Cabin stereo speaker system

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jibes138

jibes138

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Jan 27, 2008
3,092
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
The speakers in my cabin, a set of Bose 101 outdoor speakers that are now about 25 years old, sound terrible. I am driving them with a Kenwood marine version of a car radio. While looking into upgrading the system I found that automotive radios run at 4 ohms and household type speakers including most outdoor speakers used on decks and such are listed as 8 ohms for matching impedence to a household type receiver. What effect will this have on sound quality and/or potential damage to the system? How do others have sound systems set up in their cabins? Should I get a set of the round car style speakers and build an enclosure for them to mount where the Bose speakers are located? Thanks for any advice.
 
sailormanbigd

sailormanbigd

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Jul 24, 2006
628
Legnos, Starwind, Regal Mystic 30 cutter, 22 trailer sailor, bow rider NEW PORT RICHEY, FL
tunes

why not replace with new bose speakers? I was at an island recently and a redneck with a jonboat had one of those truck speaker boxes with a standard car stereo pushing it. He provided music-loud for most of the boaters at the island. I asked if he had them amped and he said no, but carried a spare battery to start his smoker motor with. The box had 2 speakers around 10 or 12 inches and i think some small tweeters. Sound quality was good. Back in the day-1978 i think my buddy or i put moderate sized home speakers in the back seat of his car but alas I can't remember if they sounded good or not? Too many dead brain cells I guess. I'm sure they were good sounding depending on what we were smokin!
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Using higher-ohm (8) speakers on a 4-ohm output will not be a problem. I would not us a speaker rated lower than the 4-ohm output, though. I run guitar amp (4) into a speaker (8) like that all the time.
 
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Forrest15112

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Jan 22, 2008
423
Catalina 30 Mandeville, La.
Using 8ohm spkrs on a system designed for 4ohms will reduce the maximum power out from the amplifier. Functionally, it wouldnt be a problem. If you were to put a 4ohm spkr on a system designed and rated for 8ohm spkrs, they need to be rated for twice the power because of the lower load of the 4ohm spkrs will increase voltage across the speaker coil. Sound quality and even loudness should not be a problem.
 
Delezynski

Delezynski

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Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Ron,

When I set up our boat sound system, I used an auto radio from Wally World. Low cost but worked well and can play SD cards, and USB thumb drives also. I could get 2 for less than one marine radio.

I did get marine waterproof speakers for it. I used 2 speakers in the cabin and 2 in a spray hood I built into the spray hood in our cockpit under the dodger. I use the fader on the radio so I can select the front (inside) speaker or the rear (cockpit) speakers or both. Has worked very well for us. The radio even came with an wireless remote so we can change stations/modes from the V birth :D or from the cockpit.

Greg

Cockpit speaker in photo....
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,215
CC 30 South Florida
You could not do much better than replacing the old ones with new Bose speakers. 8 ohm speakers will just seem to reduce the power of the amplifier. At normal listening levels you should not notice any difference.
 
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SVCarolena

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Oct 17, 2007
40
- - Washington, DC
No problem - we installed a Pioneer automotive head unit in our boat with home bookshelf speakers in the cabin. I spoke with a number of audiophiles before doing so, and they all said it would work fine.
 
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