Remote Starter and Car Audio F.A.Q.s

When it comes to choosing speakers for a boat, there are a few factors to consider. You'll want speakers that are specifically designed for marine environments to withstand the challenges of water, sun, and other outdoor elements. Here are some popular options:

1. Marine-grade speakers: Look for speakers that are built with a good I.P.X. rating to ensure durability. These speakers are typically designed to handle the harsh marine environment and offer great sound quality.

2. Coaxial speakers: Coaxial speakers combine a woofer and a tweeter in one unit, offering a wide frequency range and balanced sound. They are a common choice for marine audio systems due to their compact size and easy installation.

3. Component speakers: Component speakers provide even better sound quality as they separate the woofer and tweeter, allowing for more precise audio reproduction. They are a great option if you're looking for high-fidelity sound on your boat.

4. Wakeboard tower speakers: If you want to enhance your boat's audio experience and enjoy music while wakeboarding or engaging in water sports, wakeboard tower speakers are a popular choice. These speakers are designed to be mounted on wakeboard towers, providing excellent sound coverage.

It's important to choose speakers that are compatible with your boat's audio system and consider the available mounting space on your boat. Additionally, reading reviews, comparing specifications, and seeking recommendations from fellow boat owners can help you make an informed decision based on your specific needs and preferences.

You can learn more at IP68 Waterproof Rating.

Sort of. Both motorcycle speakers and marine speakers are designed to handle the elements, and the term "marine" is often used to describe speakers that can get wet. However, most "standard" marine speakers are not going to fit in the fairing of your motorcycle, and the grilles will not fit behind your factory grilles.

Some marine speakers are used in motorcycle applications. Some motorcycle speakers are used in marine applications. Most motorcycle speakers come with neodymium magnets for maximum power handling and volume while offering a shallow mounting depth. In addition, the motorcycle speakers need to play crystal clear when you are cruising down the highway at 80+ mph. While many boats go that fast, 80 mph isn't "standard" for your boat.

Need? No. 

Recommended? Yes! 

If your motorcycle will never get wet and is only washed with a duster and quick detailer, you probably don't need motorcycle-specific speakers. It also probably means your bike doesn't get ridden or see the sun either.

If you ride your motorcycle and it might get wet while you stop off for a beer, you probably want to invest in element-ready audio components. If you spray your bike down to wash it, you probably want motorcycle or marine-grade components.

No. Just because the amplifier says it is marine-grade does not necessarily mean that it is waterproof. When it comes to amplifiers, "marine grade" usually means that the P.C.B. board is conformally coated to prevent rust and corrosion, and all of the hardware is stainless steel or coated with some sort of anti-rust finish.

Amplifiers generate power and also generate heat. They have to get that heat out of the chassis. Most do it by circulating air with fans, but that also means that water can get into the amp. Usually, the vents are shut off or closed with some sort of water-prevention material, but that doesn't mean that you can dunk the amplifier in the water and be 100% sure it is going to work.

Can most marine-grade amplifiers get wet? Yes. The Rockford Fosgate M5 amplifiers and the Kicker P.X.A. amplifiers are rated at IPX6 or higher. This means you can spray the amplifier with a hose. Just don't submerge it in water. If your motorcycle amplifier is submerged in water, you probably have bigger problems to worry about.

The difference between marine speakers and car speakers is the design of the speaker and the materials used. Most car speakers are coaxial, and there is a tube that the tweeter sits on that comes through a hole in the cone of the speaker.

For motorcycle applications, this doesn't work, as water can get between the pole and the cone and ruin the speaker. Motorcycle speakers often have a seal between the tweeter pole and the cone to prevent water from entering the motor structure of the speaker, or we use components where the speaker doesn't have a hole for the tweeter mount.

In addition to the design, the materials used for marine speakers are often different. Motorcycle speakers must use UV-stable materials or treatments to ensure that the speaker materials can withstand direct U.V. light. If there is metal hardware, it has to be stainless steel to ensure that it doesn't rust.

Finally, the tweeters on marine speakers are usually made from more robust materials and are designed to play brighter and more aggressively than most car speakers. This helps ensure that your music sounds crystal clear over your pipes at highway speeds.

The I.P. rating stands for Ingress Protection marking, and it is a way of measuring how well that product protects against the intrusion of both dust and water. When you see an I.P. rating, the first digit after "I.P." is the solid particle protection, and in most cases, it refers to dust.

The second digit is the liquid Ingress Protection rating, and that basically answers the question, "How water-resistant is this item?" If you do not see a numerical digit for either the first or second value and instead you see an "X," that means that the particular product was not tested for either dust or water ingression.

For example, IPX6 means that the device was not tested for dust ingress. IP6X would mean that the product was not tested for liquid or water ingression. The most common one we see in marine audio is IPX6. This means that it was not tested for dust ingression, and the 6 for water means, "Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects."

The test uses a 12.5 mm nozzle and sprays the unit for 1 minute per square meter for at least 15 minutes. The water volume is 12.5 liters per minute at 4.35 pounds per square inch at a distance of 3 meters.

It depends. When amps are running at 2 Ohm, they draw twice the amount of current and, therefore, run much hotter. If you don't have an efficient amplifier, you need to make sure that the starter can provide the battery with enough power.

2 Ohm speakers are going to give you more power from the amplifier than 4 Ohm speakers, thus playing louder, but it comes at a cost. At 2 Ohm, there is a greater chance that the amp will cut out and shut down to protect itself because it gets too hot.

Depending on the amplifier and the starter, you want to make sure that your charging system and battery aren't overworked because you don't want to get stranded with a dead battery because you cranked your stereo too hard.

There are many other factors that also affect the amp's ability to manage heat, but if you can, it is much better to run your motorcycle's amplifier at a 4-ohm load versus a 2-ohm load.

This will depend on the year of your motorcycle and the equipment that is currently on the bike.

You will need some sort of source unit to get the music from your phone to the amplifier. It can be as simple as a 12V Bluetooth adapter or as complex as the factory radio on a 2014+ cruiser.

Horn tweeters have a flared horn shape that controls dispersion and offers high efficiency. This means your speakers will be able to produce highly efficient, robust sound at a distance and even through wind and exhaust noise.

When parked? Yes. 

At 80 mph down the highway? No. 

You want it loud, bright, and aggressive so that you have maximum volume and clarity. At those speeds and in that environment, vocal and string detail doesn't matter.