Originally posted on https://bigjeffaudio.com/blogs/news/the-best-boat-speakers-and-marine-audio-ultimate-buyers-guide

Got a new boat? Congratulations! You likely love your boat and chances are, you want to trick it out with great marine speakers.

That said, you can’t slap on the first set of speakers you find in the market.

Saltwater corrosion is the biggest enemy of a boat speaker. Other factors like pressure and constant physical friction with the water can also damage poorly designed speakers.

If you’re looking into buying new boat speakers, you need to know which ones to look for.

In this guide, we’ll give you everything you need to know to get the best marine speakers you can buy. What should you look for? Which brands are great for both function and budget?

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MARINE SPEAKERS

When choosing the right marine speakers, there are a few factors that you should consider. The best units have the same factors. A quick list of these are:

• Marine speaker durability
• Speaker audio quality
• Power and impedance
• Marine speaker sizes

All these are crucial factors you need to take into account.

1. MARINE SPEAKER DURABILITY

When looking for boat or wakeboard tower speakers, you need to confirm durability. They need to have the right level of waterproofing to prevent rusting and corrosion. You also would want them to handle other types of outdoor elements.

As we noted, saltwater can increase rusting and corrosion in your speakers. When you combine this with the salty air, it can create a significant impact on speaker lifespan. UV rays from sunlight can also disintegrate plastics and adhesives.

You want durable marine speakers that can stand the outdoors.

2. SPEAKER AUDIO QUALITY

Speaker audio quality is no brainer. Apart from the wattage and impedance, you want to get crisp, clear audio. You may have the best audio in the world but sub-standard speaker audio quality will get you.

Make sure your speaker audio works according to your preferences.

Some like their bass to come from both speakers. Some people rather have their marine speakers play only highs and mids. This leaves the lows to their subwoofers.

Make sure that you have the right setup that caters to your audio preferences.

3. POWER AND IMPEDANCE

Power and impedance are crucial for boat speakers. These will help you choose the type of amplifier you need. Why?

Power is the ability of your speakers to receive power from amplifiers before it receives damage. If a speaker drives too hard and hot, you can create permanent damage to your speakers.

Impedance will allow amplifier matching to get easier.

4. MARINE SPEAKER SIZES

Marine speaker sizes are vital when you are outdoors. Bigger means better performance in the world of speakers, so that’s a no-brainer. Even then, there’s an important reason why you want to put size as a factor.

As a boat speaker set is directional, a bigger unit will help the audio cope with the environmental acoustics. The lack of a hard environment for the audio to bounce can exacerbate bad audio. Having strong audio in the first place will give you a better time.

WHICH IS THE BEST MARINE SPEAKER?

What are the best marine speakers for you? Here are a few of the best units out there.

1. DS18 NXL-62TD-BK Black Tower Speakers 750W Marine

The DS18 NXL-62TD-BK Black Tower Speakers 750W Marine are one of the best 6.5 speakers out there. It’s 750W of full directional audio, which will do a nice audio dissipation around your boat. The 4-ohm impedance means you can crank up the audio with the right amplifier.

What we love about the NXL-62TD is that it comes with a 1.35-inch titanium diaphragm compression driver. This will create a better stereo separation for your audio, making the sound more “environmental”. This means there’s better sound staging, allowing for crisper, more discernible audio.

As for durability, it’s second to none for your marine unit. It uses an IP65 waterproof rating UV-compliant high-gloss High Polymer using a resin-fiberglass composite. This means the NXL-62TD is water-resistant and will keep its finish without any degradation.

The DS18 NXL-62TD-BK Black Tower Speakers 750W Marine are what you need.

2. DS18 HYDRO CF8 8” Speaker

The DS18 HYDRO CF8 8” Speaker is a great 2-way boat speaker pair that people love. Among the 8-inch marine speaker sizes, it’s a solid performer due to its toughness and weatherproofing. These are marine speakers that you and your friends will appreciate when you go out in your boat.

What sets the DS18 HYDRO CF8 apart is the durability and power. Each speaker has a 450W peak power, with an RMS power of 150 W each. With the right amplifier, you can pull more power to crank the audio up and enjoy good beats.

The HYDRO CF8 has the same IP65 rating as the NXL-62TD even if they’re in different leagues. The body comprises of high-grade carbon fiber with metal mesh with UV specifications. This means you can lavish under the bright sun, get wet and you’ll still get the best audio out there.

3. Cadence SQS69W 2 Way Marine Speakers 480W

The Cadence SQS69W 2 Way Marine Speakers 480W are high fidelity (HiFi) speakers. If you want speakers that would look clean on a panel but still carries a strong oomph, these are the best. They’re easy, simple, and no-frills 240W per speaker audio units.

The Cadence SQS69W uses a polycarbonate cone with a resin coat, making it water and rustproof. It’s marinized against salt and water, so they’re more heavy duty than you think. With a solid 120W RMS each speaker, you can get more out of your boat every time.

FINDING THE BEST BOAT SPEAKERS FOR YOU

When it comes to boat speakers, you need to know what to look for. Beyond performance, durability, power, impedance, and marine speaker sizes are important. These will help you find the right audio speakers for your boat.

If you’re looking for more speakers and high-quality audio devices, you need a great audio systems provider.

Talk to us today and find the marine speakers that fit your needs.