Pittsburgh Marine Client Gets Active Thunder Audio Upgrade

A client from Pittsburgh recently contacted ENORMIS Mobile Specialties to inquire about upgrading his Active Thunder audio system. Active Thunder is the manufacturer of the client’s 37-foot luxury race boat that he docks on nearby Lake Erie. The boat had an existing sound system, but with 1,400 horsepower on board, he felt it needed something extra. We had a look at the existing stereo and provided the client with a few options that would modernize the source unit features and allow the system to play louder and sound better.

Marine Subwoofer System Installation

The subwoofers were mounted next to the existing speakers.

It took some precision installation but our technicians were able to squeeze in the subwoofers under the seat.

The amplifier was safely tucked away in the cabin.

The client brought the boat to our store so that our lead marine technician, Ken Whiteman, could work on it. Our plan to improve the sound was to add a pair of Rockford Fosgate PM210S4 10-inch subwoofers with matching white sport grilles. The subwoofers are mounted underneath the rear seats and face forward into the cockpit area.

We installed a Phoenix Gold Ti21600.5 amplifier to power the sound system. The amp is mounted in a storage cabinet just inside the cabin of the boat. This five-channel amp provides the existing front and rear speakers with 125 watts of power each and 400 watts to each of the 10-inch subwoofers we installed.

Rockford Fosgate Marine Source Unit Upgrade

The new radio gives the client many more audio sources.

The full-featured remote makes it easy for the captain to adjust the audio settings.

Our technicians added a USB and Aux in port for the radio to the instrument panel.

To complete the sound system upgrade, we installed a Rockford PMX-5 marine-grade digital media receiver on the master electrical panel just inside the door to the cabin. The PMX-5 includes AM, FM and weather band radio reception, Bluetooth for audio streaming from a smartphone and a USB port to play digital audio files. Rockford’s Punch EQ circuit, a seven-band graphic equalizer and electronic crossovers allow us to maximize the performance of the system. We also added a Rockford PAUX USB and 1/8-inch input to the panel to make it easy to connect a smartphone to the radio.

Using the radio from the helm is made easy, thanks to a PMX-1R remote control. We attached the remote to the vertical panel to the right of the dash so the client can adjust the volume or music source without having to enter the cabin. The PMX-1R includes a full-color 2.7-inch display and is fully waterproof.

Active Thunder Audio System Upgrade

After a few days of work, the client’s Active Thunder audio system was installed, configured and tested. He was thrilled with the improvement in performance and loves the way the new Rockford deck works. If your marine audio system could use an overhaul, give the staff at ENORMIS Mobile Specialties a call or, better yet, drop by the store. You can also e-mail us using our contact page if you are coming from out of town.