Let's talk stereos

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Woodsong

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Thought I'd start a thread on this. Main salon stereo died this weekend. CD player wasn't working anyway. I am thinking best way to do it is to install one unit in same location rb2@gr5t lower helm. That unit is wired to 2 speakers in the salon (which sound great), 2 speakers in the forward stateroom, and 2 in the aft aft stateroom. Old unit and speakers removed from bridge when we were doing the fiberglass work. i am thinking maybe just stick with the one unit and run 4 speakers from it up to the bridge and a remote keypad to control everything instead of installing a second unit? Sounds like an ipod compatible set up is the way to go. Do their batteries last longer than their dumb iphone? :)
What moderately priced stereo would you go with? I could go with 2 separate units but i think one will be enough for us.
 
We bought a Dual MXCP66 radio set that came with two speakers in the spring. The unit worked well for us all summer long. It has an ipod jack, and a 3.5mm usb port for charging your ipod, or even cell phone. It has a detachable face plate and remote. We have been very happy with it, and for $139 can't beat the price.
 
If you are going with only unit be sure that one unit has the capability of driving the extra speakers on the bridge. If you just hook those speakers to the same terminals that are already in use by speakers you change the circuitry impedance.

George
 
Get one with a very low volume...The boaters behind me at the marina have one with a very loud volume, and It's no fun when your trying to sleep...I know every word in every Celine Dion song...
 
I guess you need to know how you want to control the system. If you are up on the bridge, would you still want the lower area playing? I'm sure you would like control from both the bridge and the salon. There are so many choices out there today, and I would highly recommend the FUSION system. They offer many choices, and ipod can go directly inside the unit to stay waterproof. Google fusion stereo and look at what they have to offer. Good luck.
 
If i had to start fresh with audio and video on the boat, here is what I'd do. Keep in mind I don't listen to very much radio.

I'd have a WDTV LIVE hooked to a small Amp running to all speakers throughout the boat. The Amp is able to isolate the speakers where ever I want sound. There is a 500GB-1TB hard drive connected to the WDTV LIVE, it holds all my music and video as well. The video of the WDTV LIVE is hooked to a HDMI switch that can pump to any display in the boat, even a small tablet or LCD on the bridge(this is optional). Everything is controlled by an iPhone/iPod universal remote solution like RedEye.

Shel
 
quote:
Originally posted by Shel

If i had to start fresh with audio and video on the boat, here is what I'd do. Keep in mind I don't listen to very much radio.

I'd have a WDTV LIVE hooked to a small Amp running to all speakers throughout the boat. The Amp is able to isolate the speakers where ever I want sound. There is a 500GB-1TB hard drive connected to the WDTV LIVE, it holds all my music and video as well. The video of the WDTV LIVE is hooked to a HDMI switch that can pump to any display in the boat, even a small tablet or LCD on the bridge(this is optional). Everything is controlled by an iPhone/iPod universal remote solution like RedEye.

Shel

Click to expand...

+1
 
Just to further explain what I'm talking about, in terms of cost, this is a very economical solutions considering what it can do, especially when you factor in this is your movie and TV solution as well.

Cost (assuming you already have TVs and you don't want a display on the bridge):
WDTV LIVE: < $100 when on sale
Small Amp: < $100
Hard Drive: < $100
RedEye: $188
HDMI Switch: < $30
HDMI Cables: < $30 (get them at Monoprice)
WiFi Router(to create a WiFi network on the boat for the remote and WDTV to talk to): < $100
WiFi adapter for WDTV: $30

Usability;
with the universal remote solution on the iPhone, you can program it so you have to press one or two buttons to start listening to music or watching video. You load up your remote app on the iPhone and click the place you are at, "Bridge", then the activity you want to do like "Listen to Music", everything is done for you by RedEye, the amp is turned on and the speakers are automatically isolated to the bridge, the WDTV is turned on and starts playing music. You would have full control of regular music playing functionality like pause and skip. So imagine you are in bed and you want to watch a movie, you would just click "Aft Cabin" then "Watch Movie"....done.

Pros:
-Any Display in the boat can see the video coming from the WDTV.
-Once connected to WiFi(not the internet, just the WiFi network on the boat) you can stream music or video from any shared drive on any laptop.
-IPhone can be used while music is playing as it is not devoted to playing music.
-Photo slideshows on any display from any shared drive or the HD connected to the WDTV.
-Once connected to the internet, you have youtube and online radio services like Live365.
-Portable harddrive connected to the WDTV can be taken home to load it up with movies, tv shows and music.

Cons:
-Can't do things simultaneously, like watch tv in the salon while listening to music on the bridge. With kids, this could be a non starter.

Shel
 
This would fit nicely on your vessel!

8TrackStereo.jpg
 
My stereo that was in the salon took a crap this summer as well. It powered every speaker on the boat including the bridge.

I simply replaced that stereo with an ipod compatible stereo and kept all of those speakers working. The stereo was about 100 bucks. I then installed another stereo for outside listening only on the bridge with its own dedicated 4 speakers. It was very simple to install and running the speaker wiring was a breeze. I bought a regular ipod compatible stereo from best buy and mounted it in a cabinet next to the helm. About 120 bucks plus whatever 4 speakers you would choose.
 
I am really happy with the Bose system in ours. 5.1 surround sound in the salon with a powered sub under one of the salon sofas and a separate system in the forward stateroom. Works very well for music (stereo and sub) or to watch movies in 5.1. They just sound good for the amount of space they take up in a smaller area like on a boat.

-Rick

Viking Sport Cruiser 50 FY
"Silver Lining"
 
Tony, consider Sirius/XM for the boat. If you are on the boat a lot, it is great to be able to pick a type of music you want, and let them play it with minimal interruptions.
 
I have SIRIUS/XM on the boat it is integrated through my Garmin GXM-51 and does the weather and audio control from any NMEA2000 networked plotter or display.
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by Silver Lining

I am really happy with the Bose system in ours. 5.1 surround sound in the salon with a powered sub under one of the salon sofas and a separate system in the forward stateroom. Works very well for music (stereo and sub) or to watch movies in 5.1. They just sound good for the amount of space they take up in a smaller area like on a boat.

-Rick

Viking Sport Cruiser 50 FY
"Silver Lining"

Click to expand...
+1
I have the same system and you can controlb what is playing it what room.

I have a Clarion on the bridge that I plug a IPod into
 
I have Sirus at the home, there is an app on the I phone that allows you to get Sirus on the Iphone, costs an additional $1.99 per month. I use this in the car, I have a USB in the car that ties into the car stereo. If you have a USB radio in the boat, this would work. As far as power drain, there is none, the phone is charging while plugged into the USB.
 
I did Sirius XM. If you listen to it very much it gets old real fast, also if you truely like good fidelity the signal is too compressed, the really high, highs (think crashing cymbals) and deep lows areen't there. Don't spend a lot on speakers if this is your primary source of music. I am pretty old school technilogically speaking, I still rip my music on CD's because I like picking it up, reading what I put on it and playing it. I have a lot of music on my flash drives, hundreds of songs, and occasionally someone will plug in their I pod. I just like my CD's better when I am selecting the music.(yes they scratch easily, that's why I rip them, and keep the original at home)

First consideration on the stereo should be how intuitive the controls are. It may have a hundred different frequency, EQ, sub , fader, balance, input, filters bla bla. . . at the end of the day and two beers later can you really walk over and change the radio station, or change the volume or track without having to get the owners manual out ? A knob for volume IS intuitive, up down arrows for volume are not. L & R arrows are intuitive to move music next or to previous.(or the radio station) Stay away from volume knobs that double as a toggle switch, that means that knob does one thing if you press it, another if you toggle it up down L or R and another if you turn it and a dozen other things if you press a magic button first. Go to a store with a display and see if you can figure it out without the owners manual or sales person.

I use a dedicated Die Hard AGM battery. A SONY head unit , very user friendly. 8" PYLE marine speakers mounted low so their not in your face when you're trying to hold a conversation, couple of JVC speakers in the arch, a 12" sub with a dedicated 500 Watt Amp at 2 OHMS. Adding another amp to the other speakers this winter. Separate unit in the cabin for NPR and classical music in the mornings.

My 8 track player/recorder is stored under my stairway at home. I tried recording CD's on to 8 track back in the 80's thinking they's sound great in my collector car. . . . .not so much. CD's will soon follow the path of 8 tracks, cassete tapes & floppy drives :)
 
I also agree with having CD's one of my 2 entertainment radios has a CD player, either can get the common XM/SIRIUS feed. It's also worth noting if you listen to over the air FM or AM (talk radio) an external dedicated antenna really helps.
Bill
 
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