new head unit help, marine vs non marine.
 

I am looking to get a new head unit mainly for bluetooth use. I currently have a old pioneer car unit right now. Last year I purchased the Clarion M502 unit for its bluetooth and marine quality but had a defective unit and did not like the interface or all the cables hanging off the back. so returned it. The problem is there really isnt to many units with bluetooth. I came across the Dual AMB600W http://www.dualav.com/marineaudio/amb600w.php which is marine grade and has bluetooth which I tested out at West Marine and walked around the store to test the distance. My other option would to go with something like the Alpine UTE-42BT http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/ute-42bt/ unit which is bluetooth a bit cheaper but not marine grade. The unit will be going to a rockford M600-4D amp to power 2 in boat speakers and 2 tower speakers.

The reason I question getting marine is due to the radio installs into the driver side dash, leaving the back of the unit exposed to moisture under the dash, but I have also had the pioneer installed for a couple years without any issues, except some corrosion on the mounting sleeve and on the back of the unit.

My question is should I go with the Dual brand marine grade or go with a more reputable brand like Alpine, but not marine grade.
(I dont care about CD's just bluetooth and aux in port)

I just installed this into my stock headunit for now. It's $29.00 at Bestbuy and works flawlessly...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Aluratek...&skuId=6581843

http://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/B...anvasWidth=500

I would consider doing something like that, but I dont even have an aux in on my pioneer

My fathers 4 Winns has that open mounting style like that. Flip down cover on the front and just open under the helm in the back, kind of behind the lower steering wheel. His radio goes to crap seems like every 3-5 years. had a new marine rated radio when he bought it and it went 4 years. Installed a cheap $100 JVC non marine rated stereo and its going on its 4th season and working great. I think in that type of mounting both will have a limited life, unless the boat is garage stored except when in actual use. His sits on a covered lift and stays dry from rain. Just gets the damp air from being over a fresh water lake.

sounds good, it is usually dry and always covered when stored. the only issues would be exposure to moist air when covered and occasionally being caught in rain, which the pioneer has gone through and still works fine.

Sony CDX-M60ui

If you are considering a non-marine head unit, it sounds like you are not running a transom remote. You obviously aren't running CD's since you had that Clarion. Unless you are using welfare radio and need that tune, why not just run an EQ with a bluetooth adapter and be done with it? It seems to be the popular trend for a lot of folks now.

That said, I use the crap out of our two transom remotes (one mounted in-boat, other on transom), so an EQ wasn't an option. Plus I wanted to run my Sirius and iPhone through the remotes as well. Otherwise I'd probably be rocking a Wetsounds, Exile, or Clarion EQ.

definitely dont use CD's, I do use the radio now. I like the built in bluetooth no extra wires setup or having to charge up a bluetooth adapter. I dont have any transom remotes, that is another reason I like bluetooth is because my iphone would be the remote.

I second the Bluetooth thing. I have one in my boat and works amazing. The battery lasts all day too.

that thing looks awesome! how often do you have to charge it. My radio stopped playing CD's and the USB also doesnt work, it just says "reading" for ages, the "aux" however works great, i bought a little monster cable to plug the phone into, but i have no remote, so i could get this thing, hook up bluetooth, and keep my phone with me driving and pause/turn down volume.

I originally went with a good quality unit in my boat. Long story short the back of it rusted over winter. I now have a sealed marine unit in there.