Spending time out on a boat is more popular than ever. It is hard to find anything that is as relaxing as spending a day out on the water to relieve stress and have fun with friends. Boats come in all shapes and sizes which allows an owner to choose the one that best suits their needs.
Some prefer a small bass boat that will allow you to slowly drift down your favorite river while fishing for your supper, others prefer a larger ski boat so that they can spend the day out on their local lake giving friends and family rides and pulling wake boarders and tubers behind them, and then there are those who like spending a day or two offshore while hooking some big fish on a saltwater fishing boat or relaxing on the deck of a sailboat. The one thing in common with all these boaters is that being able to listen to their favorite music with quality sound and reliability will help add to their experience in a positive way.
While boating has been a popular pastime all over the world for thousands of years, being able to listen to your favorite music while out on the water is a more modern invention. Marine audio systems have been growing in popularity for the past several decades, and what started as just a basic radio and a simple speaker setup utilizing old automobile equipment has turned into state-of-the-art technology that allows a marine audio system to rival the best home and auto sound systems.
If you are looking to upgrade your boat's outdated sound system or are looking to install a completely new sound system utilizing the best technology available, where do you start?
How to Select the Perfect Marine Speaker
If you are looking to update and upgrade your marine audio system, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, this audio equipment will be exposed to water and the elements on a regular basis, so your speakers, head unit, and other equipment will need to be up to the task. And secondly, you will need to ask yourself what your particular goals are and what you wish to accomplish. Are you looking for a head unit and a few speakers for a bass boat, looking for speakers that can drown out the static and noise of a crowded lake, or are you looking to play host to family and friends and create the best party atmosphere possible?
Purpose-built boat speakers installed correctly will provide you with the best sound system experience. Some may opt to just bring along an old cheap Bluetooth speaker, but these are small (easy to lose), lack sound quality, and will constantly need to be recharged, making them the worst possible option.
But there are many options when it comes to speakers that are suitable for use on a boat. Wake tower speakers, components speakers, and coax speakers are all popular choices, but what exactly is the difference?
Component Speakers – Component speakers have been featured in marine stereo systems for years. They consist of two or more mid-range speakers that are connected via a crossover to other speakers, such as tweeters and subwoofers. This allows all of your speakers to work together while still focusing on the optimal range for each individual speaker. Component speakers work great if you have a larger boat that has the space for multiple speakers and allows you to strategically place your boat's speaker to create the sound you want.
Coax Speakers – Coax speakers are a two-way speaker that combines two different styles of speaker, usually a subwoofer and a tweeter, and utilizes an internal crossover to allow them to work as a single unit. So basically, you are getting two speakers in the space of one. This allows a coax speaker to produce amazing sound quality, but also save space due to the fact that everything is packaged into a single unit. On a boat where space is at a premium, a coax speaker will provide a space-saving option that takes up less room, but does not sacrifice sound quality.
Wake Tower Speakers – Wake tower speakers are the most specialized speakers on this list, but often provide the best bang for the buck. Just like the name implies, a wake tower speaker is designed to be installed on and fit perfectly on a boat wake tower. If your boat does not happen to have a wake tower, and you have no plans to install one, wake tower speakers can still be easily mounted elsewhere due to the fact that they are self contained units designed to save space. They can often be found on side-by-sides and other off-road vehicles due to their robust nature and the fact they can be mounted externally because their housings provide excellent protection for the speaker's internal parts.
All of these styles of speakers can produce excellent top-quality sound and are highly recommended for marine applications, but which speakers you choose to install on your boat will come down to personal preference and size limitations. How much room will you have? On a big boat, component and coax speakers are a good choice, but if space is at a premium, installing wake tower speakers above your head might be your best option.
What Makes a Good Boat Speaker
Now that you know the different styles of boat speakers, what exactly makes a good boat speaker, and why are they different than other traditional audio speakers? High sensitivity is a must for any speaker, and not just on a boat. The higher the sensitivity rating that a speaker has, the louder it will play with its provided amount of wattage. So a high sensitivity speaker will produce more sound than a low sensitivity speaker using the same amount of power, which is important to keep in mind when you are in an open space.
High durability is another trait of a good boat speaker. Unlike home audio systems or those found in an automobile, a boat speaker will face the elements with little or no outside protection. So a boat speaker will need to be manufactured from the highest quaintly components so that they can face prolonged exposure to sunlight and UV rays. They will also need to be made from waterproof and water-resistant materials because they might be exposed to fresh water and salt water, and they might even find themselves completely submerged from time to time.
Increased power handling is also something to take into consideration when looking at boat speakers. More power often means louder sound and better quality sound, but if a speaker’s peak power handling value is not up to your required power levels, then your speaker volume and quality will suffer. Sound quality is extremely important, so you will need a speaker that sounds good at a high volume. Out on the water you will be subjected to all sorts of outside sounds that you wouldn’t have to deal with inside a home or in an automobile. Other boats, yelling adults, screaming kids, and all of the sounds and noises of the great outdoors will all be factors that you will have to take into account. Almost any speaker can sound loud, but sounding good while at a high volume is extremely important when it comes to boat speakers.
How to Install Your Marine Speaker
Installing most marine speakers and sound system equipment is a relatively straightforward and easy process, especially if you are mechanically inclined into tech, or are an avid do-it-yourselfer. If you are replacing existing speakers that are outdated and no longer up to the task, then replacing them will be easy, and can be accomplished using a few hand tools. Installing boat speakers where none were before will often require some fabrication work and careful planning, but with a little patience and elbow grease, it is completely within the realm of most boating enthusiasts, and this type of installation work will also let you place your new speakers exactly where you want them on your boat.
Wake tower speaker installation is also an easy process that requires very little fabrication. The biggest part of installing these speakers is planning exactly where you want to place them and how you want to space them out. Wake tower speakers are also easier to remove, so they will give you some wiggle room when it comes to exactly where to place them, whereas other style speakers will leave a giant hole if removed.
Shop Garage Bagger Speakers
So you have decided to upgrade your boat's existing sound system or are looking to install a completely new system, and you now have to knowledge to choose a good speaker and know where or how to install it. Where do you go to find the best marine audio equipment on the market? The answer is Garage Bagger Stereo. They carry all the top brands when it comes to marine-grade speakers, including Rockford Fosgate, Wetsounds, DS18, and Fusion. Which brand speakers you choose will depend on the particular goals you are trying to accomplish, but the folks at Garage Bagger Stereo can point you in the right direction.
Garage Bagger Stereo sells speakers for marine and motorcycle applications, so they know a thing or two about waterproof speakers. If you have any questions or are looking to place a custom order, they are just a phone call or email away, and will be happy to help. So check out https://garagebaggerstereo.com , order the best boat speakers out there, install them, and hit the water for a day of relaxation listening to your favorite music in the highest quality possible!