Clarion, a global leader in mobile electronics, introduces all-new multimedia units designed especially for marine enthusiasts.

The top-of-the-line Multimedia head-unit (CMV1) is the marine industry’s first watertight head-unit to offer video playback on a front panel color display. Clarion’s CMV1 was selected by the Consumer Electronics Association, as an Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honoree in the In-Vehicle Audio product category for product and design excellence.

The unique design features a 3.5-inch TFT full color display and offers DVD-video, DivX and iPod Video playback capabilities. The CMV1 includes Dolby Digital playback, USB input for iPod control, shockproof memory along with rear panel AV inputs and outputs, perfect for driving a remote display. Compressed audio sound enhancements are made via BBE® MP (Minimized Polynomial Non-Linear Saturation) generating a vacuum tube sound, restoring harmonics lost during digital compression. The CMV1 offers one-year back-up memory so radio presets are not lost even if the boat is in seasonal storage. The unit provides a full multimedia experience from video playback to satellite radio and is even Bluetooth ready.

Clarion’s completely redesigned flagship marine CD model, CMD6 has a 1-DIN chassis with an oversized face panel. It features a sealed waterproof flip-down front face with rubberized large rotary volume knobs and buttons.

The CMD6 includes a large two-line, ten character display, features USB input for iPod and rear panel RCA inputs and outputs. The CMD6 allows for operation with either a wired or wireless remote control and offers one-year back-up memory.

All-new wired remote controls are exclusively compatible with Clarion’s 2009 marine units. The MW2 remote has sleek new styling, black with stainless steel surround completely waterproof controls with an easy-to-use button configuration. The MW1 remote offers the same good looks, and includes a large 2-line display with a four-way control button to easily scroll through music files and or seek your favourite radio stations.

When it comes to installing a marine audio system, many owners find they have a need for a secondary controller – with main controls mounted below deck, a separate controller at the helm or flybridge is often a highly desirable feature. When it comes to retrofitting this type of system, running cables through the boat can be a hassle – one which Alpine has just addressed with the launch of a new wireless controller.

The MC-10 is a neat, round unit, with a clear display and a full set of audio controls. The unit uses 2.4 GHz wireless to connect to a “brain” unit mounted near the main source unit, allowing for reliable communication even over long distances and resilience against electrical interference from other sources.

The unit meets IPx6 standards for resilience against high pressure water jets, so can safely be mounted in exposed positions without concern about water ingress.

The unit can even be used to control an iPod connected to the main system unit, helping to ensure that boat owners are not left behind in the technology stakes. The unit can also be paired with additional MC-1 control units,  to give access to audio controls in further multiple locations.

More info / buy online

It’s a well recognised fact within the car audio industry that buying the right gear is only half the battle – and that installation can make just as big a difference, if not more so.

The same argument applies equally to marine audio installations. Boats can be a great place to install a system but, at the same time, there are some easy pitfalls which can be avoided with a minimal amount of care or a just a short amount longer spent on the installation.

Over in the States, the marine audio market is becoming increasingly mature and Mark Eldridge from Mobile Soundstage Engineering has written an article based on his experience, giving 11 good tips for anyone considering a marine audio install. We’d thoroughly recommend reading it for some great tips on how to make the best of your boat’s sound system.

Mark’s article.

The CDX-HR905IP is another new head unit from Sony designed from the outset solely for use within the marine environment.

Sony CDX-HR905IP

The unit boasts a folding, catch locked front panel, which is fully waterproofed to IPx5. Stylistically, the unit looks perfect for any modern boat’s dash area with its round display and rubberised controls. The most important development however is at the back, where Sony have incorporated a 2m cable, terminating in an iPod docking connector.

Hook the unit up to your iPod, and you can control the mp3 player from the head unit’s front panel. At least in theory. Unfortunately, connections of this nature have been plagued of late by Apple software updates which have stopped some external control devices working correctly. Many in-car units have been affected by such issues, which really leaves us wondering whether it’s a feature worth having.

In a car, moving control to the radio makes perfect sense, as this removes the need for the driver to handle the iPod – instead, just requiring adjustment of the radio’s controls. However, any such control is ultimately always going to be limited to some degree and will never match the ease of use of the iPod with its user interface designed solely for one purpose. In a car, a momentary diversion of the driver’s attention is of critical concern. In a substantial percentage of cases, marine units tend to be used in a less pressurised environment – and often controlled by passengers as much as the person at the helm.

Aside of the iPod connector, there appears to be very little to differentiate the CDX-HR905IP from the similarly design CDX-HR70MW and CDX-HR70MS. The only really notable difference is that the new model now has blue and red switchable key illumination, rather than red and green.

In conclusion, if you love leading edge technology, spend time at the helm solo at speed, or simply want blue illumination to match your other dash instruments, the CDX-HR905IP may well be worth considering – but the iPod control does come at a significant cost. If you’re not concerned about split second control, or don’t mind red or green illumination, then either the CDX-HR70MS or CDX-HR70MW may well make sounder financial sense. The latter two units can be still be hooked up to your iPod’s headphone socket using nothing more than a 3.5mm to RCA patch lead anyway….

If you own a smaller boat, jet ski or rib, and don’t want the hassle of a conventional head unit based audio system, Poly-Planar’s MP3-KIT_A may be the answer.

Designed to be hooked up to an iPod or similar portable MP3 player, the kit comprises of a water resistant amplifier, matching speakers, volume control and input socket. Once connected to the battery, the amp can be controlled via the supplied waterproof socket to a standard 3.5mm headphone jack on the MP3 player. The audio from the MP3 player is then reproduced through the waterproof speakers, with the user able to control the volume of the system quickly and easily using the supplied waterproof volume control.

Why settle for just car audio? With this marine ready CD-tuner you’ll be rocking the high seas too. Weather resistant with AUX-IN for easy connection of portable audio players and an easily readable LCD display you can see even in direct sunlight.

(Image depicts US market CDX-M10.EU model is identical but with added benefit of RDS-EON and EU tuner specification)

Replacing the popular CDX-R35MR, the new CDX-MR10 falls squarely at the budget end of the range yet, in spite of this, the unit makes a great starting point for the average in-boat entertainment system. Sony’s marketing images really don’t do the product justice. Flip open the fascia case for the first time and you’re immediately struck by the unit’s styling, which somehow hits the perfect note. Sony’s designers clearly knew their market when they designed the unit’s cosmetics, which will sit happily with the cosmetic syling of the typical modern boat. The front panel also feels reassuringly heavy – a trivial detail, but one which inspires much more confidence in the product than with previous models.

When it comes to the specification, the unit has everything you’d expect from a Sony CD tuner around this level – MP3 and WMA playback, a convenient 3.5mm front panel input that you can plug a portable MP3 player into, and RDS-EON tuner (EU market product only – the US equivalent CDX-M10 lacks this feature) and a very respectable 4×52w S-MOSFET integrated amplifier with a signal to noise ratio far superior to previous Sony units of a few years past.

It’s worth noting however that the unit lacks one key feature – Sony’s Unilink Bus control functionality. If you’re just looking to install a simple head unit and speakers, this probably isn’t too much cause for concern but, conversely, if you’re looking for the basis of a larger system, this point may become a problem as this feature is essential for connecting to Sony’s own RM-X55M remote control (ideal for use on flybridge craft, or cockpits which suffer from heavy sea spray) or to external full control iPod interfaces, such as Connects2’s ASOIPOD001.

One obvious question which potential buyers may wonder is what exactly they’re getting for the money over a similar specification conventional car CD tuner. This may not be immediately obvious to the uninitiated, however, there are some very important factors which make the unit well worth the extra. The most important of these is the unit’s construction. Unlike car CD tuners, the CDX-MR10 features an internal PCB with a conformal coating designed to deal with the rigours of the damp marine environment, and a front panel which is designed to withstand high levels of UV exposure (to ASTM G154 standard). Whilst the unit is not designed to be subjected to direct water spray (unlike some higher models from Sony’s marine range), this should help to ensure that the unit has a long life when mounted in a splash protected location.

With a price tag around the £130 mark, the unit offers great value for money and should keep those with modest demands happy. If however you’re a system builder, or want control from more than one location, spending a bit more on a higher specification model (such as Sony’s CDX-HR70MW or CDX-HR70MS models) may well be money well spent.