AM-FM-MP3 Stereo

Adeline · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject: AM-FM-MP3 Stereo

Seeking advice. I presently use a portable am-fm-cassette in Adeline and thought it would be nice to install a built-in system. Looking for am-fm-mp3 capability. Recommendations? Also, I would like to listen to my VHF on the new speakers rather than through the tiny one on my Standard Horizon. I assume a simple patch cord from the VHF to the input jack on the stereo is all that's needed. Question; if I'm cruising along listening to music or news or whatever, will an incoming vhf transmission be heard? Will it displace the stereo audio or mix with it? Finally speakers. I assume I'll be using boxes. Will I mount them in the upper aft corners? How are they to be attached? The fiberglass is too thin for screws(I think). Velcro? Also, is there such a thing as wireless speakers or must I run speaker wire? I'm hoping someone has already been down this road.

Island Ranger · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:14 pm Post subject: On Board Stereo

I tried to purchase the unit DaNag recommended in an earlier posting, but had trouble finding it. I wound up purchasing a Pioneer DEH-P3700MP for about $150 and installed it last week on Two Lucky Fish. It can play MP3, and WMA files as well. I also installed the speakers Bill had recommended LS200 from Audio Source (Amazon $30)- they are great. I did tried glueing them to the cabin top, but they fell down so I wound up attaching the included brackets to the front above the windows and through bolted them in.
I also bought the VHF/FM/ splitter from West Marine - expensive I thought, but made for a clean installation.

I hadn't thought of using the Aux input for the VHF - I'll look into it (or wait till someone posts an answer?)

Only problem I have with the Pioneer is the display - it is hard to read. I mounted it on the forward shelf so you have to look up and cover the excess light to read it. Not a sunlight viewable display!. However, the remote control is so handy I figured it doesn't matter.

Mac

gljjr · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:15 pm Post subject:

If it were me I would prefer to have the VHF on a different speaker system. In a past life I used to drive an assistance van along the freeways of Seattle helping broken down motorists and motorists that had gotten in accidents. During that sojourn I would often have multiple radios going at once. On board I had 2 scanners, 2 vhf radios, a uhf radio, a CB radio and a multi-band VHF/UHF Ham radio. Plus I was required to listen to KOMO AM radio at all times so that I knew when I could talk on the UHF to the Pilot or to the radio station. I quickly learned that speaker seperation made all the difference in the world. I could easily listen to all the radios and tell you what was going on at any one time.

If you don't like the quality of the speaker on the VHF by all means install a remote speaker, but I would not like having it go through the stereo speakers as it makes it harder to discern where the information is coming from.

Also, if you are planning on using the "input" jacks on a radio system then you will most likely have to switch to that input to hear it. I don't think that is what you are looking for.

Larry H · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:56 pm Post subject:

I have a Standard VHF and I use a remote larger speaker. The speaker is plugged into the aux speaker jack on the VHF. The 4" box speaker sits on the dash shelf(on carpet) and is easy to hear. When the aux speaker is plugged in the speaker in the radio is mute.

I think that if you wired the output from a VHF radio aux speaker jack into a stereo input, the stereo might be damaged from too much power.

starcrafttom · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 1:21 am Post subject:

I glued my speakers to the ceiling of the cabin and they have worked just fine. The are small square speakers with thin medal brackets. I detached the brackets from the speakers and glued them with 5200 marine glue. after two days i installed the speaker boxes to the brackets and they are still there 5 months later.

Minnow · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:36 am Post subject:

If hi-fidelity is what you're after, go for a component speaker system. Mount the small tweeters up high in front, and the woofers facing forward behind your knees in the cabinet work. I used the Infinity Reference series, from Crutchfield, and these things really jam!

Adeline · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 1:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the great replies,

Larry H · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 7:29 pm Post subject:

Adeline,

If the mounting bracket doesn't fit the handrail spacing, you could make a mounting plate or block of aluminum, or wood (teak or wood of your choice) and attach the mounting block with the handrail screws. Then you can mount the bracket to the block.

Island Ranger · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:31 pm Post subject:

I checked my stereo on board today, and learned if I buy the interconnect cable ($35) I can connect anything that has an RCA plug output to the Aux input. I checked my VHF - it doesn't. It only has an external speaker output. And if connected through the stereo, you would have to choose what to listen to - it wouldn't automatically switch. Since I may want to hear both at the same time, I think I'll start looking for a small second speaker for the VHF

The brackets for the LS200 seem too small to span the hand rail bolts. Sorry I didn't measure them when I was down at the boat. I still liked the idea of glue - and maybe Tom has the right idea. The glue failed on the speaker (the smooth painted surface), it was fine on the fiberglass. So if you glue the bracket like Tom, it might work fine. Lately, I've just been glueing a small piece of teak where ever I wanted to mount anything (lights, gear hammock, etc), then screw to it.

Mac

Cheers · Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:46 am Post subject:

I see West Marine has they're MXCP50 AM/FM/CD Marine Receiver & 6.5" Speakers regularly $249.99 on sale from 6/30 - 7/10 for $149.99.

NAMSUNG AMERICA
MXCP50 AM/FM/CD Marine Receiver & 6.5" Speakers
Complete marine-grade stereo package brings top-quality sounding tunes to your boat. It's made to withstand the salt, spray, sun and humidity with a rust resistant chassis, UV-resistant face, clear-coated circuit boards and corrosion resistant speakers. Positive green liquid display is easy to read. The CD player has an anti-shock mechanism and eight times over-sampling so you don't have to worry about your CD skipping on rough water.

* The CD player features shuffle/repeat/scan and last position memory
* The radio features 24 station presets, preset scan, one-touch memory and seek
* The 6.5" speakers have a dual cone design and 60 watts power handling

Da Nag · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:01 pm Post subject:

TyBoo · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:22 pm Post subject:

TyBoo · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:24 pm Post subject:

Or better yet, just skip the stereo and sing like CM does.

Da Nag · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

TyBoo · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:01 pm Post subject: