Pinnacle Autosound

Cars and Audio are Our Passions

Bluetooth

Flats Boat Audio System for Local Marine Repair Business Owner

By Leave a Comment

Boat AudioThe owner of a Lake City marine repair business recently stopped by to talk about upgrading the audio system in his flats boat.  He currently had a radio and speakers in the boat, but their performance was anemic.  We talked about possible speaker upgrades, a new radio and adding and amplifier.  We always like to mention the benefits of adding a subwoofer too, which the client seemed open to.  Happy with the discussion, the client setup a time to drop his boat off.

Radio Replacement

The Kenwood radio provides the clients with numerous audio sources.
The addition of the waterproof cover will ensure the radio lasts for years.

The first step to building a great audio system in this boat was to upgrade the radio.  For this project we used a Kenwood marine radio.  The radio will give the client the ability to not only play CD’s, listen to the radio, play audio from a USB drive but also to stream audio from his phone via Bluetooth.  While the radio is a marine radio and designed to survive life on a boat, we added an additional bit of protection with installation of a waterproof radio cover.

Speaker Upgrades

The rings were machined in our fabrication room.
The stepped adapter rings look great and help fit the speakers into the larger holes.
A pair of JL speaker was installed in the rear of the boat.
The front of the boat receive a pair of speakers and a single subwoofer.
This boat is going to look and sound great day and night.

The most important part of this job was providing the client with crystal clear music and high volume levels.  Our go-to speaker for this sort of project is the JL Audio MX marine coaxial speaker.  Fulfilling a request for some lighting from the client’s wife was easy with the addition of the LED illuminated series of JL Audio MX speakers.  These speakers have the great JL Audio sound and also feature blue LED lighting.  Adding the lighting required a bit more work because we also have to run not only speaker wires, but also lighting wires, to each speaker.  The lighting for the speakers was powered by an unused rocker switch that we repurposed for the lighting.

After the speaker and lighting wiring was done it was time to install the speakers.  Unfortunately we found that the off-brand speakers the client previously had in the boat were a bit larger than the new JL Audio speakers.  To fit the new speakers in the old holes we made custom adapters out of marine-grade HDPE plastic.  The rings were machined to give the JL Audio speakers a larger lip.  The center of the ring was recessed to allow for the speaker to fit down in it, for a cleaner look.  Finally the outer edge of the ring was chamfered for a more finished shape.  We mounted the speakers into the adapter rings using stainless steel hardware.

Subwoofer Addition

Boat Audio
The center of the front of the boat was the perfect location for the subwoofer.

When the client dropped off the boat with us it was with the understanding that we would research options for a subwoofer.  After looking around the boat while we were working on it, we found that a single 10″ JL Audio marine subwoofer would fit in the very center of the front storage area.  The client agreed to this spot, so we began the work to mount it.  Normally if the fiberglass is thin in the areas we plan on mounting subwoofers, we will make an additional support baffle.  The fiberglass in this area of the boat, though, was plenty thick for mounting the subwoofer.

JL Audio Amplifier

Boat Audio
We mounted the amplifier on a custom-fabricated mounting plate and tucked it up under the console.

Powering the whole system is a JL Audio MX series 4 channel amplifier.  This little amp offers an impressive amount of power in a small package.  We fabricated a mounting plate for the amplifier using the HDPE.  This plate was attached to the side of the console using existing mounting holes for another piece.

Great-Sounding Boat Audio

Once the equipment was mounted and all the wiring was tidied up, it was time to set the level adjustments and crossovers on the amplifier.  When we first powered on the system we were blown away.  For the modest amount of equipment this boat had, it sounded incredible!  When the client’s wife picked it up, she too thought it sounded great.  If it is time to get that boat of yours ready for the water, give us here at Pinnacle Autosound a call or contact us here.

Toyota Corolla Audio System Upgrade for Lake City Client

By Leave a Comment

Corolla AudioA client recently brought her Toyota to us here at Pinnacle Autosound for a Corolla audio and technology upgrade.  She wanted a safer way to interact with her phone while driving and also needed new speakers.  We put together a plan for her car and started to work.

Apple CarPlay Radio Upgrade

Apple CarPlay was the star of this Corolla audio upgrade.
The USB port gives the client easy access for plugging in her phone.
The microphone makes sure the client’s conversation are easily heard.

To assist with the client’s driving safety a Sony touch screen radio with Apple CarPlay was installed.  This will allow the client to have handsfree control over many functions of her phone.  Some of the new features she will gain are: on-screen navigation,  speech-to-text messaging, and numerous audio streaming sources.  The Sony radio is Bluetooth enabled, so the client can make and receive handsfree calls while driving.  Our technicians mounted the microphone for the radio at the top corner of the windshield, for maximum performance.  Plugging in her phone to the radio was made easier by a remote USB port that was installed in her console.

Corolla Audio Upgrade by JL Audio

Toyota Corolla
The JL Audio speakers easily fit behind the factory grilles.

To address the problem of the anemic sounding front door speakers our techs installed a set of JL Audio C1 coaxial speakers in the factory locations.  The JL Audio speakers, paired with the new Sony radio, give the client much more output, clarity and response.  If she ever decides to add an amplifier to the system, the JL C1 speakers can also handle a bit of power, too!

Backup Camera for Additional Safety

To securely mount the camera the trim panel was removed from the car.
The wiring enters the trunk through a hole protected with a plastic grommet.
The camera wiring was neatly secured to the factory wires.
Once we finished our work on the factory loom it looked completely stock.
Backing up is much safer thanks to the addition of the backup camera.

The final step in the upgrades on this Toyota Corolla was the addition of a backup camera.  The camera was mounted just above the license plate on a plastic trim panel.  The camera was secured to the plastic with stainless steel bolts to ensure a lifetime of use.  The wiring for the camera was neatly routed with the factory wiring.  To maintain a factory look in the trunk, the tape on the OEM wire loom was cut and our wires were inserted.  Then the OEM wire loom was re-taped, leaving it looking like we were never there.  The backup safety system also includes guidelines to help the client judge when she is getting too close to an object.

Audio & Technology from Pinnacle Autosound

If you have a car, truck, boat, golf cart or side-by-side that needs an audio or technology upgrade come see or contact us at Pinnacle Autosound.  We offer a wide range of products to fit anyone’s budget.  Topped with our award-winning installations, our solutions can’t be beat!

Lake City Powersports Client Gets Yamaha YXZ Stereo System

By Leave a Comment

Yamaha YXZ StereoA powersports client from Lake City recently came to Pinnacle Autosound looking for a Yamaha YXZ Stereo system.  We have worked on a number of side-by-sides so we had a great idea of what would get his rocking.

Rockford Fosgate Radio Provides Lots of Choices

Yamaha YXZ Stereo
A plastic mounting plate was custom-fabricated to mount the Rockford Fosgate radio.

The start of the system was the Rockford Fosgate PMX2 Radio.  This radio is purpose-built for the powersports market.  It is designed to hold up to the most abusive conditions.  As you can tell from the pictures, this side-by-side is no trailer queen, so we knew this was the perfect radio.  The client now has almost unlimited audio sources when paired via Bluetooth to his smartphone.

Rugged, Efficient Power by JL Audio

Yamaha YXZ Stereo
The JL Audio amplifier’s small size let it easily fit in the glovebox.

Adding audio power to powersports vehicles can sometimes be a challenge.  There are a number of obstacles that aren’t found in regular cars or trucks.  The first hurdle is size.  There is very little space available in the normal side-by-side.  Another concern is the limited charging amperage of the side-by-side charging system.  Taking these things into account, we chose the JL Audio MX280/4 amplifier.  As you can see, it was small enough to fit in the glove box.  The glove box doesn’t provide a waterproof seal, but that was no concern for us, as the JL Audio amplifier is built to withstand the elements.

Yamaha YXZ Stereo Speakers

Yamaha YXZ Stereo
With the Wet Sounds bar in the front and the tube sub in the back, this system sounded awesome.

The final step for the Yamaha YXZ stereo system was to add some great sounding speakers.  We started by adding a Wet Sounds Core 10 speaker bar.  This is a very low-profile housing that holds a number of smaller speakers.  We used two of the JL Audio amplifier channels to power the speaker bar.  To fill in the bass that the system needed we used a Bazooka 10″ subwoofer.  The tube system was designed for marine audio use, so we knew it would hold up well under the extremes this Yamaha YXZ would see.

Visit Your Local Powersports Audio Experts Today

The completed system sounded great and took up almost no usable space in this vehicle.  If you have a side-by-side or other powersports vehicle and need a stereo system added or upgraded, Pinnacle Autosound is the place for you.  We are experts in integrating audio systems in all types of vehicle.  Call us or use our online contact form to schedule your appointment today.