Are you looking to enhance your boat with new speakers, stereo, head units, amplifiers, CD player, or AM/FM receiver?
Let Speed of Sound be your experts for your quality marine sound systems, we love superior audio output no matter what the platform may be, and we’re here to ensure your listening experience is only the best, no matter where your travels may take you.
With the highest quality options in weather-proof audio, you’ll be enjoying your day on the lake or ocean without compromising sound quality.
Selecting The Best Marine Audio Equipment
Choosing the best stereo for your boat, can be a challenge. With a wide range of vendor relationships and and many years of experience Speed of Sound is your best weapon to help you navigate the oceans of choices.
Our techs and sale people are here to guide you on your choices, will you need an amplifier, a subwoofer or a remote control? We will bring you these answers in the easiest of terms and our great selection of audio gear from the most well known of vendors to smaller, niche companies, to provide you the best options for price and quality.
Contact us today and see how we can help you!
Why Should You Use Specialized Marine Audio Equipment
Some boat owners install car audio systems in their boats to get the same experience they enjoy in the cars, on the water. Sounds like a fair assessment since we spend so much time in our cars listening to what makes us most comfortable in our commute. Car audios are generally cheaper when compared to their marine counterparts, readily available everywhere and work off a boats 12v system like their car. Problem is car audio systems are designed to be installed in dry, enclosed spaces unlike the harsh conditions or rain, salt air, splashing and humidity experienced in your boat.
In general a car audio system will last about 1 year in a marine environment, maybe more , maybe less. The circuit boards in your audio system contain a lot of copper which is highly corrosive, especially in a marine environment. This damage can occur even f your stereo isn’t getting exposed directly to water it is still seeing the effect of moisture and salt in the air.
To combat these damaging affects marine rated circuit boards are dipped in a liquid plastic or resin. This coating forms a thin protective layer over the entire board preventing exposure to the air. To ensure the protection manufacturers expose the coated boards to a UV light that will show any areas not covered by the coating, giving you a product that will survive many year on the water.
In some cases head unit manufacturers add rubber gaskets to seal any access doors and make the chassis out of stainless steel or heavy duty ABS plastic to further extend your audio systems life expectancy.
Car speakers and most speakers in general aren’t design to be outdoors being made with paper cones. This is not a totally true statement though since the cones are made more from a thin cardboard material but in either case not really intended to be used outdoors. This is not to say thse speakers are cheap because the paper used is some of the best sound reproduction material available.
Bearing this in mind you realize what will happen to the paper cone when exposed to water. If you get a year out of these car speakers then you’ve really beat the odd since it wouldn’t be a surprise if they only last a day on the water. Marine speakers on the other hand are made from waterproof materials like Mylar or polypropylene instead of paper. These materials produce the closest sound quality and resonance to car speakers along with being waterproof. These marine speakers will cost more than their car audio counterparts but their benefits far outweigh using their less expensive car speakers.
Marine speakers are waterproof speakers and that means they standup to rain, moisture and even a thorough hosing per standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Even though they are waterproof, marine speakers are not recommended to be submerged in water by their manufacturers.