A25 cabin Stereo Speaker Location?

[Northern Spy]

After recently upgrading my FM radio to a digital media reciever I want to add some speakers in the cabin. I am coming up a bis short on ideas so I figured I would ask here. I don't want to cut holes in any original wood so i'm thinging maybe some small box speakers. Any ideas would be helpful.

[Sunsetrider]

I just use a Sony bluetooth speaker. Big sound fills the cabin, works outside as well, and picks up from my phone and ipad as well.

[hetek]

My other boat has a pair of plastic Pioneer 2 way, bass reflex box speakers mounted in the cabin. The name sounds impressive - the sound does not. They came with the boat when I bought it.

I am not a fan of cutting big round holes in fiberglass or wood cabinetry just to flush mount speakers either.

The Bluetooth idea sounds like a good one. We have a Harmon Kardon portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds awesome and it's either AC or rechargable battery powered.

But that begs the question: Does your receiver have Bluetooth?

[Northern Spy]

I installed a sony mex-xb100bt reciever and so far it sounds great. The unit has a built in amplifier and seems to be relativly efficient in terms of power consumption compared to an external amp. right now it is powering 2 6x9 west marine speakers in the cockpit that came with the boat. I would like to add 2 more speakers downstairs. I have debated using the bookshelf type speakers rather that cut giant holes. I am forunate to have an interior in decent condition so I do not want to degrade it any further. Yes the reciever has bluetooth.

[hetek]

The good thing with the portable Bluetooth option is that it can be stored away when not in use, and can be moved around wherever you want. Nothing permanent about it. Not sure, but I would check if you can run the BT speakers at the same time as the cockpit speakers. BT has a tendency to have a delay ("latency") that might make an echo effect when played simultaneously with wired speakers. If it's all BT, you wouldn't notice. The two playing together... might echo. Just my experience.

[Northern Spy]

So this is what I ended up going with. I had some 6" speakers around the shop and some scrap sapele wood that should match the interior finishes when im done with it. The whole affair takes up minimal storage space and doesnt add any new holes in the existing wood.

EDIT: I left a little room on the side to add other items like voltage meter, 12v outlets, lights etc.

[DesertAlbin736]

So this is what I ended up going with. I had some 6" speakers around the shop and some scrap sapele wood that should match the interior finishes when im done with it. The whole affair takes up minimal storage space and doesnt add any new holes in the existing wood.

I like that idea. I've had similar thoughts on the conundrum of how and where to add speakers without cutting new holes, & actually have a pair of wired boat speakers like that laying around from a previous project where I added a new stereo unit to an existing speaker installation on our old Catalina 25 sailboat. Our A25 does not have a stereo system of any type installed, and other previous $$$$$ projects have had higher priority, most recently the dinghy davit project. I'm already so deep into spending money on repairs and upgrades that I'll never come close to recouping those costs when the day comes (hopefully far into the future) to sell La Dolce Vita. But the memories we've made with this boat are priceless. I also have a few odd size scrap pieces of 9MM teak veneer Okeume marine ply left over from previous projects including the hard top hatches that may be big enough to do what you did. There are a few locations I can think of, either somewhere along the seat back shelves, or even box off part of the open storage spaces under the settees. For the cockpit/wheel house I'd definately go with wireless Bluetooth box speakers. Thanks for sharing!