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To help you find the best speakers for your boat, we have tried out a variety of different models, testing for weatherproof insulation, plenty of wattages, and advanced cone and coaxial design, to maximize the volume and sound quality. Additionally, we wanted to make sure each product came with a heavy-duty warranty, as accidents can happen on the open sea. With this guide, you’ll have an easier time picking out the best marine speaker for you. You can also find the best speakers if you check out our guide.
The best boat speakers we tried were easily the BOSS Audio Systems Marine Speakers, which are sold in pairs, at a relatively low cost, and feature a host of high-end functionalities, including an aluminum cone, high grade weatherproof insulating fabric, and tweeters that project throughout the boat. They also come with a three-year warranty and are available in a variety of size and wattage options. Keep reading to learn more about the BOSS Audio Systems Marine Speakers and the other products on this list.
The BOSS Audio Systems Marine Speakers come in a large variety of size and wattage options, from 5.25” to 6.5” and 150 watts to 350 watts. These best marine speakers are at the top of our list for a reason. The result is the perfect set of speakers for your boat setup, all of them being made from high-grade weatherproof materials and featuring a dome-shaped tweeter that excels at projecting sound throughout the vehicle. They also throw in a three-year warranty, which is fantastic.
Though you can purchase a combo pack that comes with a stereo receiver, this option is on the pricey end, though it does include Bluetooth functionality. Additionally, the products do not come with speaker wire, so you’ll have to purchase some yourself. Our Speaker reviews have the answers you need.
The BOSS Audio Systems Marine Gauge Receiver and Speaker is a combo unit, coming with both a pair of 6.5” IPX6 water-resistant white speakers and an innovative stereo receiver, which has Bluetooth and USB ports built-in. The whole thing is extremely easy to set up, as it comes with all of the cabling and wires you need to get going, including a marine-focused antenna. The company also throws in a three-year warranty, like our top pick. With these speakers, you’ll never need the best marine speakers again.
Related: You might be interested in the best desktop speakers.
Though the 180-watt speakers produce fantastic sound and are weatherproof, you are locked into the size and wattage with this package, so they may not be the ideal fit for your setup. Additionally, the packed-in antenna is pretty flexible and not the highest quality product we’ve encountered. Also, read about the best smart speaker. You can find this speaker on Amazon.com.
These Pyle 6.5” Dual Marine Speakers are completely waterproof and weather-resistant, making them perfect for installation anywhere on your boat, with no fear of water damage. They also come with a built-in grille that helps protect the speakers from damage via bumps and accidents, and all of the necessary installation hardware, including wires and mounts. This speaker has an RMS power output of 75 Watts, with a total power handling of 150 Watts. It has a frequency response of 80hZ-18Hz.
Though these speakers sound pretty great out of the box, they do not include a tweeter, so you may want to hook them up to an amp or another pair of speakers to boost the stereo image. Additionally, the one-year warranty is on the lower end, compared to our top picks. The best outdoor Bluetooth speakers are another great choice.
These Kenwood 6.5″ 2-Way Marine Speakers sound fantastic, even without an amp, thanks to a balanced 1” dome tweeter and a woofer that excels at producing clear, thumping bass. The speakers are also water-resistant, though not fully waterproof, and easy to install, taking us only around ten minutes for a complete setup. They produced quite a good amount of volume, considering they are 150 watts, and the sound quality only increases when paired with an amp. This is the perfect pick if you just need a good marine speaker.
Related: Also check out the best tabletop radio.
Though these boat speakers were easy to clean and install, they did not come with all of the wiring necessary, despite coming with screws. Additionally, the price is on the higher end, considering these are just speakers and do not come with a stereo receiver of any kind. Despite these downsides, this speaker will still provide high-quality audio. The best wireless speakers also work well on boats. And, if you have a shower on your boat, you’ll want a leading shower speaker.
These Sony 6.5” Dual Cone Marine Speakers are manufactured using UV and salt water-resistant materials, providing an element of stability, as harsh conditions can cause white speakers to turn tan in a season or two. They are also water-resistant (IPX5) and come with a removable and paintable grille, allowing you to change the aesthetics as you please. The 140-watt speakers also sound terrific, with a pleasing midrange.
Though the unit comes with a bracket, protection collar, and release keys, it does not come with the necessary wiring for installation. Additionally, the grilles are made from hard plastic, and we would have preferred a metal design. If you were searching for a good-looking, high audio quality, water-resistant speaker this might be your pick. Also, check out computer speakers.
These Rockville 2 Way Marine Wakeboard Tower Speakers are manufactured to excel at voiceover applications, featuring a 1.25” Kapton voice coil and a 1″ dome midrange tweeter, combined with 600 total watts of power for increased volume capabilities. This is further demonstrated by this speaker’s 80db rating. Even the RMS capability is at 200 watts. The rubber components are also completely water and rust-resistant, making these speakers great on rough seas. They also come with some large mounting screws, which makes them usable for attachment to land vehicles, such as Jeeps.
These boat speakers are intended to install on a roll bar, so they may not fit every setup. Additionally, these speakers do get plenty loud, thanks to their wattage, but do not produce as warm of a tone as some of the other speakers on this list. Bluetooth speakers and mini Bluetooth speakers are other great choices.
These Herdio Waterproof Marine Speakers boast great features to price ratio, with a fully waterproof body (IP66) and a small form factor, coming in at 4 inches, making them easy to find a place for in your boat. They are also surface mounted and able to easily screw into a roll bar or other external area, so you won’t have to drill any unsightly holes.
Though these speakers can be surface mounted, which makes them fit into tight spots, they didn’t come with any installation instructions, so you’ll have to brush up on your basic electrical wiring techniques. Additionally, they only come with a one-year warranty, as opposed to our top picks, which come with three. If your boat is big enough, the best in-ceiling speakers or the top in-wall speakers are awesome. But, you probably don’t want any solid floor-standing speakers on your boat, even though they’d go great with the best internet radio.
To help narrow down the above list, we tested speaker pairs for volume and clear sound reproduction, no matter their watt count, and looked for products that boasted real water resistance, often manufactured using waterproof materials. On the safety end, we also tended to favor speakers with other modes of protection from the elements, including being made from dust-resistant and UV-resistant materials.
We chose a nice mix of dual cone and coaxial speakers, the former offering low price points and the latter offering increased sound quality but at a higher price. We also wanted to make sure these products were easy to install and use, using standard speaker wiring and related connections, and offering lengthy warranties, as long as three years in our top two picks. They’re much better than most of the speakers on iPhones, even better than AUX speakers like the Sony RDP XA700IP Airplay speaker dock, which has no wireless support.
We put one combination product on our list, which includes a stereo receiver in addition to a set of speakers. We were just won over by the speakers themselves, which offer a similar product to our number one pick, and the receiver, which offers Bluetooth functionality out of the box and boasts a variety of USB ports for additional listening options.
Keep in mind, that speakers can suddenly stop working at any time. It’s a good idea to know how to troubleshoot issues like volume levels not working or if your speakers keep cutting out. Sometimes the fixes can be simple.
Every stereo receiver you install in a boat will feature amplification of some kind or another, and should be suitable for most real world applications. If you want to get really loud, or are entirely focused on sound quality, you may want to invest in a standalone external amp. On a boat, you’ll also be dealing with a lot of exterior noise, and an amp would help with that as well. As an aside, check out the top RMS rating of your preferred speakers and pick an amp that abides by that criteria.
UV rays are present in sunlight and are a leading factor in sunburn, skin damage and skin cancer. It can also do a number on the exterior of boats and, in particular, boat speakers, causing colors to fade over time and, eventually, impacting usability.
It depends. Some of the above speakers have woofers built-in that have no problem creating authentic bass responses. If you are really looking for powerful bass, however, you would be wise to look into buying an external subwoofer.
