Fusion
MS-AV600
$549.99; fusioncaraudio.com
You want your iPod music, and you want to tuck the pod away and choose the tunes from your stereo head. Of course you do, so Fusion Marine ramped up its iPod access by making the familiar menu appear on this player’s screen. And, naturally, this system is equipped with a DVD player that allows you to output to either a TV or your chart plotter. Done. It sports 26 watts of RMS power per channel, but it would really shine with an external amp.
Clarion
CMD6
$499.99; clarion.com
Clarion isn’t giving up the CD slot on this unit by far. The company tucked it behind the waterproof front plate. But it did step up with a USB interface that allows complete control of an iPod through its USB cord, plus included recharging capabilities. We think that’s pretty slick. In addition, tunes can be streamed from a tiny flash drive, so you can leave your expensive player at home. Seems pretty smart to us. This unit, too, will want an amp, as it sports 21 watts of RMS internal amp power.
JL
MX650-CCX-CG-WH Speakers
$279.95/pair; jlaudio.com
The search is on for a good mix of quality, longevity and cost — but you also need to match new speakers to fit the 6.5-inch cutouts that are already in your inwales. These speakers will fit right into your pre-cut holes. With 25 to 75 RMS watts and peak power of 150 watts and a separate woofer and tweeter, this pair is built for the saltwater environment with injection-molded mica-filled polypropylene cone bodies and synthetic rubber surrounds.
