Affordable marine sound system?

[Aswayze]

In the distant past my boat was equipped with a bitchin 8-track that no doubt used to rock the heck out of some Ray Steven tapes. Following owners, not believing that the 8-track system would come back into style, replaced it with a Craig car stereo and a slim Clarion amp/eq to fill the extra space that the 8-track player took up. Naturally, whenever this sort of thing is done there is the contractually obligated birds nest of crazy wires everywhere... All of this sat at my minuscule nav station taking up space that I would rather have doing something useful and annoying me with it's wiring.

In a fit of rage after my Lake Superior trip I yanked all of that nonsense out and replaced it with a Fusion RA-205 stereo installed deep in the footwell of one of my quarter berths then tied to my NMEA-2000 network. I retasked the stereo spot into a recessed shelf for my nav tools and installed a remote just below it. The remote at the nav station allows convenient control of the stereo down in the cabin while up on deck, the B&G Vulcan MFD controls it. I can also control the system with my tablet or phone using the WiFi features of the Vulcan which is handy as well.


Remote down below where the stereo used to live. Just the one wire going to it.


Remote also acts as a NMEA repeater giving me data at the nav station as well.

Like others have mentioned, the Fusion allows you to set zones, so you can set volume levels accordingly. My system should be quite weatherproof since all the important bit are in the cabin other than the MFD which needs to be in the cockpit anyhow.

Is it affordable? Depends on how you look at it I suppose. I have a wee little boat so without huge amounts of overhead costs stealing my money all the time it was affordable to me. I picked up the RA-205 used off of Ebay for about $80, picked up the special unpowered NMEA cable needed to tie it in to my network for another $20 or so, got the remote for another $100 and just reused the speakers I already have. I am sure that bluetooth speakers are probably the leanest plan but I like what I have put together.

[jeepbluetj]

Any decent car unit - use the fader to go between the 'front' (cabin) and 'rear' (cockpit) speakers.

Just fix that horrible wiring first.

[markwesti]

We have had our boat for some time , and have had a few different systems over the years but have settled on this for now . https://www.amazon.com/SiriusXM-SXSD...ius+xm+boombox
At first we used it just for Sirius XM but not hardly much anymore as I have come to dislike Sirius . It is mp3 capable and of coarse the phone too . At the moment we like Pandora for $5. a mo. no commercials . Speakers in the boomer are decent we keep it near the companion way so we can hear it outside . We don't use it under way , but I did modify the power cord to run off 12V .

[VanIslandGuy]

If you want a really powerful stereo without the hassle of a separate amp this is the best choice IMHO. From Sony it is made for the marine environment, and has a built 400 Watt Class D amp. (400w peak, 40wx4 RMS)

I have this in our sailboat driving 6 Wetsounds high power 6.5" two ways. The clarity and dynamic range is very impressive. It also didn't break the bank. It was an a relatively inexpensive way to get a massive improvement in sound over stock for us.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158M100BT/Sony-MEX-M100BT.html?tp=61742

Whatever you buy be certain it runs both android and IOS as not all head units out there will run both.

[Stu Jackson]

Almost ten years from each of the previous two inexpensive car stereos is a pretty good investment compared to the almost doubled price for a “marine” boat stereo. And my experience with the same speakers with a newer unit with very similar specifications indicates to me that advances in simple car audio systems keep improving over time which makes replacement or upgrading an easy decision.

[nwdiver]

Tiny sony 12 volt car amp with iPhone/pad dock, Bose outdoor speakers inside and wireless Bluetooth for the cockpit when I want it......

[mrlee]

Hi, I installed a new Kenwood car unit that said it was ok for marine...yes, anyway it has bluetooth and all that...I have 4 cabin speakers and 4 cockpit speakers with an A/B switch box I made from a you tube DYI. I also have an 800 watt amp with 2 subwoofers on A/B switch as well..the cockpit sub I take in and out when needed. It sounds GREAT and I can totally tailor the sound to where I want it and how loud with the fader and the A/B switches...
I have had the system in now for 2 years (first thing as renovations started) and it's like new still...My Irwin 30 sits in the water in Mexico so it has all the elements to deal with, especially the heat.
Good luck with your choices...If ya want pix email me
all_as@hotmail.com
See y'all later and God Bless

[SeaSon]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

There are some excellent waterproof blue tooth sound boxes that will run anywhere on the boat. Cheaper, simpler and more flexible that any built in system.

This work's great for me too! Listen to Pandora and download audio books on my phone.

[sailah]

I spent maybe $200 on my stereo. That was about $110 for a bluetooth Clarion head unit and maybe $65 for some marine kenwood speakers. The speakers I've been very pleased with.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The clarion head unit is good, but I wish the bluetooth range went a little further. Maybe it's my phone though? There are probably better receivers out there now

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have bookshelf speakers in salon that were holdovers from last owner and they still work fine.

My head unit is mounted where it shouldn't get wet and does just fine.

I tried the bluetooth speaker system and I didn't like it. I love them at home though.

As mentioned above, make sure to wire stereo so that the memory power wire doesn't get shut off when breaker or battery switch turns off. I got tired of that real quick having to re-pair my phone every time. Hooked it up directly to battery with fuse.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

Any decent car unit - use the fader to go between the 'front' (cabin) and 'rear' (cockpit) speakers.

Just fix that horrible wiring first.

That is definitely the cheapest and simplest way to go. No need for extra wiring or switches.

While I'm here, the waterproof cockpit speakers by JL audio work very well. Mine are 4 years old and still waterproof.

[jkindredpdx]

I have two different speakers that attach to my iPhone, Notebook, or Radio. They are a Kinivo ZX100 which probably cost less than $20 and fits in the palm of my hand. Better quality is my Creative Sound Blaster Roar for about $100... the size of a small but thick book... blue tooth removes need for wires etc, rechargeable lithium batteries remove draw on boat battery bank.

[rabbi]

I decided to go with a pair of JBL Flip 4 as they are affordable (~90 Euro each) and scalable. JBL Connect+ allows to add as many speakers as I want. I will install USB sockets and cup holders in the corners where they will stay for most of the time. They draw very little on standby, so no problem keeping them connected all the time.


As time moves on and new models are introduced I expect to acquire lightly used speakers from tech nerds for cheap. Some folks always want the newest stuff no matter what.

[hellosailor]

Shoot a little silicone grease in those exterior USB sockets. It will prevent the usual salt-air corrosion from happening, without creating any power issues.

FWIW.

[brandtj]

Originally Posted by toddster8

I had a Sony "marine" stereo, which appeared to just be a previous years "car" stereo in a white enclosure. It lasted about two years and autopsy revealed that the circuit board was totally corroded.

Currently I've got one of the lower-end models of "Fusion" true marine stereo and I endorse it. The higher-end Fusion head units even play DVDs and have HDMI out for your TV or projector.

This sounds like what I'm looking for. Which Fusion model do you have? And do you know which one has the HDMI out?

Originally Posted by rabbi

I just don't care about marine stereos anymore. I got sick of buying new speakers every other year and fixing corroded PCBs and switches on "marine" stereos...

Now I just buy a couple of reasonably good, interconnected bluetooth loadspeakers that I can take with me to the boat for sailing season, or take back home for winter. I can use them inside, in the cockpit, on the bow, at the beach, ...
Not necessarily much cheaper but way more versatile use.

I own a pair of bluetooth speakers but they're not waterproof and I'd worry about ruining/losing them. If I'm going to spend money on a sound system, I'd rather just utilize what's already installed. Though I will use my bluetooth speakers for the beach!

Originally Posted by nickfox45

On the "don't annoy the neighbors" front, check to see if that stereo has a "fade" option in settings. I had the some concern but was happy to find I can fade the sound completely above or below with some twisting of the dials.

Thank you! I was able to find the fade option and switch off the cockpit speakers.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Marine grade will really up the budget and limit the choices. I don't expect it will be worthwhile unless you fall totally in love with a particular radio and want to keep it forever after.

Would you recommend just getting a high grade car stereo instead?

Originally Posted by PeterLIA

I run a 750 Fusion system and have had no issues and love what it can do.
There is even a review on Marine Speakers showing even the Fusion basic speakers are great value for money, but they also have their Signature series (not reviewed) which are better again.
The Best Marine Speakers of 2017 | Top Ten Reviews

The Fusions keep coming up. This is most likely what I'll go with.

Originally Posted by MarkSF

If the stereo is working, why not just do a proper job of wiring it in? Looks like plenty of other wiring needs sorting out too. Looks like a fire waiting to happen.

Why is there a black wire going to the plus terminal?

All those wires to the plus terminal should at least be fused close to the battery. Actually they should go to a proper bus. What else did the previous owner "upgrade"?

To isolate my cockpit speakers I installed a 4 way waterproof socket and plug.

Thanks for pointing that out, I honestly don't know much about wiring but I'll see if I can sort it out.

Originally Posted by David M

Exterior speakers must be waterproof. There is no way around that.

There are waterproof boxes that you can put the head unit inside. As long as you remember to close it, it does not have to be "marine grade".

https://www.google.com/search?q=wate...=2102&bih=1399

If my receiver is mounted down below in the cabin, would you recommend just getting a high grade car stereo? As I'm researching, it looks like you pay premium for the marine grading.

[brandtj]

Originally Posted by Aswayze

Like others have mentioned, the Fusion allows you to set zones, so you can set volume levels accordingly. My system should be quite weatherproof since all the important bit are in the cabin other than the MFD which needs to be in the cockpit anyhow.

Is it affordable? Depends on how you look at it I suppose. I have a wee little boat so without huge amounts of overhead costs stealing my money all the time it was affordable to me. I picked up the RA-205 used off of Ebay for about $80, picked up the special unpowered NMEA cable needed to tie it in to my network for another $20 or so, got the remote for another $100 and just reused the speakers I already have. I am sure that bluetooth speakers are probably the leanest plan but I like what I have put together.

Very nice setup! I definitely have to follow suit and do something about the mess of cables. Fusions keep coming up - I guess at this point it's just deciding on the model -- if they vary much at all.

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

Any decent car unit - use the fader to go between the 'front' (cabin) and 'rear' (cockpit) speakers.

Just fix that horrible wiring first.

Yeah, that's how the previous owner left it. I don't know much about wiring, but I'm definitely going to get it in order.

Originally Posted by VanIslandGuy

If you want a really powerful stereo without the hassle of a separate amp this is the best choice IMHO. From Sony it is made for the marine environment, and has a built 400 Watt Class D amp. (400w peak, 40wx4 RMS)

I have this in our sailboat driving 6 Wetsounds high power 6.5" two ways. The clarity and dynamic range is very impressive. It also didn't break the bank. It was an a relatively inexpensive way to get a massive improvement in sound over stock for us.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158M100BT/Sony-MEX-M100BT.html?tp=61742

Whatever you buy be certain it runs both android and IOS as not all head units out there will run both.

Very impressive setup! I'd love to see pictures. Those Wet Sounds speakers are beauts. That Sony receiver is about half the price of Fusions... which is awesome. Definitely going to do some research to compare.

Originally Posted by mrlee

Hi, I installed a new Kenwood car unit that said it was ok for marine...yes, anyway it has bluetooth and all that...I have 4 cabin speakers and 4 cockpit speakers with an A/B switch box I made from a you tube DYI. I also have an 800 watt amp with 2 subwoofers on A/B switch as well..the cockpit sub I take in and out when needed. It sounds GREAT and I can totally tailor the sound to where I want it and how loud with the fader and the A/B switches...
I have had the system in now for 2 years (first thing as renovations started) and it's like new still...My Irwin 30 sits in the water in Mexico so it has all the elements to deal with, especially the heat.
Good luck with your choices...If ya want pix email me
all_as@hotmail.com
See y'all later and God Bless

I'd love to see pictures. I just emailed you.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Shoot a little silicone grease in those exterior USB sockets. It will prevent the usual salt-air corrosion from happening, without creating any power issues.

FWIW.

Thanks for the tip!