Boat Audio and Entertainment

Marine Audio and Entertainment Products Resources and Information

A boat is for much more than fishing– it’s a perfect place for entertaining, and for having fun with friends and family. Investing in your boat’s entertainment system with PartsVu’s selection of boat audio and entertainment products and components from leading marine audio manufacturers, including Boss Audio, Fusion Electronics, Jensen, PolyPlanar, Rockford Fosgate and many more.

Choose from our full selection of boat products and accessories, electronics and navigation, or browse boat audio and entertainment products by category, including: 

• Amplifiers
• Stereo Remotes
• Subwoofers
• Marine Speakers
• Marine Stereos

Boat Audio and Entertainment FAQs

What are the most popular boat stereo controllers? 

The Fusion MS-RA55 is one of the best entry-level options for marine entertainment. The compact MS-RA50 is perfect for smaller vessels and is capable of powering a set of boat stereo speakers. It features a large LCD display, a water-resistant seal, iPod, and iPhone playback, and it’s extremely easy to use.

The Fusion MS-RA205 compact stereo includes SiriusXM, USB connectivity, a VHF receiver, Bluetooth audio streaming, iPod/iPhone playback with video, and Android or Windows phone connectivity. It also allows you to enjoy different volumes in different parts of your boat. The water-resistant MS-RA205 was made to withstand the harsh marine environment’s salt spray and humidity.

The Fusion MS-UD650 is a top of line, marine entertainment system with a widescreen display and a water-resistant charging dock. It provides loud and clear audio with Apple, Android, Windows, and USB devices, and has Bluetooth and SiriusXM capability as well. And with Multi-Zone Technology, you can enjoy different volumes in three separate parts of your boat.

What’s the difference between marine speakers and car speakers?

There are several advantages that marine speakers hold over conventional car speakers. When shopping for the right speakers for your boat, make sure that the speakers are marine rated. Advantages of marine speakers include the following: 

• Sturdy - Marine speakers need to withstand a great deal of jostling, bumping and general wear and tear. For this reason, marine speakers are built from tougher material than standard car speakers, especially in the case of marine tower speakers. 
• Waterproof - As you might imagine, any component affixed to a boat will need to be able withstand continual exposure to exposure water, whether from water washing aboard or rain. Marine rated speakers are engineered to be waterproof. 
• Weatherproof - Continual exposure to the elements, such as extreme weather fluctuations and harmful UV rays, can age plastic components and lead to fading and cracking. Marine grade speakers are made from material that is engineered to withstand exposure to the elements, ensuring that your speakers remain functional for years to come. 
• Clarity - Car speakers only need to be loud and clear enough to be heard within the enclosed space of a vehicle. The open water is a different story. Outboard engines are very loud, and without any walls or other surfaces to reflect sound back, the design of marine speakers will need to compensate so that the listener can listen to the audio output the way it was meant to be heard. Car speakers lack the capacity to project at the volume that marine conditions demand.

What are tower speakers? 

In the past, enjoying onboard music while skiing, wakeboarding, or tubing behind a boat has been next to impossible. Fortunately, tower speakers solve this dilemma by providing powerful audio projection in a compact, durable, and weatherproof casing that conveniently attaches to your wake tower and faces the back of the boat. This way, skiers can enjoy music over the roar of the motor and the noise of the water. These speakers are conical in shape and surprisingly easy to attach. Simply mount them high up on your boat’s wake towers and hook them to a powerful amplification source. 

How do I install tower speakers on my boat? 

Tower speakers are mounted high up in the open air, without any opposing force off of which to bounce their sound. This means the sound the speakers produce will disperse rapidly as soon as it leaves the cone of the speakers. To achieve clarity and decent volume, you’ll need a great deal of power. For the best results, find an external amplifier with the RMS power rating equal to or less than that indicated by the tower speakers’ specs. Then, all that’s left is to run the cables from the amplifier to the speakers.

Once you’ve found the perfect power source, the next step is to mount your tower speakers. Your speakers will likely include a set of stainless mounting clamps. The clamps fit around your wake tower and connect to the speakers. To mount the speakers, simply attach the clamps and tighten the bolts. Finally, make sure you aim your tower speakers in the optimal direction for wake boarders or skiers to hear the audio clearly. 

How do I choose the right marine receiver for my boat?

Unlike car receivers, marine receivers come in many different shapes and sizes. The type of receiver you purchase will depend on how much space you have in the dash of your boat, the size of your vessel. For simple applications in smaller dashes, most boaters go with the standard option– single-DIN marine receivers. These receivers feature a timeless, compact, and versatile design, making them ideal for almost any application. Even if you don’t have much room on your boat dash, a single-DIN marine receiver will likely fit. Before installing a single-DIN stereo in your boat, make sure to measure the depth of your dash. If your dash is too shallow, you’ll want to opt for a digital media receiver instead of a receiver with a CD player.

If your boat’s dash has limited space, a gauge-mounted marine receiver may be your best option. As the name implies, gauge mounted receivers fit easily into a standard gauge opening in your boat’s dash. These compact marine-rated receivers consist of durable, waterproof materials to withstand the harshest marine conditions. Gauge-mounted marine receivers small sizes allow them to be installed in any standard 3” gauge opening. If your boat doesn’t have a free gauge opening, the installer can easily make a circular opening to accommodate the receiver. 

If you have a little free space in your dash, you may want to consider an oversized DIN receiver. These marine receivers feature a standard 2” tall opening and a larger face, allowing for more control knobs and a larger display. Some oversized DIN receivers feature a face that can be opened revealing a waterproof charging station for an iphone. Keep in mind that these marine receivers require a little more mounting space. So measure before you purchase your oversized DIN receiver and plan accordingly. 

If there is no room in your boat dash, or you’d simply rather mount your stereo somewhere out of sight, a black box receiver could be a good option. Unlike other marine receivers, a black box receiver can be mounted anywhere on your boat as long as it’s sufficiently protected from the elements. Black box receivers are marine-grade, so they’re resistant to corrosion and moisture, but, because they aren’t mounted into the dash, they aren’t as waterproof. Make sure you mount yours somewhere safe and dry. 

Lastly, if you’re looking for a larger display but lack the sufficient depth in your dash for an oversize-DIN, a square receiver may be the perfect solution. Square receivers feature a compact design and a streamlined interface with large displays. While they lack CD drives, these receivers can allow for auxiliary input, USB input, and bluetooth connection. If you have a little extra room in your dash, square receivers are a wonderful middleground between standard single-DIN receivers and oversized DIN receivers.