# lets talk audio for a Cayenne



## STXBV (Dec 14, 2017)

I am trying to start gathering parts. 

1. Want to keep the weight down
2. Keep space down 
3. ease of use 
4. JL audio speakers and amps 
5. They will be mounted left and right of the front hatch.
6. Really don't want to add a sub. 

Do you think the JL8.8 would work for me so I would not need to add an sub?

What source unit would you recommend, I want to be able to have multi hook ups and fm am? I like the idea of it in the plotter but still not sure if it will be great or a pain. Sonic hub, Bluetooth, one that needs console space?


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

The 8.8 has a cutoff at nearly 40hz. You can hear sub frequencies down to around 20hz and you can feel them even further down. Without a dedicated sub some specific songs are going to drop out early particularly rap or other songs that purposefully engineer sounds that low. That said, most people won't even notice and without a box getting a hard hitting note below 80hz is difficult anyhow. My advice is to build without a dedicated sub and plan for potentially adding it later if you feel you need/want it.

As for source unit, I like a physical knob or button for controlling volume. Having that on a screen is sometimes cumbersome. Beyond that most head units are going to sound the same and basically work the same. I dislike Infinity offerings partially due to issues we had blowing them out (went through 3 in two years on our last boat) and their extra large size. I would opt for something small and simple or at the very least a fairly standard opening allowing upgrades in the future.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

I have very little experience with "performance" sound systems, but a pair of 6.5" speakers driven off a head unit (no amp) sounds like it would meet all of your requirements. That's what I have on my boat, and it is perfect for what I do.

I've got the Fusion head unit with a BT receiver, wired directly to two 6.5" JL speakers, one on each side of the console. It's simple, light weight, and sounds great to me.


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## STXBV (Dec 14, 2017)

Cam said:


> The 8.8 has a cutoff at nearly 40hz. You can hear sub frequencies down to around 20hz and you can feel them even further down. Without a dedicated sub some specific songs are going to drop out early particularly rap or other songs that purposefully engineer sounds that low. That said, most people won't even notice and without a box getting a hard hitting note below 80hz is difficult anyhow. My advice is to build without a dedicated sub and plan for potentially adding it later if you feel you need/want it.
> 
> As for source unit, I like a physical knob or button for controlling volume. Having that on a screen is sometimes cumbersome. Beyond that most head units are going to sound the same and basically work the same. I dislike Infinity offerings partially due to issues we had blowing them out (went through 3 in two years on our last boat) and their extra large size. I would opt for something small and simple or at the very least a fairly standard opening allowing upgrades in the future.


Going point on the hz and I must say I don't listen to rap and I am more of a sound quality nerd 8-10in sub guy. But I understand what you are saying.

Yep that's what I was not sure about being too inter graded. I will look into JL's offering seems very nice. 



bryson said:


> I have very little experience with "performance" sound systems, but a pair of 6.5" speakers driven off a head unit (no amp) sounds like it would meet all of your requirements. That's what I have on my boat, and it is perfect for what I do.
> 
> I've got the Fusion head unit with a BT receiver, wired directly to two 6.5" JL speakers, one on each side of the console. It's simple, light weight, and sounds great to me.


I wish an head unit would perform that well for me. As fare as head units I never use there watts I just looked at there preout volts and adjustability. Im afraid it's not going to give the sound quality I want. I want to be able to have clear music boos cruzin in my neighborhood. Glad you found a great system that works.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

STXBV said:


> Going point on the hz and I must say I don't listen to rap and I am more of a sound quality nerd 8-10in sub guy. But I understand what you are saying.


Hard to beat a 10" sealed sub when it comes to SQ. They can be pushed into 120hz allowing the midrange a sharp frequency cutoff which delivers a nice crisp bass. That 8.8 setup you listed will almost certainly get the job done and sound great (for a boat setup). I will be surprised if you need to back fill the subsonic frequencies. 

There are a couple compact marine 6" sub boxes. I haven't heard the marine versions but JL Audios non-marine 6" sub is pretty fantastic. We did a GTO that had a sealed trunk with four of them in the backseat. They sounded fantastic. Below 80hz, you can put a sub anywhere on the boat since the frequencies that low are non-directional.



> I wish an head unit would perform that well for me. As fare as head units I never use there watts I just looked at there preout volts and adjustability. Im afraid it's not going to give the sound quality I want. I want to be able to have clear music boos cruzin in my neighborhood. Glad you found a great system that works.


Just about anything with 4v pre-outs is going to be great. Head units and amps really have little to do with overall SQ. That lives in the speakers and more importantly their placement.


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## STXBV (Dec 14, 2017)

Cam said:


> Hard to beat a 10" sealed sub when it comes to SQ. They can be pushed into 120hz allowing the midrange a sharp frequency cutoff which delivers a nice crisp bass. That 8.8 setup you listed will almost certainly get the job done and sound great (for a boat setup). I will be surprised if you need to back fill the subsonic frequencies.
> 
> There are a couple compact marine 6" sub boxes. I haven't heard the marine versions but JL Audios non-marine 6" sub is pretty fantastic. We did a GTO that had a sealed trunk with four of them in the backseat. They sounded fantastic. Below 80hz, you can put a sub anywhere on the boat since the frequencies that low are non-directional.
> 
> ...


Well I hope so, I email Erin at Ankona and she said they will fit snug. So I think it will be just right.

Maybe I am showing my age here as most of today's stuff is 4v's and up now. Going from 1v to 5v's was a big deal for me.
http://www.caraudiocentral.net/foru...-line-voltages-significance-audio-system.html


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

STXBV said:


> Maybe I am showing my age here as most of today's stuff is 4v's and up now. Going from 1v to 5v's was a big deal for me.
> http://www.caraudiocentral.net/foru...-line-voltages-significance-audio-system.html


More voltage on the pre-out means less work for the amplifier but these days everything is solid state and digital so it isn't a big deal generally speaking. "Back in the day" head units didn't have pre-outs and amps were often built rather than bought.


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## STXBV (Dec 14, 2017)

From JL's page,

Although M880-CCX Coaxial Systems can be used with as little as 50 W per channel, for best audio performance we recommend amplifiers capable of between 125-250 W of continuous power per channel.

JL MX500/4 Bridged @ 4Ω 180 W RMS x 2 12.4v seems the best 

What do you think Cam


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Nature makes the best music


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## STXBV (Dec 14, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Nature makes the best music


haha I like both


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

STXBV said:


> From JL's page,
> 
> Although M880-CCX Coaxial Systems can be used with as little as 50 W per channel, for best audio performance we recommend amplifiers capable of between 125-250 W of continuous power per channel.
> 
> ...


Given the sensitivity and I am guessing you want to be able to blast it, 150w or so is going to be the minimum for that. We typically shoot for "chainsaw" volume. That is how loud a chainsaw is at 5' away. These speakers hit that mark somewhere around 200w. 

The amp you listed sits right between which means at full volume on that amp you probably won't be able to have a conversation comfortably near the speakers at max volume. That is probably where I would land as well. If I were in competition, I would be nearly twice that with a Class A but given the limits of the marine audio SQ environment and marine charging limitations your choice is a good one.


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