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When I was a kid growing up on a beach in New Jersey, I recall spending day after day on either my boat or a friend's. Back when gas was cheap, we'd spend all day long speeding around the Barneget Bay. In those days, the only option for music was bringing along a decent portable transistor radio. Today, nothing is that simple. Today most boat audio systems would compete with your high end car or truck's sound system.
Today it would be near impossible to find yourself on someone's boat which didn't have a good stereo system. The colossal 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 harsh marine environment. Just speak to any sales person in a stereo store along the Jersey shore and see how many customers come in with bad components after use in their boats. Don't make that mistake, when installing a video or audio system in a boat, always be sure to spend a few bucks more and buy components rated for marine use.
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 competing with the road noise in your car, the boating, just naturally 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 usually means the products are made with 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. This is a good reason to 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 where you are. 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.
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