What to Look for in Marine Stereo Components

Overview of Marine Audio Components

Marine Receivers — You’ll want to buy a radio with a coated circuit board, a water-resistant faceplate, line-level outputs for sending signals to an external amplifier, and satellite radio controls. A weatherproof faceplate cover and a watertight remote control are great accessories to add on.

Marine Speakers — Look for plastic cones (such as polypropylene) and rubber surrounds for maximum weather protection, corrosion-resistant mounting hardware, and enough power handling to pump out tunes over wind, water, and engine noise. Be sure to look at where you’re mounting your speakers — if your speakers are near your compass, they should be magnetically shielded.

Marine Amplifiers — You’ll want coated circuit boards, plated, non-corrosive connectors, and plenty of power.

Marine Subwoofers — Look for plastic cones and rubber surrounds for maximum weather protection. Free-air rated component subs or enclosed subwoofers are good for the challenging mounting locations you’ll often encounter in a boat. If you do not plan on adding an external amplifier, look for a powered enclosed subwoofer.

Marine Speaker Wire and Cables — All wires should be tinned; bare copper can corrode quickly in salt water conditions.

Marine Satellite Radio — Satellite radio is truly a “must-have” marine audio component, because satellite radio reception extends up to 200 miles off shore. Many marine receivers are satellite radio-ready, which means you can add an external tuner, mount it out of sight, and run the cable into the radio. Even better, plug-and-play satellite radio tuners can be transferred from car to boat to home. Look for a marine kit for your plug-and-play tuner, including a marine-rated satellite radio antenna.

GPS — Most boaters wouldn’t leave shore without GPS navigation. When considering which GPS unit is best for you, look for conveniences like rechargeable batteries, a bright color screen that won’t wash out in direct sunlight, Blue Chart compatibility, and, of course, weather resistance. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) compatibility is another good feature to look for in a marine GPS unit; WAAS-enabled GPS units have up to five times better accuracy, which helps keep you out of the hidden rocks or other underwater trouble.

Power Inverter — A power inverter is incredibly handy to have on board. Charge up the camcorder battery, a laptop computer, or even a soldering iron without running miles of extension cords down to your dock. Be sure that the inverter has a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, which protects you against accidental shocks.