The pleasure of listening to music would have been severely hindered if it was left entirely at the mercy of nature. It’s well nigh impossible to take a conventional indoor marine stereo system outside in the rain or on a boat in the sea without damaging it. The reason is never too hard to imagine. Stereos meant for use indoors are never armored to provide protection from water, heat or dust when they are kept outside.
Waterproof stereos are popularly used in marine installations especially in boats. They have weather coated circuit boards to tide against moisture and salinity in the air along with protection from exposure to ultra violet rays. In the end, it ensures better performance as loss of electrical energy in the circuit is minimized and this ensures a longer life. Stereos can be given further protection by installing waterproof stereo cover assemblies. The stereo will actually be housed within this casing and these casings are compatible with all dual post, removable and DIN style stereos. To top it, the wire connections at the rear end are sealed by rubber gaskets to prevent the terminals from coming in contact with moisture laden air. The assemblies include a stereo mounting frame for mounting a stereo therein, as well as a waterproof cover pivotally attached to the stereo mounting frame and sealing components mounted in the stereo mounting frame for sealing the stereo mounting frame.
Some of the important aspects which deserve a consideration while choosing a waterproof stereo are size, output power and other allied features. The sizes of waterproof marine stereos for boats (marine stereos) are often measured in DIN numbers. DIN stands for dashboard installation. A standard DIN is two inches in height and seven inches in width. For installation and additional safety, waterproof stereo enclosures with gimbal mount can prove to be handy. Unfortunately there is deviation in DIN size for such stereos and industry seemingly is not of the same mind as to a standard size.
Heads of waterproof stereos like that of any other stereo contain an inbuilt amplifier, with the good ones typically having a four channel output. Most of these systems come with a wired remote control but you could definitely look for one with a wireless remote control system, but it would be a hassle looking for it in the pool. For even higher outputs, an additional amplifier will be required not surprisingly because the sound needs to be heard over the sound of the boat’s motor and the splashing noise of water. Whatever be the case, the marine speakers’ output (in watts) should match with that of the amplifier.
Waterproof stereos and mainly marine stereos are distinguished from each other on the basis of features rather than price. This seems to be the normal trend for the industry. Waterproofing in marine audio is preferred over simple water resistant models. It’s also desirable to have the stereos HD enabled for receiving digital radio content. Other niceties would include wireless remote, auxiliary input for iPods etc and CD changers.
Look up Amazon’s product listings and go through their customer reviews to make sure that you’re getting the best bang for your buck. The Jensen Marine MSR2107 Waterproof Stereo with Full iPod Controls as well as the Jensen Radio JHD910 Complete Kit – Free Shipping – Waterproof Mini AM/FM/WB/Stereo / 3.5″ Mini Speakers Waterproof / Top Side Rubber Antenna – ATV/UTV have made it to the top of the Amazon bestseller list. Just click through, read the specs and you will know why.
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