2012 210 Challenger Audio Upgrade !

[studiocat13]

Hey Guys,
I just finished upgrading my audio system in the new boat and thought I would share since it may be helpful to others. First off, I freaking love this boat !! Only has 47 hours on it and looks brand new. Secondly, This project was a real pain but definitely worth the effort. So here is a list and pics of what I did. Please feel free to ask any questions.

2- Kicker 43KM854LCW (8" LED Two Way Speakers) in the stern (Wanted to replace old Jensen speakers with 6.5 " but the factory holes were too big so enlarged the holes and installed the 8" speakers)
2- Kicker 43KM654LCW (6.5" LED Two Way Speakers) in the bow. Had to cut these in right in front of the grab handles and the factory speaker wiring was already in place. Score !
1- Kicker 43KMW102 (2 Ohm 10” Marine Subwoofer with LED Grill) Cut this into the front of the port side seat compartment just behind the port side swivel captains chair.
1- Kenwood KAC-M8005 (5 Channel Marine Amp) 1600 Watts. I removed the factory Jensen receiver box in the helm compartment and mounted a painted board large enough to accommodate both the receiver box and the new amp. I left the harness in place to provide power to the existing Jensen unit but did cut the speaker wires from it and connected them directly to the amp. You will also need to tap into the blue wire from the harness and connect that to the remote turn on for the amp or it will always be on.

I also pulled 4 gauge power cable from the battery directly to the amp with an inline fuse for protection which provides plenty of power fro now and any future upgrades. Speaking of upgrades, I have now decided to update the old Jensen head unit and have settled on the Rockford Fosgate PMX-2 receiver. It has been ordered and will be installed later this week so I will keep you posted on that as well.
(Please note that in addition to the speaker wire which I reused I did have to add 22-4 cable pulls from speaker to speaker and wire in parallel in order for the LED portion to work. These cables were wired to a Kicker KMLC LED Remote control which supplies power to the speakers LED's and allows you to control all aspects of the LED lights. Worth the extra cash for sure.)
Hope this helps but again, please feel free to ask any questions and I will be more than happy to help !

 

[kernal]

Very nice, I updated mine last year, I went with JL Audio but looked at the Kickers as well. I'm thinking about adding a sub, good to know a 10" fit, I was looking at the 8" subs. I'm thinking of adding another set of speakers just behind the driver/passenger consoles.

 

[briancayko]

Definitely let us know how that RF head unit goes in, I have been looking at that closely as a replacement for the headamp in our boat. Would love to see more pics of the install once you get it finished up, the amps and battery too Thanks for sharing. Wish we were on the water...........still snowing here.

 

[studiocat13]

Will do Brian... Weather has been decent here but certainly hope it clears up for you soon out there !

 

[studiocat13]

Definitely let us know how that RF head unit goes in, I have been looking at that closely as a replacement for the headamp in our boat. Would love to see more pics of the install once you get it finished up, the amps and battery too Thanks for sharing. Wish we were on the water...........still snowing here.

Brian, per our conversation earlier, I just completed installing the new Rockford Fosgate PMX-2 head unit and it went pretty well. The unit just fits into the factory space if you measure and drill the holes correctly. I re-used the factory mounts and installed new screws in the old Jensen mounting holes and it looks pretty good. Still need to finish tweaking everything but I can tell it sounds better than the old Jensen unit. It's far easier to navigate and offers a lot of flexibility for shaping your sound to meet your needs. I hope to finish up the second battery install tomorrow and will post pic of that as well.

 

[studiocat13]

Install pics !

 

[briancayko]

That looks really good. It is a great fit. I thought by the dimensions it would be to tall but it seems to be almost perfect. Nice job.

 

[JPass]

Good to see there's another unit that fits the designated space. The originals are very hard to come by. Do you mind if I ask how much for the head unit? I'm assuming the rear deck controls won't work with the new head unit, am I right?

 

[briancayko]

That unit is $300 & there is also a remote for it that is around $150. There is a bundle on amazon for around $415 & includes some Jensen speakers. I think the remote should also fit the rear deck cutout assuming it is designed with a round back like the head unit is.

 

[briancayko]

Rockford Fosgate PMX-2 Bluetooth Marine Boat MP3 Compact Digital Media Receiver Bundle Combo With PMX-0R Wired Remote Control + 4x Jensen MSX60CPR 6.5" 2-Way Speakers + 22" Radio Antenna + 50 Ft Wire https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HDUV8P0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_781ZAb0BG1E0Z

 

[studiocat13]

That looks really good. It is a great fit. I thought by the dimensions it would be to tall but it seems to be almost perfect. Nice job.

Thanks Brian ! I think it turned out pretty well and it does just fit. FYI, I found a package on Amazon that included both the RF PMX-2 and the nicer remote PMX-R1 for $374.99 and couldn't pass it up. The PMX-R1 is usually $199.00 by itself so this may be something you guys may want to look at. I haven't installed the remote yet but look to add that and the 2-6.5" Kickers I have left over to the Sun Deck a little later !

 

[studiocat13]

BTW, Has anyone cut speakers into the Sun Deck/Transom area ? I would like to place them on that side walls where the warning stickers are. Looks like there is enough room and depth there but though I would ask before cutting....LOL !

 

[briancayko]

BTW, Has anyone cut speakers into the Sun Deck/Transom area ? I would like to place them on that side walls where the warning stickers are. Looks like there is enough room and depth there but though I would ask before cutting....LOL !

Someone mentioned it in another post quite some time ago. I remember reviewing it & they discussed concerns on clearance with the transat seats when folding down. I’m not sure if they were able to do it or not…anyone else recall that?

 

[JPass]

Someone mentioned it in another post quite some time ago. I remember reviewing it & they discussed concerns on clearance with the transat seats when folding down. I’m not sure if they were able to do it or not…anyone else recall that?

I do. I thought they were able to get 4" speakers in there, but I could be wrong.

 

[kernal]

That was probably me. I’ve been measuring again this spring. The issue is the clearance with the engine hatch, and the speaker grills. I think anything under 23mm will fit, but I haven’t found a 6.5 speaker that works. The new kicker 4 inch speaker should fit, I contacted their support and got the measurements. Just haven’t got brave enough to cut a hole yet.....

 

[kernal]

If I have time this weekend I’m going to make a couple templates out of wood to see if a JL mx650 will fit, since I have mx770 in the cockpit. I’m also thinking of adding a pair in the driver passenger foot wells.

 

[studiocat13]

Thanks Guys ! I didn't even think about the engine compartment clearance, so glad you mentioned that. I will do some more measurements and keep everyone posted.

 

[kernal]

Here's the measurements from Kicker for the grill height from the mounting surface.

The 4 inch is 21.8mm and the 6.5 inch is 30.9 mm

Be sure to check both sides, if I recall mine are 2mm different per side

 

[studiocat13]

After a while of running the boat with the new Audio System, I kept looking for better coverage at the helm and think I found a great spot for the two left over Kicker 6.5" speakers. Will have to wait for the weekend to see how they perform on the water but I think it will definitely make a difference. Still need to install one more 10" Sub behind the helm opposite the one on the Port side and I think it will be done with this install !!

 

[kernal]

I've been thinking of adding a set on the sidewall there. Just haven't had time to crawl in to see if there is enough room.

 

[studiocat13]

I've been thinking of adding a set on the sidewall there. Just haven't had time to crawl in to see if there is enough room.

Fishing the wire might be an issue there due to a support in the middle of the boat. On the Starboard side there is a factory pass-thru for all cabling but I couldn't find one on the port side when installing the other speakers and LED cabling so had to go around the stern and then back up to the helm. Where they are now allowed for easy fishing from each speaker to the helm via the same path of the existing USB cable in the port side dash board, ski locker area, plus the speakers point right at me and the passenger for better coverage overall. Either way, Good Luck and Enjoy !

 

[kernal]

So this weekend I finally made some wood templates and it looks like the Kicker 4" speakers will fit on the swimdeck. Anything bigger and the engine hatch hits. You'll still need to test the positioning before cutting the hole, but I was able to move my template around (down) a couple inches before it hit. The other option is to "modify" the engine hatch by trimming the edge. Since there is a seal, I'm not sure if this would have any impact. Also any "flush" mount speaker, under say 20mm standoff should be able to be fit there. The 4" template I used was 23mm.

 

[studiocat13]

So this weekend I finally made some wood templates and it looks like the Kicker 4" speakers will fit on the swimdeck. Anything bigger and the engine hatch hits. You'll still need to test the positioning before cutting the hole, but I was able to move my template around (down) a couple inches before it hit. The other option is to "modify" the engine hatch by trimming the edge. Since there is a seal, I'm not sure if this would have any impact. Also any "flush" mount speaker, under say 20mm standoff should be able to be fit there. The 4" template I used was 23mm.

That's great news Kernal ! Please post some pics when finished and I may very well follow your lead on this. Still looking to add a 2nd 10" Sub on the Starboard side and could do this at the same time.

 

[DougsNewToy2019]

That's great news Kernal ! Please post some pics when finished and I may very well follow your lead on this. Still looking to add a 2nd 10" Sub on the Starboard side and could do this at the same time.

Thinking of doing this myself. Did Kernal ever post up any pictures?

 

[studiocat13]

Thinking of doing this myself. Did Kernal ever post up any pictures?

Not that I have seen...