Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

[dorsett59]

Hey, all
Is there any difference between a car radio versus a marine specific radio?
No, I do not mean a marine VHF communications radio. I mean something to listen to the local radio stations while out on the water.

 

[LIQUID PROZAC]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

marine radio should be more sealed than a regular radio

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

This old subjuct again,,,
Sure there is a difference, a marine one is sealed (somewhat) but I have a cheap regular one and it does just fine. never had any problems with it. I dont even have a splash cover. I do have marine speakers tho.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I think the real difference is when you are using your boat in saltwater otherwise ive used both and they seem to give out around the same time. Ive switched to a marine amp and use my Ipod as a head unit.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

despite what the manufacturers will sell you, they are often IDENTICAL internally, often just different colors for the exterior. (white vs black) Some of the halfway decent ones at least use a different faceplate that has some protection.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

i have a kenwood car audio cd player in mine with a splashguard and marine speakers. has worked fine for a few years. i could see it maybe being different if it was in a salt water slip all its life, but my boat only spends a day or two on the water at a time. I had car speakers that got wet once and quit working, hence the marine speakers upgrade. but never problems with the head unit

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I agree with all of the replies so far. If it's not in danger of getting wet I'd go with an automotive unit.

 

[dorsett59]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I mounted a car radio in the cuddy cabin of my boat, and after a rough day on the water, it quit working. I thought a marine radio might be better able to handle the bouncing of the waves. No water got to it, so I'm pretty sure it was the bouncing.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

despite what the manufacturers will sell you, they are often IDENTICAL internally, often just different colors for the exterior. (white vs black) Some of the halfway decent ones at least use a different faceplate that has some protection.

Internally I would have no idea.
I have a cheap marine radio made by fusion. I paid about $80 and it came with a remote you can permanently mount on the transom. Externally it?s all sealed and it has a big heat sink on one side to compensate no vents. It?s mounted on the side of the helm and it?s exposed to the elements. When I wash the boat the radio gets sprayed and washed also. It still works great.
Many folks here are running auto units, the trick is to keep them dry. If I had an auto unit laying around I would have used it and mounted it in the glove box.

 

[Splat]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

Marine unit arenormally potted. That is the electronics are sealed in a epoxy. This helps with both vibration dampening on the components and water resistance.

A auto unit with a decent splashguard will work for years in a freshwater enviroment. In a salt water enviroment however, regardless of if its subjected to direct spreays of water will usually only last a year or two. Marine units really should be used in salt enviroments.

Marine speakers are a MUST rwgardless of enviroment.

Bill

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

FYI you can buy marine speaker covers for $15 a pair and use automotive speakers as long as they are not paper cone, the marine speaker covers have an ultra fine mesh that water runs off of. Any polypropylene coned speaker will work fine.

I use a Sirius Stilletto head unit with an automotive 300 watt amp and four speakers with active crossover network, the trick when using automotive stuff is to seal the entire unit with silicone and have 3/16" drain holes in the bottom of the casings to prevent condensation buildup, my Sirius dock is sealed with silicone grease on the connection...so far so good but I keep the entire steering console covered with a custom cover when we camp and leave the boat open to the elements. Isolating from the pounding a boat goes through is important, I use large rubber washers stacked two high as insurance but CD players are notorious for being damaged...the laser transport mechanism gets the hit usually. I gave up on CD players long ago, neither the automotive ones or marine models seem to last very long.

I really like the Sirius Stilletto as I can get radio anywhere I can see sky and it plays MP3's and recorded Sirius songs plus its solid state. The biggest problem is deciding between the trolling motor and the music, I find both drain the second battery in about the same time.:redface:

 

[Plasma George]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I just bought/installed an auto radio, JVC, AM/FM/CD, with a detachable face, Aux input, remote at Walmart for $95....20watss RMS. (Sony and Pioneer both had 14watts and 17 watts RMS) So it's go nice power without needing another battery. I'm debating mounting new rear 8" Pyle marine speakers on the kick panel under the rear seats.

Mounted it in the glove box opposite the controls....I also took the door off for a sleaker look, and easier access to the radio, and the remote works. The detachable face goes in the house when we're not using the boat, so it's not in the elements.

 

[divinginn]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I just bought/installed an auto radio, JVC, AM/FM/CD, with a detachable face, Aux input, remote at Walmart for $95....20watss RMS. (Sony and Pioneer both had 14watts and 17 watts RMS) So it's go nice power without needing another battery. I'm debating mounting new rear 8" Pyle marine speakers on the kick panel under the rear seats.

Mounted it in the glove box opposite the controls....I also took the door off for a sleaker look, and easier access to the radio, and the remote works. The detachable face goes in the house when we're not using the boat, so it's not in the elements.

I put that same exact radio in my pontoon boat last year,this year the cd player has quit working,it is not reading the cd right and just spits it back out after a few seconds,great radio until that started happening. I am going to try to put a cd cleaner through it and see if that helps.

 

[brianvolt7]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

There are some differences. Typically the circuit boards in the units (radios and amps) are coated to stop corrosion and some units are even waterproof! For speakers, usually they are polypropylene with a rubber surround which makes them a good choice for when an occasional skier splashes or drips.

It is perfectly okay to use a normal car stereo, that?s what I use because it?s an old boat and a used car radio is fine for me, I don't blast, but if buying new, go for marine, they really are about the same price. Check out Crutchfield.com or Overtons.com

 

[chrisg]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I noticed you can get marine radio with speakers for about the same price as car radios without speakers, so price wise, there appears to be little difference. ( For the run of the mill radios). I just finished putting a Dual Marine radio/CD in my pontoon, and it works ( I did add a splash guard) for around 105 with speakers.

 

[mikec041]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

There are some differences. Typically the circuit boards in the units (radios and amps) are coated to stop corrosion

I've had 2 clarion marine units go bad in 5 years in my bowrider. When i opened the housings i found NO coating of any kind and corrosion on the board. So as far as Clarion, their so called marine units don't stand up to well in marine environments. Both units were mounted in glove compartment and not exposed to water spray, the corrosion has to be from just dampness/humidity/dew type thing.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

I'm with Mike C. I have installed all sorts of auto and marine stereos in my boats over the years. The results do not favor any one king. I had the cheapest auto radio ($50 w/ speakers) last the longest. The PCB was green with corrosion, but still worked.

I installed a new Clarion Marine Stereo two years ago. it was well protected from the elements, but is already dead. I got one season out of it!