Speaker replacement in cockpit

[Cutwater28GG]

Cutwater 28

Anybody upgraded the cockpit speakers? Mine are showing their age.

Has anyone gone larger in the default install location?
Any advice ?

 

[scross]

I upgraded both the cabin and cockpit speakers.
For the cabin, the Polk Atrium 4 speakers were my choice. The stock Fusion MS-UD750 puts out 70 watts per channel at 2 ohms. That’s the same as putting out 17.5 watts at 8 ohms per channel. The Polk Audio Atrium 4 are designed to operate with 10-70 watts of power at 8 ohms. At 17.5 watts input you are a bit on the low side but still in range.
All that said, the sound out of them is great in my opinion. Not a huge amount of bass of course but an amazing improvement over the stock fusion speakers. Everyone’s ears are slightly different of course so take my recommendation with a grain of salt.
For the cockpit speakers, I went with some Kicker 45KM654 6.5” speakers. They sound great but the starboard side install was a bear! The area where these go is really, really shallow. The Kickers are too deep so you need a 1/2” spacer between the speaker and the boat fiberglass. You also need to enlarge the speaker opening a bit for the Kickers but that wasn’t difficult. If I were to do it again I’d get a super shallow speaker.

 

[scross]

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Thanks! I did the polks inside last summer.

Do those outside units have any base? I’m wondering whether I should install a sub with an amp for outside

 

[scross]

Not much base from the Kickers. If you want more base I think a 10” JL Audio M3 subwoofer would be the way to go. IF you can find a place for it! I had the JL Audio marine speakers in the R-25 Classic and really liked them. They are deep speakers and just wouldn’t fit in the C-28 spaces.

 

[TristenT]

I just replaced my cockpit speakers with some kickers didn’t feel like cutting the holes out bigger. Now for subs Iv been really tempted, I think you could fit one under the port side cockpit step or under the helm seat on the c28

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Ive wondered if it would be easiest to mount some enclosed tower speakers to the fishing rod holder rack above the cockpit