Audiophiles: primer on marine audio.

[EvilRabbit]

Don't know the marine audio brands so a little lost.

Looking to add sound system to a new cat. 2 speakers under Bimini and 2 in the saloon. We have the space, so keen on box mounts - I think. I am happy to add a sub and amp if needed and have a decent budget.

We have inherited some new gear: a Sony CDX-H910UI receiver and 2 Bose 131 speakers. All new, but happy to sell them and add proceeds to a new system. Not sure we actually have the rear mounting space for the Bose 131 and feel some directional box mounts may be better?

Music will be played off iPods, phones etc most of the time.

Any input greatly appreciated.

[s/v Jedi]

We use Sonos.

[Stu Jackson]

There are soooo very many options, that this question makes "What anchor should I use?" look like childplay.

You can go from auto stereos with powered subwoofers all the way to professional grade equipment (alternating current).

Here's a long one that covers most options:

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/ind...ghlight=stereo

and


Music in my boat | SailboatOwners.com Forums

Good luck.

[rmw2007]

Jedi
just wondering how do you power the speakers
thanks Ross

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by rmw2007

Jedi
just wondering how do you power the speakers
thanks Ross

They are AC power only, so I use the inverter.

[belizesailor]

There are some very good BlueTooth based options these days. Maybe not quite up to "audiophile" standards, but quite good for non critical listening and can be moved to wherever you want them on the boat.

Maybe a combination: high quality fixed mount wired speakers appropriately positioned in an area for more of an audiophile grade experience and wireless speakers to move around.

We have a couple of small speakers with suction cup bases. Certainly not audiophile quality, but handy to stick anywhere you have a flat smooth surface.

[Mycroft]

If you don't mind the power hit, it's difficult beating a pair of the Sonos Play:5. If you are concerned about power, I would recommend a quality set of 5v powered bluetooth speakers.

This is a highly rated one that I have:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TXBOWRY

The Play:5 sounds better; I use it while in the marina and the bluetooth underway.

[a64pilot]

Why would you want to move speakers around? I want just the opposite

A boat is from what little I have experienced, is the toughest environment I have ever tried to get a true sound experience from, so much so that I gave up, space is too limited, darn thing moves around making a turntable un-likely, did I say no space?
Where are you going to put a good Sub? Heck not even room for good speakers, forget Klipschorns.
I gave up, went with car stereo head unit, left the outstanding equalizer / amp that was there from 1980's, used JBL Marine speakers for the cockpit seeing as some PO sawed huge holes in the Bulkhead to fit I think 8" speakers, I guess I'm sort of married to those.
But thankfully, she is a sailboat, meaning you don't need volume, just faithful reproduction, and that isn't as hard as you may think.
Good, decent is easy, Audiophile just isn't happening in my boat.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Why would you want to move speakers around? I want just the opposite

...

We take them out to the foredeck when hanging out there, which is often. Just stick to the gel coat or a hatch.

Handy to have the remote control features of BT too (play, pause, skip fwd, skip back, volume). We use them when watching movies in our bunk at night too...better than the laptop sound.

[Cheechako]

The Marine stuff I have had or heard is not very good. I had 6 small Bose speakers in one boat, they were OK but not great. I found the speaker location is never right for where I want to be that day. Anymore, I would opt for a high quality portable system you can place where convenient. In the cockpit, on the foredeck, at the beach, in the salon.

[Dangen]

If you want "audiophile" quality sound, I would go with high end car audio equipment such as Focal speakers combined with Audison amps. It's not going to be perfect, as high end car speakers are engineered to perform at its best in small spaces such as a car, but it's going to sound incredibly well still. Also, the source is very important. You'll need a good quality deck, but If you are going to play compressed music thru Bluetooth, then forget about getting anywhere near "audiophile" quality.

Hope this helps

Daniel


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Dangen

If you want "audiophile" quality sound, I would go with high end car audio equipment such as Focal speakers combined with Audison amps. It's not going to be perfect, as high end car speakers are engineered to perform at its best in small spaces such as a car, but it's going to sound incredibly well still. Also, the source is very important. You'll need a good quality deck, but If you are going to play compressed music thru Bluetooth, then forget about getting anywhere near "audiophile" quality.

Absolutely... There is also nothing audiophile about anything Bose makes. Audiophile sound quality in a boat is tough to do but mid quality car audio sound is certainly doable.

You can do quite a bit with a decent car deck and a small powered sub. A marine grade stereo is not necessary unless you are talking about exterior speakers. Let the sub do the low range and set the cross-over for the deck so it is only doing the mid bass and up. Make sure any deck you buy gives you full control of EQ not just a few pre-sets like; club, live, jazz, acoustic, bass boost etc...

[Siberianhusky]

Between the acoustics on a boat and listening to Mp3 through a cheap ass phone amp why bother with "audiophile" quality?
Get anything sound comes out of you won't notice the difference. Put the money into something else.
Bad sound going in will just be loud bad sound coming out!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

Between the acoustics on a boat and listening to Mp3 through a cheap ass phone amp why bother with "audiophile" quality?
Get anything sound comes out of you won't notice the difference. Put the money into something else.
Bad sound going in will just be loud bad sound coming out!

Hilarious. Do you even know what Sonos makes or heard a FLAC streaming on Sonos?

[Siberianhusky]

Yes I know what sonos is, pretty much a joke in terms of music quality. Companies and their gimmicks, like that one car manufacturer claiming a stereo system designed by Fender as a selling point. Fender can't even design a good guitar anymore!
Bose is another joke.
And yes FLAC much better than mp3 I will give you that. MP3 is one of the worst things to hit music, great for people who favor quantity over quality.