JBL Marine Speakers

[tpenfield]

The nearly 20 year old stereo speakers on my boat have seen better days and barely work. So, I bought a pair of JBL MS9520 marine speakers, which I plan on installing this weekend. I only noticed a couple of consumer reviews on the web, so not much to draw on as far as making a good choice.

I chose them over a few alternative because both the main speaker and the tweeter were polypropeylene (?) instead of the other choices had aluminum tweeters. I did not think that an aluminum tweeter would be a good choice considering I boat in the salt.

Any one have these JBL speakers or other input on my choice .??? The stereo itself is a Kenwood with a separate head unit, CD changer and amp . . . OEM with the boat. Seems to work fine for the extent that I know how to use it

 

[littlerayray]

I don't have jbl speakers but I think you made a good choice I like either nose or jbl speakers personally

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Google polk ebay store DB 6x9 there marine rated very effeicent and cheap supposedly the top rated 6x9

 

[tpenfield]

Google polk ebay store DB 6x9 there marine rated very effeicent and cheap supposedly the top rated 6x9

Yes, I considered those, they are quite nice, but went with the JBL's . . .

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Yes, I considered those, they are quite nice, but went with the JBL's . . .

Not a damm thing wrong with JBL...very little difference, sometime's these boat can get a bit out of control with this and that and that and this....

 

[tpenfield]

I'm reading some reviews on the web of these Polk speakers . . . they are all over the place. People either love them or hate them. We'll see how the JBL's work out. they have to be better than the Kenwood's that are OEM to the boat and 20 years old. The frames are totally rusted (probably from the salt air) and the internal wiring is intermittent.

 

[AZSenza]

Please let us know how they sound! I'm looking at the same speakers!

 

[tpenfield]

Please let us know how they sound! I'm looking at the same speakers!

OK, will do. I should be installing them today Of course I had to run out and buy a new cordless drill, since both of my Dewalt drivers have crapped out.

 

[gm280]

The truth will be in how they built their speakers. Obviously if they use standard materials to build them, they will get corroded in little time because speakers use ferrous metals in their magnet designs and voice coils to obtain a better DB output rating for input wattage. So it will depend on what they used for the magnet and voice coil materials. Rusted frames really doesn't play into the sound unless the rust is interfering with the actual cone movement. And rust flakes that manage to get between the voice coil and magnet seriously makes a good speaker trash really quickly. You would know instantly if the speaker sounds distorted or raspy. Just my observations... JMHO!

 

[tpenfield]

I installed the speakers today. . . fog bank rolled in, so I had some time to kill. The old speakers were in pretty tough shape




The cutouts needed were reasonably close to the existing, but but the fastener holes were in a different location.



Got 'em all installed . . .



Here is the forward speaker


They sound fine. Certainly better than the previous speakers. So, I will see how they do.