Hi everyone! This is Eric from Stinger. With the weather warming up and boating season kicking into high gear, now is a good time to review How to Install a Marine Audio Sound System for your boat. It’ll be helpful to assess what audio components you’ll need first and then how to install them. I created an install video guide previously that I will break down step-by-step, but first some preparation is required.
Choose Your Components
Select your desired marine speakers, marine amplifier, marine wiring kit, subwoofer (optional), marine radio head unit (optional), and LED lighting kit (optional). Consider weatherproof, marine-grade components for durability.
Plan The Layout
Decide on speaker locations based on sound quality and access for installation. Consider potential obstructions and ensure proper coverage for your listening area. Front speakers are ideal for soundstage, while rear speakers provide a wider sound field. Determine the best route for running power cables from the battery to the amplifier location. Identify a suitable grounding point on the boat's chassis. Plan the path for speaker wires, ensuring they'll be protected from pinching or snags.
Marine Audio Installation
For a complete video guide of my installation, please see the video below. For a more easily reviewable step-by-step process, see the guide below the video.
-
Run Power to Console: Run the marine power wire from the battery location through the boat to the center console, where the amplifier will be mounted. Run a fishing lead from the center console back to the battery. Secure the power wire with some zip ties. Use electrical tape over the end so wires don’t get snagged.
-
Create Holes for Speakers: Use the included speaker bracket to line up your location on the side of the center console. Before any drilling or cutting, go ahead and tape the speaker area off in order not to chip the fiberglass. Drill holes and cut to mount the 6.5” speakers. Remove pre-installed speakers that you plan to replace.
-
Install LED Lights (Optional): Choose the mounting location for each LED. For each one, drill two pilot holes for the mounting hardware. Drill a third hole to pass the power wire to the control module. Use silicon to seal the hole you drilled for the LED wire.
-
Install Plate for Amp: Prepare a flat surface to mount the amplifier by adhering a spare piece of starboard to the center console. Use marine-grade adhesive when adhering and let it cure overnight.
-
Make LED Light Connections (Optional): Connect LEDs to the control module.
-
Tidy Up LED Cables (Optional): Zip tie it to the factory wiring inside the center console. Mount it close enough so the wires can reach the amplifier.
-
Make Connections to the Amplifier: Connect the amplifier to the power and ground wires, remote wire, speaker outputs, and RCA cables.
-
Install Amplifier: Mount the amplifier to the starboard amp bracket in the center console.
-
Make Connections to Radio Head Unit: Connect the blue wire from the amp to the head unit. Connect the RCA connectors into the head unit for the audio signal.
-
Install Speakers: Stinger marine speakers have LED lighting built in. For the top speaker, run audio and a power & ground connection to the mounting location. There’s a 4 pin connector that connects between the two speakers that syncs up the lighting. The speaker kit also includes some heat shrink, so put that over your connector and heat shrink it. Mount speakers with 4 mounting screws.
-
Mount Subwoofer Control (Optional): Drill a small hole in your control panel to mount your subwoofer level controller.
-
Install Subwoofer (Optional): We built a subwoofer enclosure using starboard, reinforced with baffles inside the box. Use bullet connectors on the speaker wire for quick subwoofer disconnect.
-
Connect to Battery: Make power and ground connections to the battery. The yellow wire connects to ground terminal. The red wire connects to the positive terminal. When making this connection, cut this power wire and install the inline fuse within 18 inches of the battery.
Having a great audio system out on the water can really liven things up. Hopefully this marine audio installation guide was of help to you. From myself and the rest of us at Stinger, we wish you a happy boating season this summer!