Have speakers, need to hook them up to ... what?

[BruceW]

So, I found a box of 4 marine speakers I have from somewhere.

Wondering if I should put a couple in cockpit, a couple in cabin, and then what would be a good thing to hook them up to?

As usual, when I try to find something, it already has speakers. Maybe I could buy something without speakers? eh

Or, just forget this idea and bring a boombox.

I do have one of those waterproof speakers I can put my phone into, and play music I can hear pretty well.

But, I've got these speakers!!!!

[brackish]

You're considering cutting holes and installing speakers but you don't have anything to hook them up too?  Why on earth would you do that.

My advice, sell them on craigslist, get yourself a cheap blutooth like this:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_69029_HMDX-Audio-HX-P230BL-JAM-Classic-Blueberry-Blue.html

Set up some nice playlists on your phone or tablet.  No holes, no worrying about whether your speakers are properly shielded or too close to your compass if not properly shielded.  You can put some Velcro on the bottom to keep it fixed while you sail, and take it to the beach when you are anchored.  I have one, very versatile, very good sound.

I installed marine grade speakers and a stereo when I first got my boat, however, if I had it to do over, I would take the blutooth route.  If you do install your speakers, you don't need them in the cockpit if you have them in the cabin, I can hear mine all over the boat.    Pics of my installation, speakers in the cabin settee cabinets between the doors:



and the stereo that drives them:

[BruceW]

Oh, boy.

Did I say cut holes?

No, I did NOT! I also didn't say these speakers came with brackets for mounting, somehow, to something.

Anyway, that suggestion of yours is similar to just bringing a boombox, so I'll take it as a friendly amendment to one of my ideas.

Frankly, if I got a speaker hub (that is, something to drive the speakers, and allow me to plug in or wirelessly use my iphone for the music) that would be pretty cool.

Appreciate the point made about hearing your speakers all over the boat. I have not been so lucky in the past as to hear in the cockpit the music that is playing in the cabin.

[MacGyver]

I use my Milwaukee tools radio, and use the batteries from my power tools to run it. On the top it has a mp3 player plug in so that is what I use normally for music, that way I play without commercials.
I have thought about maybe adding a stereo, but I wont because it is just another thing to buy, and I already have this radio and it works awesome.

Multi use while on a boat is really nice since it is in a sense efficient style living

Mac

[brackish]

 Hmm, maybe I jumped to conclusions,  , or maybe I took the bait. .  However, I've never seen "marine" speakers that don't have to be flush mounted (with a hole) or surface mounted using brackets, (and in the way), if those animals exist, then I've been enlightened, or have I.  Do I want loose speakers flying about while sailing, 

What I did works great, however, as mentioned I wouldn't do it again after using the Blutooth speaker that I referenced.  It does great and I have my phone with me all the time anyway.  It is hard to believe the sound that comes out of one of those.  It actually replaced a boombox that we used to take to the beach, that finally gave up the ghost due to salt air exposure. 

[BruceW]

Thanks, MacGuyver and Brackish,

I think I'll just use my phone with the gizmo I have for the cockpit, and via something like the bluetooth speaker for the cabin. Heck, maybe the bluetooth thingummy will actually reach the sound out to me in this boat!

Such coolness comes from the back and forth on here.

Oh, and the thing is, these speakers with the brackets...well, they have WIRES! ugh, haha.  I had a perfect thing to mount them on my previous boats, a metal mast carrying arch. It stayed with the slipper, and I just don't want to mess with making one just to mount the speakers and run the wires to a ....thing I'd have to buy, much as MacGuyver said.

So, Brackish, yep, that's a possibility!

[Bob23]

I don't like anything in the cockpit that shouldn't be there. For music, I sing Italian operas while I'm sailing. For some reason, I can't find anyone to go with me!
I do carry a Grundig AM/FM/ shortwave with me. That's good enough.
Bob23

[kahpho]

He does. I heard him. 

[skip1930]

Even though the am/fm/cd player came with 4 speakers, I wired front and back left and front and back right into the quarter births plywood storage bins.

If you check out the Shakespeare stuff the 30 inch whip atop the mast can be used for VHS-FM-AM and with an optional box the AM-FM can be used with the VHS on scan. If the VHS picks up something, the box cuts out the AM-FM and lets you listen to the VHS broadcast. Switches back to FM-AM when the VHS broadcast is over. All of it can be tucked away out of site.

skip.

[BruceW]

Skip,

Where did you mount the player itself?

I still have the speakers, and might do something with them. Looks like the VHF antenna for my boat is stern mounted, although there's no antenna there at the moment.

[skip1930]

" Where did you mount the player itself? "



Made a bracket for the player and bolted it up under the lip of the XL fiberglass overhead liner.
You'll see zero wiring or antenna leads or black box's.
Also mounted the barometer onto this liner as well.

Ohhh ... Since the radio manufacture always wants battery power to the unit, that black push/pull button above the radio is the master power 'on' power 'off' switch. You will loose all preset radio stations by using this feature. But you'll save the battery.

I don't relish putting any holes into the fiberglass. Wood ... O.K. I can replace that if the two speakers are pulled out of the 'thwart' between the quarter births and the Vee birth.

The fire bottle uses existing screws holding the slider wood down to the cabin top. No new holes.

skip.