So, you are out on a boat,
sailing across the ocean on a hot summer day. The wind is blowing across your face,
your favorite tunes are blasting from the stereo, and you swear life couldn't
be any better. Until a sudden gust of wind sends a wave lashing across your
boat, dousing the stereo with water. Within seconds, the stereo stops
functioning - the imperfect end to what would otherwise have been a great
experience. This is the reason why you need to invest in marine speakers. If you own or lease a boat,
marine speakers should be an obvious and automatic choice. An audio system is a
must-have accessory on any boat. With the ever present threat of water damage,
it makes sense to invest in waterproof marine speakers. Consider installing
them as standard accessories on every boat. Besides boat owners, those who spend
a lot of time outdoors will also benefit from these speakers. I remember going
to an outdoor concert and it began to rain. The first thing all roadies did was
to run out and carry the speakers indoors. If they had a set of marine
speakers, they could have simply let them stand out in the open in the rain
without risking any permanent damage Of course, you don't need to be in a band
and hold outdoor concerts to find these speakers useful. You can simply install
them in your backyard to play music when your BBQing or spending a leisurely
Sunday evening with friends, without worrying about rain spoiling all the fun. In
other words, these speakers are for anyone who wants some music outdoors -
whether it is on a boat, on a beach, on a camping trip, or simply in the
backyard. Their waterproof capabilities make them more than useful in a variety
of settings where rain or waves may play spoilsport. As with any other set of
electronics, do your research before buying. Understand your own needs before
making a purchase decision. Invest in quality, something that will last a long
time, instead of a cheap set of speakers that will fizzle out in a few months.
A lot depends on your own notions of quality. If you are an audiophile who
wants nothing but the highest quality playback, nothing but the finest speakers
will satiate you. If you are a casual listener who uses his music system
occasionally, it wouldn't make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on a
top-range speaker set. Remember that while modern marine speakers may be
waterproof, excessive water may still damage them. So, if you are installing
them on a boat or a backyard, it may be wise to keep them away from direct
exposure to rain or ocean spray. This way, you will prolong the life of your
audio system. Your speaker system should be compatible with the audio source.
That is, if you plan to play MP3s from an iPod, the system should have the
appropriate adapters to plug in an MP3 player. If you plan to plug in the
system into a TV, you might need a different set of adapters. The point is that
you should understand where and how you will use your marine speakers and only
then making a purchase decision. Today it's not at all exceptional whatsoever
to find high end audio systems in everything from motor yachts and sailing
sloops right down to weekend cruisers and bass boats. Modern day marine stereo
components allow boat owners to enjoy the very same good quality of music as
they have become used to experiencing while in their cars or trucks. At one
time a boat owner needed to depend upon a boombox or be willing to exchange
their standard car audio speakers each year or so. Typical car audio speakers
just cannot resist the tough marine natural environment. But nowadays you are
able to buy top end marine speakers that happen to be specifically designed for
marine use. The first task in picking out marine speakers is almost always to
establish exactly where the speakers might be installed. A good thing to keep
in mind is the fact that while modern marine speakers are water resistant, they
aren't waterproof. So some caution should be taken to install them out of the
path of direct spray.
One more thing to consider is how
will they be powered. If you are mounting speakers inside the cabin of a boat,
you can actually focus solely on quality of sound however, if mounting inside a
wide open area of any kind of motorboat, you will need to be aware that you
will find a significant quantity of background noise to overcome. This means
that you'll want to power your loudspeakers with a marine amplifier. The
amplifier must be set up in the cabin or some enclosed area in order to prevent
the electronics from getting wet. You can even add a marine subwoofer into your
sound system to supply that rich sounding bass you enjoy in your car or home
audio system. You might be able to integrate it within existing cabinetry in
order to avoid the need for a separate speaker enclosure. Last but not least
you can select the appropriate source unit for the system. You will see new
marine stereo receivers capable of playing CD, MP3, WMA and all of your
selected music direct from your iPod. Even though it's also wise to make an
effort to mount your source unit out from the immediate path of the water
spray, you can also purchase waterproof covers to shield the electronics. One
of the biggest mistakes boat owner make is trying to save money by buying cheap
car audio equipment with the intention of replacing it every other season or
so. From experience this simply causes the boat owner to lose more money over
the years. The marine equipment on the market today is made to last and well
worth the investment if you really are interested in good sound in your boat. kicker marine speakers