What kind of receiver?

I plan to put in a new stereo system in the MC this winter. My gut instinct tells me before too long I will end up buying an Ipod or other MP3 player. Does anyone know of a stereo that has a jack for plugging in such a device and playing music thru the system off this device? Less money is better!! Thanks for the advice

When you are looking for the new head unit just make sure it has a AUX imput. Thats where any MP-3 player or DVD can plug into. Most new units have it but just check to make sure

This is just one of those questions that just keeps coming up and there still seems to be no good clear answers. I have not yet been able to find a unit that has everything that I am looking for and here is my wishlist:

1. Wired remote controls w/displays (2)
2. Aux RCA inputs (at least 1, preferably 2, one front one rear)
3. 4 volt + line output, at least 2 prefer 3 with sub out.
4. MP3 capable CD player
5. Anti-shock memory buffer on CD player
6. Marine rated circuit boards and water resistant face
7. Automatic volume leveling based on engine RPM
8. An easy access mute button with an adjustable attenuation level
9. Single Din
10. availability in black or white and no ugly graphics

I have seen units with options come and go but I have yet to see one with all the options. I don't know of any current unit that offers a CD buffer and wired remotes.

Mike I to would like a HU like you describe, Unfortunauly Marin audio is the step child of car audio. This was told to me directley from Clarion so its no secret. Car Audio get its first and then Marine gets it. MP3 players and 2nd imputs are becoming standard in car audio along with the ability to control Ipods directley threw the head unit My guess is that they will have a Ipod marine unit in the next 2 years. If you want somthing like you decribed dont hold your breath, Just look at what car audio has now and wait 2 years, thats what the next marine unit will be LOL

Hey G man,

The thing that I don't get is when they discontinue a good thing like the Sony antishock music buffer? I might end up settling for something from the current Kenwood offerring unless I see something better at the boat show at the end of the month.

Mike

I plan to mount the CD player on my 86 MC behind the windshield were it will see little to no water. Do you guys think a car unit will work in this environment?

Check out the Rockford Fosgate RFX9220M.

i dropped in a eclispe head unit and pac ir remote repeater- used a jbl seagim enclosure

Hey mike when are we going to see photos of this Audio system you keep taking about. LOL

I've seen a couple pics!!!

grant it is a major "work in progress". this is my first boat system so i learning as i go along.. i do all the installation except for cutting.

didnt you see some pics that i posted @ planet nautique ?) the system has been a royal pain in the a$$ and pocketbook....ran into a couple snags that i didnt anticipate.

if you dont mind, would like to run some ideas by you and ask your advice..

Tower speakers system intergration-
went back and changed the basis configuration of the system and will be adding tower speakers(4- image dynamic idq 6.5 woofers and eminence or celestion horns with custom lenses). any suggestions where i can get billet front plates like the new skylon reference system ?

the intergration of the tower speakers has been a big problem.. i dont want to add more amps( already have 4)....so is there a speaker switch available that will allow me to switch from the bow speakers to the tower speakers or should i add another amp and use a seperate volume control ? it would be noce to be able to run the towers at a different volume and not add another amp....( was thinking about not running bow speakers( it is hard to find grills to fit the image dynamics chamleaons and go over the curve) -thinking about getting the holes in the bow covered and reglassed( any idea how much would this cost ?)

Subwoofer on the 211...

i have been looking really hard on where to put the subs on the 211. it is very challenging compared to the 210. i dont want to cut the boat glass or minimizee my storage room

subs dont do well in the storage area- the sound doesnt make it out and it rattles the side wall ( the side wall rattle is a pretty easy fix though).

here are some suggestions and let me know what you think..

1. there is room underneath the steering column. the left side wall would require a foam filler to keep from rattling. you can put a 2.25 - 2.5 ft custom glass enclosure. can go with rhino lining as a finish since it would not be seen.

2. a custom glass enclosure with 2-12's firing down in a ported box (2.65 cu) in/underneath the removable seat ( subs need 4" of clearance). this seems like the ticket...it requires a custom box and cushion that is made is to look like the removeable seat. also one could make the seat longer and have a more intergrated look like on the 226. this is fiberglass, gel, and upholstry enclosure and would be in the $800-$1000 range to do this (this is a hard one to get by the wife... she like the idea of a bigger seat but not at $1k... i have done wood boxes and tubes but not custom glass enclosures with gel coating...

any other thoughts on subs for a 211 ??

Crossover board
crossovers in the storage area- will go back and mount them to a board in the storage area- this will be easy- i ran the speaker wire shotgun (double) should have done this is the first place

AMP RACKS
i am redoing the amp racks and going back to a "old school" style amp rack. trying to make a cover that will fit 4 amps on a curved hull doesnt work or look right.

this is a pretty simple design - the amp is mounted to board and there is about a 10x3x1 spacer board that runs underneath the back side of the board. hence the board looks like it is floating and the all the wires are underneath.it works well on boat hulls since the area that is contact with the hull doesnt span the whole bottom area of the amp ( will post pics on how to do this... this should work on any boat and is really easy to do)

btw, didnt mean to highjack the thread...but using a car deck works fine. the disadvantage is not having the wired remote(though a ir with a repeater will work).

(Message edited by clubmyke on January 03, 2005)

Check out this MB Quart head unit. Has a lot of the things on Mike's dream reciever list!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18798&item=3864485 163&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Jeff Randal
I've got a 90 MC and have a car head unit from Clarion installed behind the windshiel, underneath the rear view mirror and it has so far for 2 years been fine. If it rains I put the bimini up and just throw a towel over it. Seems to be handling the moisture fine.

Hey the MB Quart unit looks pretty good, 8 out of my 10 needs. Anybody have any experience with the unit?

Here is a link for the Rockford Fosgate and the MB Quart. They are the same unit, one black and the other is white.
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/ez2rockford/ModelInfo/ModelInfo.asp?ItemKey=10063605&CategoryDesc=Marine %20Source%20Units

http://www.mbquart.com/2003/en_US/products/prod_detail_sourceunits.asp?isArchive=true&cat=nau tic&series=nautic%20series%20source%20units&strt=1 &model=NRA+450

It looks like the MB Quart version has the 30-second skip buffer, but the Rockford Fosgate doesn't? Looks like the only difference to me...but a pretty important one.

Anybody have one, what do you think?? I might have to splurge and go for one...

If those recievers had a digital display on the wired remotes they would be perfect.

If only they had that item.

I still might get one to replace the pathetic clarion I have.

So I guess nobody reading this thread has either of these decks. But does anybody have any experience with Rockford Fosgate head units in general? I have no experience with them, but am trying to figure out why these two decks are so inexpensive...given there long list of features.

another idea would be to find out if the clarion remote will work with their higher end decks ( they do make very, very good decks)

My brother had a RF headunit in his 4runner. He never had any problems with it.

We have installed the Rockford Fosgate RFX9220M head unit in all of our Tige boats since the first of 2004 and have not had a problem yet. The head unit does have a 30 second skip buffer for the cd player.