Cool gear and smart ideas for your boat's new audio system

f you’ve ever spent any time on a pontoon boat, you know how much fun these “party barges” can be. They’re ideal for cruising around, chilling out, and enjoying a day on the water with your family and friends.

A former coworker bought a pontoon boat over the summer. While the fun factor was definitely there, the stock stereo needed to go. We were happy to help him with this project because it gave us a chance to demonstrate some fundamental tips for a successful marine audio project.

Tip #1: Measure the openings and the old gear

When you choose a new stereo or speakers for your boat, make sure you’re ordering something that will fit. That sounds obvious, but the key is to measure both the old gear AND the opening itself to make sure there’s enough space in the cavity. Trust us, you'll get speakers that fit without the need for more modification. This will save lots of time and hassle later. That’s what we did before we began this installation.

The M2 Series 6-1/2" Color Optix™ marine speakers (above) ensure that everything sounds awesome, even when the boat’s underway. These 2-way marine speakers have a laminated dome tweeter and a polypropylene woofer, plus a built-in 12dB/octave crossover network concealed inside the basket.The built-in LED lighting is cool, too.

Tip #2: Mount everything neatly

Rockford Fosgate’s PMX-5CAN digital media receiver gives you plenty of ways to stay entertained and informed. We used a Milennia mounting plate that covers the old cavity and provides a secure home for this high-performance receiver. These plates are available with a variety of cut-outs (DIN, gauge-style, and model-specific), so there's definitely something that will work in your boat.

Marine systems are all about power, so you'll need an amplifier or two to maximize your new speakers and stereo. A PVC mounting board (above), available at your local hardware store, makes a very neat base for your installation. Plus, the material will stand up to moisture and heat.

We chose the now-discontinued Rockford Fosgate TM1000X5AD 5-channel marine amplifier to power the system. This compact, marine-rated amp pumps out plenty of power for the new speakers and subwoofer.

Tip #3: Wire it right

The wiring might not be the sexiest part of an installation, but it’s arguably the most important. Marine-rated wiring is the key to any successful boat stereo upgrade, because it’s made to resist moisture and temperature extremes. For this installation, we used Kicker’s 4-gauge marine-grade amp kit. It delivers plenty of juice, and includes an ignition-free fuse that prevents dangerous sparking. Like all of Kicker's marine power gear, this kit meets Coast Guard and ABYC standards for marine use, so you'll get reliable power for seasons to come.

We used two Kicker marine distribution blocks (power and ground) to keep the wiring neat and tidy. And, speaking of neat and tidy, we also used a lot of wire loom underneath the boat and along the top of the pontoons to prevent wire damage.

Tip #4: Get easy control for your LEDs

LED lighting is all the rage these days. It’s available in spools and built into speakers. But the real key to a cool LED system is the controller. We mounted the Rockford Fosgate PMX-RGB Color Optix™ controller, on the PVC board next to the amp. The free RF CONNECT™ App is used to choose the colors for all the speaker lights and the Wet Sounds RGB strips (see lead photo) we installed under the deck.

Tip #5: Install a rockin' subwoofer that doesn't rattle

A system like this needs strong bass, but on a boat this size, it's always good to go with something that doesn't devour a ton of cargo space. That's why we chose the Kicker 46CWTB102 subwoofer. This weatherproof sealed tube enclosure includes a 10" subwoofer and a second passive sub (or "passive radiator") which reacts to the air pressure produced by the active sub and creates lots more bass without any port noise. The cool thing about this marine sub is that it can be mounted vertically or horizontally, which makes it easy to tuck away in a cargo hold.

This sub brings plenty of power to the party, but we wanted to make sure there wasn't any "shake, rattle, and roll" coming from the cargo lid. Installing some SoundSkins Pro sound damping material in the hold minimizes vibration and keeps the music sounding great. This package contains eleven square feet of material, which was more than enough for this installation.

The combination of the amp and speakers do an amazing job of bringing the soundstage up to ear level even though all the speakers are down at your calf.

Learn more about boat audio systems

We have lots of great articles that will help get you ready for your DIY marine audio installation project. For more info, you can start with these two:

Pro tips from our marine experts

Building your boat’s stereo system

Got questions? That's what we're here for!

Thinking about upgrading the sound on your boat? If you have any questions about choosing and installing your new system, our expert marine audio advisors will be happy to answer them. Give us a shout.