What kind of stereo system should we buy for our boat?

ssichler · Post by **ssichler** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:16 pm

Terry wrote:Curious? Do sailors really play their stereos or are they just something nice to have if the odd occasion comes up?

No Stereo? How can you sail without Jimmy Buffett?;) I think fast powering will require different music though... maybe "Freebird"?

DLT · Post by **DLT** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:35 pm

Scott wrote:

Dlt, This cracks me up!!!! I have this unit hanging under the counter in the kitchen in my home!!!

So does my father-in-law. Its a great little unit, plays CDs, CDRs, DVDs, MP3s (off CDRs), has a TV tuner, AM/FM, etc... It is a complete boat entertainment system... Best of all, it runs off 12VDC!

The only down side is that the 7" screen is a bit small when laying in the aft berth trying to watch DVD...

It also won't win over the motor at WOT, but then I'm not usually too concerned with the stereo when running WOT...

Beam's Reach · Post by **Beam's Reach** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:14 pm

Ssichler wrote

I think fast powering will require different music though... maybe "Freebird"?

Too Funny

I'm reading this post and "Free Bird" just came on the classic rock station I'm listening to

Actually, music is great aboard whether sailing or motoring. It's a good way to expose the kids to listen to Mom & Dad's classics while they're a captive audience. Afterall, they have to listen 'cause there's nowhere else to go?

Last night we motored along the shore checking out the city listening to Queen, Billy Joel, John Lennon and Aerosmith. I think there's a pretty good chance I have the only 7 year old girl that know every word to "The Piano Man".

Chip Hindes · Post by **Chip Hindes** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:06 pm

Curious? Do sailors really play their stereos or are they just something nice to have if the odd occasion comes up?

Are you kidding me? Pretty much like Scott, we usually play music from the time we get on the boat until we close it up to go home.

Some of our favorite listening:

Sound Track from "Titanic"
Sound Track from "Last of the Mohicans"
Sound Track from "1892"
Best of Enya (leads off with my all time favorite sailing tune "Orinoco Flow" also known as "Sail Away"

Perhaps you'll find some of your own. As you can see we tend toward the
Intrumental.

We have 200W per channel, but usually unless we're putting along at idle, when the motor goes on the music goes off. Trying to compete against that nosiy two stroke with music just isn't worth the headache.

TonyHouk · Post by **TonyHouk** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:07 pm

Hey Y'all,
I have my radio turned on all the time. When I turn on the Perko switch for the boat the radio comes on. That way I know if I have power going to something. The last thing I do before I close the hatch is turn the switch to shut the radio off. It may hurt the radio a little but I have been doing that for 8 years now that I have had the boat. One turn of the switch and all is off. Happy sails, Tony

Rich Smith · Post by **Rich Smith** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:02 pm

Funny (true) story...on our first weeklong cruise in Georgian Bay my wife and I brought along my notebook with over 500 MP3's. Even though the media player was set to random shuffle it seemed like every time we started playing music it decided to play "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"!

Talk about giving a guy a complex!

aya16 · Post by **aya16** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:07 am

DLT its 12 volt? hey a little velcro on the top and the thing can be mounted anywhere on the boat right? what 12 volt source do people have in their kitchen? If it is 12 volt Im in.........Now the mac will have two dvds and tv's. Bet some big boats dont even have that.

DLT · Post by **DLT** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:20 am

Its power cord/supply converts the 120VAC from the wall into 12VDC, which the unit itself accepts. So, I just skipped the power cord and wired it into 12VDC supply through the panel on the boat.

I permanently mounted in next to the daggerboard, in front of the mirror. But, Yeah, I suppose you could mount it just about anywhere with velcro. The issue you're going to have is configuring an antenna...

By the way, has anyone ever used the rigging as an antenna? I've though about it, and have played with it a little bit, but without much success.

Instead, I made a field expedient antenna, like what we used to rig for our radios in the Army, and used an signal booster. It works pretty well, although its not real convienent...

aya16 · Post by **aya16** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:25 am

cool 7 hour sail at night to Catalina with popcorn and dvd velcro to the sliding hatch underneith. Does the screen fold away?

DLT · Post by **DLT** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:37 am

Yeah, the screen folds away.

Chip Hindes · Post by **Chip Hindes** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:02 pm

Its power cord/supply converts the 120VAC from the wall into 12VDC, which the unit itself accepts. So, I just skipped the power cord and wired it into 12VDC supply through the panel on the boat.

Be careful of this setup. 12VDC from a 120AC transformer usually provides a pretty healthy 12V +/- 1/2V. Many solid state devices are designed for 5% variation in the power supply; after that there could be problems, including damage to components.

On the other hand, the 12VDC power system on your boat may vary from as low as 10V when cranking the motor to as high as 14V when charging the batteries.

If your TV has a built-in regulator, ignore this.

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:17 am

SIDEBAR #2: regarding XM (satellite) Radio

Very sorry to report that XM radio IS NOT commercial-free.
They're few & far btw, but I heard TWO paid commercials today!

I had previously listened to at least a hundred hours of XM without ever hearing a single commercial. Apparently the stuff I mostly listen to (70s & 80s hits, or should I just say "Oldies?") attracts less commercial interest, so at least those channels are still acceptably pleasant, for me.

I was trying out some of the more current (Modern?) mix in the car today. Now I'm seriously bummed ... not terribly surprised ... just terribly annoyed. I'm in for 3 years anyhow, but considering how it went with cable TV ... not sure I'll re-up with XM.

DLT · Post by **DLT** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:31 am

Chip Hindes wrote:If your TV has a built-in regulator, ignore this.

Don't know. Quite frankly wasn't too concerned. I figured that if it died in the first month, it would go back to the store. If not, it probably wasn't going to...

I agree that it could be an issue. But, it hasn't been, in this case...

I don't know what the lowest voltage it has seen is, but it regularly sees as high as the battery charger will go...

zuma hans 1 · Post by **zuma hans 1** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:01 am

Frank C wrote:SIDEBAR #2: regarding XM (satellite) Radio

Very sorry to report that XM radio IS NOT commercial-free.
They're few & far btw, but I heard TWO paid commercials today!

Here's what you heard:

7 years ago, Clear Channel made an investment in XM. As a part of that deal, Clear Channel got to "program" a few music channels. Clear Channel sold its XM stock 5 years ago, but the contract remains.

Clear Channel is now enforcing its right to program 4 music channels, and Clear Channel has decided that "program" includes the right to sell commercials.

As a result, XM has created identical music channels to the 4 Clear Channel channels (ooo this is giving me a headache). The XM channels are commercial free, the CC channels have spots.

XM provides 100 music channels that are commercial free, and 4 channels that have commercials on them, thanks to Clear Channel. Many XM listeners are calling Listener Care and having the Clear Channel stations blocked.

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:28 am

Now that I think of it, the channel title was "MIX cm" which was puzzling at the time. Now of course it makes perfect sense, the "cm" meant "commercial."

Thanks Z!

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What kind of stereo system should we buy for our boat?

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