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Old     (sandaddiction)      Join Date: Sep 2011       08-24-2016, 7:53 PM Reply   
What are the best tower speakers for the value? Exile 9s, Rev 10s, ???
Old     (rexlex01)      Join Date: Mar 2010       08-24-2016, 8:47 PM Reply   
Depends if you are installing them yourself with other non-wetsounds components on your boat and will need a little support and expect a call back.
Old     (Mxguy741)      Join Date: Nov 2013       08-24-2016, 9:19 PM Reply   
They are both the highestf quality in marine audio, they are the best, and honestly you won't go wrong either way. I have had both and will have to say I'm a big exile fan and that will most likely be all that I buy in the future. The customer service is too notch and it is not even close with the other brand. Give them a call and they will set you up with what your looking for, not push any of their own agenda. What you need to decide is if your going horn or surf speaker.
Old     (Shakarocks)      Join Date: Mar 2013       08-24-2016, 9:35 PM Reply   
I have a Wetsounds boat and my buddy has Exile. Both sound amazing. You can't go wrong either way.
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       08-25-2016, 6:50 AM Reply   
Since you are considering an 8" speaker from one brand and a 10" speaker from another with only a small difference in retail price, the answer is clear. The Wet Sounds Rev-10 stands above. Much larger speaker means more output and deeper mid-bass. Hang height wise, the larger Rev-10 only hangs a little lower than the 2 inch smaller 8" exile. The Wet Sounds clamping system is FAR more robust. Seem to be quite a few failures with the other's design.
Old     (sandaddiction)      Join Date: Sep 2011       08-25-2016, 7:06 AM Reply   
Is the Rev10 too much for wakesurfing? What is the appropriate amp for two pairs of Rev 10s?
Old     (DavidAnalog)      Join Date: Sep 2013       08-25-2016, 7:39 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandaddiction View Post
Is the Rev10 too much for wakesurfing? What is the appropriate amp for two pairs of Rev 10s?
For wake surfing, two pair of Wetsounds Icon8s 8" speakers would be more than adequate. However, the larger Wetsounds Rev10 pod displacement and the greater surface area of a 10" driver does have advantages, even for near field listening. Too much? Not really...in the context of more speaker used more conservatively is cleaner in every listening application.
For two pair of Wetsounds Rev10s, a Wetsounds 1200 watt SD2 is a great amplifier.
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       08-25-2016, 2:04 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandaddiction View Post
Is the Rev10 too much for wakesurfing? What is the appropriate amp for two pairs of Rev 10s?
Not at all. In fact, I would highly suggest a 10" Rev-10 HLCD for surfing and party cove listening over the 8" HLCD. That added mid-bass and deeper mid-bass from the larger Rev-10 makes a significant difference when compared to an 8" HLCD like the XM9 or Wet Sounds Rev-8.

For a single pair of Rev-10, I like the Syn-4 or new Syn-DX4. A higher end option would be the SD-2. On the lower end of power, the Wet Sounds HTX-4 is a good option.

The "agenda" comment made me laugh. Didnt know exile was a non-profit charity.

As to service. Wet Sounds has a huge dealer network. Supporting a local biz is always a good start. They can help you with system design, installation and tuning. They will be your first point of contact if you need assistance. After that, Wet Sounds has about a dozen on staff just for sales and tech support.

Last edited by chpthril; 08-25-2016 at 2:08 PM.
Old     (sandm01)      Join Date: May 2010       08-25-2016, 2:39 PM Reply   
all in my opinion...
the rev10's sound too bright for my taste as a surfer. I have 4 icon8's and love them. loud enough to surf and party cove but not overpowering and "that guy" on the water. I would buy them again in a heartbeat.
I do wish that ws would make a 10" version of the icon tho for some deeper lows to be able to turn the in-boats down.

chp and david will both call out that you can adjust the rev10's but hlcd's to me are a very bright sound and not what I was looking for.
best advice I was ever given was when buying a stereo, buy the speakers first listening to your normal music then buy the amp/receiver/etc. everyone has different taste and will want something different..

good luck and although i endorse wetsounds, I do know a lot of satisfied exile owners and believe both will be a good product.
Old     (cowwboy)      Join Date: Jul 2008       08-25-2016, 3:10 PM Reply   
Personally I prefer the sound of the 410 over the rev10 or exile's and we just surf anymore. But that has more to do with more enclosure volume and the horn isn't shooting through the voice coil of the midbass.

Brand wise they are both great and great support. Can't go wrong with either.
Old     (bass10after)      Join Date: Feb 2010       08-25-2016, 7:08 PM Reply   
i have 4 rev10's and my buddy has 4 rev8's on his tower powered by the same amp and tuned by the same shop so its a pretty direct comparison. I prefer the 10's but do appreciate the headroom inside the boat of the 8's. To my ears I dont think the 10's sound as harsh because the extra bass rounds them out better even though they use the same horn and presumably the same crossover( i'm sure someone will chime in if i'm wrong there) Although neither are really that harsh just super clear. The first wetsounds/ any hlcd's on the market- those flat out hurt.
Old     (DavidAnalog)      Join Date: Sep 2013       08-26-2016, 9:11 AM Reply   
The crossover would have to be different between the Rev8 and 10, if nothing else to compensate for the differences in midbass sensitivity and upper range.
It's tough to accurately compare two speakers unless they are side by side, driven by the same source and amplifier. Even spacing differences on the tower, both horizontally and depth, can make tonal differences. Plus, a Rev8 and Rev10 are likely tuned with a little different HP filter settings.
When you have the two in a truly equal situation you find that the Rev8 has a mild crest in the upper mids while the Rev10 has a mild null in the upper mids. The Rev10 certainly has a bit more midbass output and extension, not just from the larger midbass cone but also from the larger pod displacement.
The Rev410 has a midrange balance a little more towards the Rev8 but with the strongest midbass in the line.
Music material makes a big difference. When I've demo'd both with great older analog recordings that were warmer, had lots of dynamic range and white space, both speakers sound remarkable. But not so much with music material that is highly compressed crap as the very sensitive horns reveal everything, good and bad, including any hint of amplifier clipping.
No comparison in SQ between the older Pros and newer Revs.
Old     (Cabledog)      Join Date: Dec 2013       08-27-2016, 8:31 AM Reply   
You,will be happy with either. I have an Exile system and have been very pleased with it. My buddy has a new Z3 with Wet sounds and his is great too. To me the. Rev 10's have a richer sound and are less tinny than my Xm9's. He has spent a lot more but mine is louder, has a better overall sound and bass that can keep up with 4 towers and 6 in boat speakers which leads to my main point- the install. How your system is set up, the reliability, speaker box design, and overall system balance are more important than the difference between these brands in my opinion.
Old     (RAMZAK)      Join Date: Aug 2014       08-31-2016, 10:37 PM Reply   
i have a brand new set of Exile XM-9's for sale
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       09-01-2016, 7:07 AM Reply   
I've owned both. They both get the job done very well. If you're just going for a great sounding system that you can hear while you ride, either will do that very well. If you want to be the loudest dude at the beach, then I would probably go with a big Wetsounds system. I believe they are capable of a little more.

I love the Exile quick release. I can quickly spin my tower speakers around in any direction I want. They quickly remove before a tow so that I don't have to clean the bugs off at my destination. And of course, they remove for security.
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       09-01-2016, 4:54 PM Reply   
One thing I really like about the Wet Sounds Swivel disconnect system, is that once the retaining collar is in place and the security bolt is secure, there is ZERO load placed on the speaker and LED connections. Even when you swivel it, the speaker and LEDs terminals have no load on them and there is no movement within them. This prolongs the life of those connections. They also use automotive style male and female terminals that yield 100% connection across the entire terminal surface.

This design also allows for not only the speaker leads to be within the clamp, but the 4 LEDs wires as well. No exposed wires for the speaker and LEDs and the ability to swivel and remove.

The other design uses a headphone jack style connection and its audio only. No prevision for LEDs. Its a male post in a female jack with thin little spring tabs making connection. This places some of the speaker pod weight on the connections. Over time, the get ware patterns, causing intermittent speaker outage. The best way to prevent this, is to use the allen tool and keep the pods better than finger tight. At the end of the day, both require a tool, but the Wet Sounds is clearly superior in design and robustness.
Old     (ktm525)      Join Date: Mar 2009       09-02-2016, 3:21 PM Reply   
I have had two big Wetsounds systems professionally installed. My first with 2 pro80 and a 410 ( threesome system) and a pair of pro 60 (I liked the look how the fit on the rack) was awesome. So my second system I went with 4 rev10. Both systems installed by the same guy. The second system was sub par. I never like the sound quality. The first system was half the cost and twice as good.

My new build beginning next year will be Exile all the way. I have heard numerous Wetsounds and Exile system . From large to small. I like the fullness of the exile system hands down,
Old     (xstarrider)      Join Date: Jun 2007       09-02-2016, 9:45 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by chpthril View Post
One thing I really like about the Wet Sounds Swivel disconnect system, is that once the retaining collar is in place and the security bolt is secure, there is ZERO load placed on the speaker and LED connections. Even when you swivel it, the speaker and LEDs terminals have no load on them and there is no movement within them. This prolongs the life of those connections. They also use automotive style male and female terminals that yield 100% connection across the entire terminal surface.

This design also allows for not only the speaker leads to be within the clamp, but the 4 LEDs wires as well. No exposed wires for the speaker and LEDs and the ability to swivel and remove.

The other design uses a headphone jack style connection and its audio only. No prevision for LEDs. Its a male post in a female jack with thin little spring tabs making connection. This places some of the speaker pod weight on the connections. Over time, the get ware patterns, causing intermittent speaker outage. The best way to prevent this, is to use the allen tool and keep the pods better than finger tight. At the end of the day, both require a tool, but the Wet Sounds is clearly superior in design and robustness.
All of the above is true except the clamp Mike is referring to on the Exiles. They do not require any tools. The clamps were reworked over year ago. They are a "quick release " clamp that takes 20 seconds to lock in place or remove. The Wetsounds clamps are anything but quick and require a tool. They take some time to ensure they are lined up with the certain holes so the speaker slips on to where it needs to be . While you try and hold a 10 inch speaker in place you then have to reach around slide the clamp in and grab an Allen key to begin tightening. They are tedious and again anything but quick. If you want to able to take speakers on and off with ease for towing, storage , or security the Exiles are steps ahead. Again tho as mike mentioned no hidden led routing built in.

As far as sound. The rev series is definitely softer on the ears near field. Quite honestly all this midbass talk and arguments are null at the end of the line if that's your primary goal. Paper numbers and specs are minimized in the open air environment. Near field you notice a slight difference between the 8 and 10. I have had the 8's 10's and XM9's. All performed awesome . I preferred the end of the rope sound of the XM9's, the features of their clamps, and their looks. If you're gonna mount on any of a side angle the fact the XM9 grille rotates in any increment is also nice. I don't feel I am in a second class of sound back at 75 ft at all when I went from rev10's to XM9's

I will also say this. My experiences. Wetsounds definitely has the highest customer service. They were on the ball with any issue I have ever had. Dropped shipped , talked and went the extra mile every single time. My experience with exile hasn't been the same. It took some arm twisting and few extra phone calls to get things done.
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       09-03-2016, 6:16 AM Reply   
@ swarguy,

can you clarify that the new exile design does not have an allan or other tool slot in the security bolt for tightening the clamp more than finger tight? So anyone with nothing more than their hands, could remove the pods from an unattended boat, no tools required?

Or even worse, the security bolt could be left loose and if the cam failed, the pod fall into the boat?
Old     (DavidAnalog)      Join Date: Sep 2013       09-03-2016, 6:57 AM Reply   
My first career was a draftsman. I mainly worked on electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic control systems for GM assembly lines. I was exposed to a lot of the tool & die industry plus many incredible designers and engineers. When I first inspected the Wetsounds collar I knew that this was a true industrial design and a superior design. It is not the absolute fastest on and off, and I don't believe it was intended to be. But it is convenient enough. The Wetsounds collar is however, the safest, most secure, with the most reliable connector. Elements like the fork and bolt retainer. The 100%, 360 degrees friction contacts.
As for the 1/4" phone plug designed by Sampson Sports, yes it's fast. After a month or so of use the wear and tear has already stripped the chrome off the connector exposing the next copper layer. A useful type connector since its invention around year 1890, but not an intelligent design for an application on a tower that is exposed to so much stress and vibration.
There's just no comparison in the structural and electrical integrity of these two designs. Ultimately the Wetsounds connecting/swivel system is all about quality.
Btw, the Exile tower clamp portion is a dead knock-off of the over-underlapping clamp design used on the original Wetsounds Pro60.
Old     (h20king)      Join Date: Dec 2009       09-03-2016, 7:58 AM Reply   
Dave im a wetsounds guy but before that I was a samson guy back when all we had to choose from was'6X9 or 6'1/2'components and we were still putting towers on our old direct drives. The samson design is reliable enough lot's still running around up here and they are way easier to use than the wetsounds I have had both. Both have week points the wetsounds being the super small gauge wire used in the pigtail and ease of use. The samson/ exile design has no provision for light's but are super easy to use.. I love my wetsounds but just fix mount now so I don't have to climb up on the boat with a allen wrench to pull the yoke so I can remove the speaker. LOL
Old     (xstarrider)      Join Date: Jun 2007       09-03-2016, 11:48 AM Reply   
Ahh so here we go again.


Dave you're incorrect about the clamps being direct knockoffs to the original pro 60' and for that matter the pro 80's. Those speakers used Neutrik connections. The wires ran on the outside of the tower not up through the middle hidden like the Exiles.



Mike. Yes no tools for the new clamp. Here is the pic. As far as security. We'll that's the main difference. You can pop your exiles off in 20 seconds and take them with you or lock them in safe storage spot in your boat. The Wetsounds well. If you leave them fixed then anyone with an Allen can steal those too. Again all Pro's and cons to each speaker.

Last edited by xstarrider; 09-03-2016 at 11:51 AM.
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       09-03-2016, 1:34 PM Reply   
Quote:
You can pop your exiles off in 20 seconds and take them with you
Since most crimes are a matter of opportunity, no tools required, requires you to take then down. So the matter of convenience may become inconvenient to to some, at some point.

And yes, any speaker, even a direct mount on a mastercraft, malibu, etc, can be removed with a tool or two.

Anyone out there see any long term issues with the split metal collar being pinched closed and then released during the clamping and un-clamping process? Im not a metallurgist by any means.
Old     (fman)      Join Date: Nov 2008       09-03-2016, 3:42 PM Reply   
My 2013 Malibu VLX had a Wetsounds system, my 2015 22 VLX has an Exile system, they both are very nice systems. You absolutely get more for your money with Exile, they include items that WS will charge extra for. The mounting system on the Exile tower speakers are fantastic, easy to remove and adjust. The Exile customer service has always been A+++, they are a small company that treat you like family. FWIW, as of last year MB has been selling all there boats with Exile systems.

True story, after I installed my Exile system in my 2015 the owner of Exile was visiting my city I live in and came by my house to help me tune my system, then took me out for dinner. This type of customer service is hard to come by these days. It speaks volumes about the kind of person the owner is and the employees that work for him.

My next boat will have Exile, really impressed and pleased with the sound quality and overall experience with the brand.

Last edited by fman; 09-03-2016 at 3:51 PM.
Old     (DavidAnalog)      Join Date: Sep 2013       09-03-2016, 4:31 PM Reply   
Quote from Swatguy, ["Dave you're incorrect about the clamps being direct knockoffs to the original pro 60' and for that matter the pro 80's."]

The Pro60 and Pro80 used completely different collars. And I'm not talking about the Sampson designed disconnect and the Wetsounds Neutrik connectors. I'm talking about the basic clamp/collar design. The following link shows the first Exile collar which is identical to the Wetsounds collar that came long before it. Although the dimensions have been compressed over time, that same over/underlap design is in use today. It's just too obvious to debate.

http://x3development.com/
Old     (DavidAnalog)      Join Date: Sep 2013       09-03-2016, 4:42 PM Reply   
Here is a link to a TMC thread that is explaining a few details about the new OE Wetsounds systems in 2017 Malibus.

http://www.themalibucrew.com/index.p...stereo/&page=1

DSP amplifiers and much more. Wetsounds has definitely been in a leader position and is widening the gap IMO.

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