Back to the main site

Subwoofer placement

Stephan said:
Why not cans instead of sub? Mount on tow bar?
Click to expand...
Well, for a few reasons, first, cans aren't just for bass, which a sub is. Second, depending on who you are wanting the music for, on board guests or people being towed. (Remember cans are meant to project music, so don't sound nearly as good 5' away vs 20' away) Third would be wiring cleanly . You would end up with exposed wiring. Unless someone tried to feed it through the tow bar, which means they would have to drill a couple holes into it, reducing the structural integrity of the tow bar, which I suppose is possible to induce a catastrophic failure. Just my quick thoughts, but hey, everyone is the Capitan of their own boat! :)
 
I spoke with my installer about this issue, his response was, as long as you use a thick piece of plywood on the inside of the helm to run your mounting screws through rattling really isn't an issue.
 
Diefenbaker Duo said:
Recently purchased a 23SLX pontoon with a decent stereo but it needs a little more boom-boom. A subwoofer and more power. The question is, where to put the sub? I’m thinking a down drive in a box made from HDMW and put the box behind the captains chair where there’s lots of space and could be used as a table. Anyone have opinions or experience?

Sheldon
Click to expand...
I had JL speakers installed with Amp and sub under the helm. Sounds amazing.
 
I’m running 2 Wetsounds rev 10 subs in both of the top opening compartments behind the driver and passenger seats.
 
New 23’ LTSBA owner! I’d also like to know, which my direction are people facing their helm placed subs.. and are you all cutting out a hole for the speaker to mount in? Or just placing a sub in a box inside the helm?
 
I have the 12 inch JBL box sub inside the helm, very easy to wire and sounds awesome. My son is a sound engineer and that's what he recommended.
 
JAMS said:
I have the 12 inch JBL box sub inside the helm, very easy to wire and sounds awesome. My son is a sound engineer and that's what he recommended.
Click to expand...
Great! But to address my specific question, did he cut an access hole to “expose” the speaker and mount it that way? Or is it just inside the helm?
 
I have a question on placement. Lots of people putting it in the helm.. not sure if want to put it there with the delicate instruments...

I was either thinking 2 8" 4 ohm wired in parrallel kicker tubes. 1 in the front and another under the rear bench seat..

Or
Just doing 1 -10 4 ohm sub under the rear bench




.
 
I am partway through a STEEP LEARNING CURVE HERE, not a pro – so offering a “brief” summary of my research: I have spent hours on the questions of placement and design. I cannot find a single source of actual, in-depth analysis on Pontoon SubWoofer Placement or Design (Forward, Down, Up facing + passive speaker or not). Generally, the SubWoofer is considered omnidirectional, suggesting the location can be less important than the installation environment.

My Benny is packed full, so I can’t dedicate a space for the installation for the optimal option - through-wall cabin facing Sub with the space in the cavity behind it dedicated to the "air" such a Sub needs. So this leaves a sealed box in rotomold seat (in this case, why not just install the through wall – for this reason the new Bennington Rockford bass placement does not make sense to me). And I don’t want it cabin mounted – I just don’t have the floor space (26SB, but kids, friends, dogs, lifejackets, monsoons, etc). So I am focused on under the helm or swingback (these spaces are open to the floor allowing better acoustic dispersion - a fancy term I found along my hunt).

This leaves the question of direction options (downward, upward, side). I have concluded that if the Sub is upward or side facing, you have to be aware of what you are storing in the compartment, and what the compartment sidewalls & ceiling is made of, and what “stuff” will be in front or around the sub (a hard sided cooler will be different than a softsided cooler or bag). Apparently, these details can be tuned around if the Amp provides the needed adjustments / crossovers.

A downward facing bass can increase the tactile feel and spread the bass through the boat, the Benny solid decking secured to the cross beams makes the flooring an excellent dispersion medium. However, the sound quality can be boomy, and not as “precise or tight” as a traditional install, though some of this is lost in an open air installation related to our Benny’s (vs say an enclosed car). So I think down firing is optimal, certainly in my case.

This leaves me with 3 options that will fit under the SB: The JL Stowaway (downward – can toss stuff on top without worry), the Kicker 46CW tube (with 2nd passive speaker, down or side fire), the Kicker 51MWLE (with 2nd passive speaker, down or side fire, but a much larger footprint). I can find ZERO users with one of these being actually installed (a few with the Kicker Tube, but side installed – the users state they love them, but not clear on where installed). I have postings on multiple forums, no responses. I also can't find these units for sale used - so people are not tossing them after buying.

Now, I just need to find an installer that will try all three, in the two locations (helm or SB), in multiple directions. Maybe an offseason project - LOL. Please – any and all feedback is appreciated!!!!

Note: See also the 14 page Post by Renegade34, 5/30/2018 ”Installed powered sub today” - Some GREAT Info.
 
Last edited:
I think after talking to kicker technical support.. I am going to replace my current Bennington SUB with the Kicker 8" tube, 4 ohms. Then add another second 8" 4ohm in parralle under the rear bench seat.

I first have to rewire my current kmc100 and kicker amp properly. I found out it's really wrong....
 

Attachments

  • 20250902_144912.jpg
    20250902_144912.jpg
    125.9 KB · Views: 3
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top