Boat Audio Stereo Components Have Come A Long Way
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When I was a kid growing up near the New Jersey Shore, I recall there hardly was a day that went by in the summer when I wasn’t out on someone’s boat. Back when gas was cheap, we’d spend all day long riding on the local bays and rivers. In those days, the only option for music was bringing along a decent portable transistor radio. Boy how things have changed since those simple times. Today most boat audio systems would compete with your high end car or truck’s sound system.
Today you would be hard pressed to find yourself on someone’s boat which didn’t have a great sounding stereo system. The single biggest mistake that boat owners make is buying a cheap car sound system and installing it into their boat using the same installation techniques they used when they upgraded their car’s sound system. This usually proves to be a complete waste of their hard earned money since car stereo products are not made to stand up to the constantly damp environment. Just speak to any sales person in a custom car sound shop along the Jersey shore and see how many customers come in with receivers or speakers completely ruined after one season of use in their boats. Don’t make that mistake, when installing a sound system in a boat, always be sure to spend a few bucks more and buy marine grade electronics.
Today’s boat receivers are capable of playing CD’s, MP3, WMA files and many will receive satellite radio and have connections for your MP3 player as well. Remember that unlike the relatively controlled sound level in your car or truck, the boat environment has a lot of competing noise to overcome. In most cases you’ll you’ll need a audio power amplifier to provide your speakers enough power to overcome the sounds of water and wind and unmuffled engines.
Although these receivers, amplifiers and speakers are referred to as marine grade, you should be aware that this will mean they use materials that will prohibit corrosion and they are not really water proof. So care has to be given as to the location of your installation. You might consider the wired remote control units which enables the amplifier and receiver to be mounted inside a cabin while the remote can be outside exposed to the elements. Of course your speakers have to be out on deck as well since this is where most of your time will be spent. So care should be taken to install them in locations where they will not be exposed to constant splashing from waves. If you intend on installing a good audio system in your boat, be sure to click through and read the entire article on Selecting a Boat Audio System.
