How to put together a boat audio system
Garmin has three marine audio ranges. They differ in price and sound quality, but all of them work with Garmin chartplotters.
| Range | For whom | Stereos | Speakers and bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion entry level | small boat, simple and affordable | CMM-10i, CMM-20, CMM-30 | CMS, CMSP, CMSP 10" subwoofer |
| Fusion core range | most boats – widest range and most common choice | MS-RA60, Apollo RA670, RA770, RA800, WB675, SRX400 | XS, XS 10" subwoofer, XS and Signature 3 tower speakers |
| JL Audio premium | best sound and high power, wakeboard and large boats | A60 / A60-H | M6, M6 and M7 subwoofers, M6 and M3 tower speakers |
The ranges can be combined. A Fusion Apollo stereo with JL Audio speakers and amplifier is a very common setup.
System components
1. Stereo (head unit)
Radio, Bluetooth, USB and audio zones. The built-in amplifier is enough for two pairs of speakers.
- Clarion CMM-10i / CMM-20 / CMM-30 – affordable, 2 zones
- Fusion MS-RA60 – compact Fusion, 2 zones
- Fusion Apollo MS-RA670 – 3 zones, DSP
- Fusion Apollo MS-RA770 – touchscreen, Wi-Fi, 4 zones
- Fusion Apollo MS-RA800 – Fusion flagship, 12 and 24 V, HDMI ARC
- Fusion Apollo MS-WB675 – black box, controlled from the chartplotter or remotes
- Fusion Apollo MS-SRX400 – small zone stereo
- JL Audio A60 / A60-H – built-in DAB+, also as a hidden unit
2. Speakers
Choose the size to suit the mounting location: 6.5" fits almost anywhere, 7.7" and 8.8" give more bass.
- Clarion CMS and CMSP – affordable
- Fusion XS 4"/6.5"/7.7" – the most common choice, also with RGB LED
- JL Audio M6 6.5"/7.7"/8.8" – premium
- For towers and T-tops: Fusion XS, Fusion Signature 3, JL Audio M6, JL Audio M3
3. Subwoofer
The subwoofer gives the sound its “body”, especially in an open boat under way. A subwoofer always needs a separate amplifier.
4. Amplifier
Needed if you add a subwoofer, more than two pairs of speakers or tower speakers, or want more volume. Rule of thumb: one channel per speaker, a mono amplifier for the subwoofer.
- Fusion Apollo – zone, 4, 6, 8 channels and mono; the natural partner for a Fusion stereo
- JL Audio MVi – 2 to 8 channels and mono, 12 V; several amplifiers are linked with the MVi-HUB
- JL Audio MHD – highest power, also for 24 V boats
5. Remotes
- Fusion MS-NRX300 – colour display, NMEA 2000
- Fusion MS-ERX400 – Ethernet, needs the ERX400 cable
- Fusion ARX – wireless
- Fusion MS-NRX50 – volume control
- Clarion CMR-10/20/30 – for Clarion stereos
With a Garmin chartplotter and watch
Fusion and JL Audio stereos can be controlled from a Garmin chartplotter screen, the Garmin Audio app and a quatix watch. If the boat has a Garmin chartplotter, you do not necessarily need a separate stereo display on the dash – a hidden Apollo WB675 or JL Audio A60-H will do.
Example setups
- Small boat, affordable: Clarion CMM-20 + 1 pair of Clarion CMS 6.5"
- Motorboat or sailing boat: Fusion Apollo MS-RA770 + 2 pairs of Fusion XS 6.5" (cockpit and saloon as separate zones) + ARX remote
- Sports boat with bass: Fusion Apollo MS-RA770 + Fusion XS 7.7" + XS 10" subwoofer + Apollo mono amplifier
- Wakeboard boat, premium: Fusion Apollo MS-RA800 + JL Audio M6 7.7" + M6 tower speakers + M7 12" + JL Audio MVi
- Large yacht with 24 V system: Fusion Apollo MS-RA800 + JL Audio MHD (24 V) + M6 8.8" + MS-NRX300 for the flybridge
Installation and advice
We install and tune the audio system together with the rest of the onboard electronics. Send us the make and model of your boat and describe where you want to hear music – we will put together a suitable package.
Argo Ristlaan, +372 5452 0042, argo.ristlaan@bmgpower.eu