using our contact page.