A while back Philwsailz contributed some information to a topic on the SBO forum regarding music on a boat. Specifically, he wrote about using sound exciters instead of speakers. Sound exciters are small devices less than 2 inches in diameter that make the surface they are attached to vibrate and act as a speaker. I recently installed a few on my boat (cockpit) and couldn't be more pleased with the results. No large holes were cut, no chance of anybody damaging speakers or grills, they are totally out of sight and are completely protected from the elements. But the biggest surprise was that they actually sound terrific. I really didn't expect that. I just want to thank Philwsailz for his wonderful advice. If it weren't for him I never would have known about these amazing little devices. I have to admit that these sound exciters are one of my favorite upgrades. I am now looking for places to install them inside the cabin. Thank you for sharing this information, it's sincerely appreciated.
Here is some specific information about my installation if anyone is interested in adding music to their cockpit without cutting big holes in the fiberglass. My boat is a 1983 C&C 29-2. The sound exciters that I used are made by HiWave model HIAX32C20-8 which are specifically designed to drive dense rigid surfaces like glass. The cost was about $20 each. I mounted a total of four sound exciters on the interior surfaces of the cockpit seat backs which is also the inboard surface of the cockpit combing. (2 per channel) I actually purchased six but may not install the other two even though my stereo can handle 2ohms. Four of them really fill the cockpit with plenty of sound. What makes the sound so unique is that you can't pin point exactly where the music is coming from because a large surface area is acting as a speaker. The sound exciters that I used are rated at 8 ohms and I wired two of them in parallel to achieve 4 ohms. The location seems ideal because the seat backs are angled and help direct the sound more directly to the listeners ears. The fiberglass at this location is thinner than some of the other areas of the cockpit which helps acoustically. I tried many other locations and this one seemed to sound the best plus there is no chance that they will ever get wet or damaged. Experiment with different locations of the exciters on your own boat because location may significantly change the tone of the sounds produced. My stereo system is a Fusion MS-IP600 controlled by a remote mounted in an existing screw out inspection port mounted in the cockpit. Have fun with these things, they really are amazing.
Here is some specific information about my installation if anyone is interested in adding music to their cockpit without cutting big holes in the fiberglass. My boat is a 1983 C&C 29-2. The sound exciters that I used are made by HiWave model HIAX32C20-8 which are specifically designed to drive dense rigid surfaces like glass. The cost was about $20 each. I mounted a total of four sound exciters on the interior surfaces of the cockpit seat backs which is also the inboard surface of the cockpit combing. (2 per channel) I actually purchased six but may not install the other two even though my stereo can handle 2ohms. Four of them really fill the cockpit with plenty of sound. What makes the sound so unique is that you can't pin point exactly where the music is coming from because a large surface area is acting as a speaker. The sound exciters that I used are rated at 8 ohms and I wired two of them in parallel to achieve 4 ohms. The location seems ideal because the seat backs are angled and help direct the sound more directly to the listeners ears. The fiberglass at this location is thinner than some of the other areas of the cockpit which helps acoustically. I tried many other locations and this one seemed to sound the best plus there is no chance that they will ever get wet or damaged. Experiment with different locations of the exciters on your own boat because location may significantly change the tone of the sounds produced. My stereo system is a Fusion MS-IP600 controlled by a remote mounted in an existing screw out inspection port mounted in the cockpit. Have fun with these things, they really are amazing.
