10 Best Marine Subwoofers In 2019

A subwoofer is going to be able to give you the added bass you’re looking for and allow your regular speakers to concentrate on providing a loud and crisp sound, while your subwoofer takes care of the low notes. In a marine environment, extra qualities are needed and getting the best marine subwoofer is vital.

In order to get the best boat subwoofer, you have to not only take into account the quality of the sound but also key aspects such as the power rating, installation and impedance. Here we look into those key features and have also completed marine subwoofer reviews to show you the best products available.

How To Choose A Marine Subwoofer – Buying Guide

Power Ratings

In terms of placing a speaker on a boat, the power of the product is going to be of particular importance. Due to the sound most likely having to travel through the open air, it needs to be powerful enough to be able to cut through it so that you can enjoy the music.

In terms of the watt power of these devices, this is generally measured with two different numbers as you will see a lower number and then a higher figure. The lower figure will represent the ‘RMS’ of the speaker which stands for root mean square.

This measurement will give you the best value of waveform which is an important piece of information when it comes to the recommended power rating. The other figure will be the peak power rating and that is always going to be the higher figure of the two.

This is basically telling you how loud it is going to be able to go before the device can no longer handle it. For larger boats, a higher amount of power would be needed as you would have more space in which the sound would need to carry.

It’s important to note with these power ratings is that in order to get the most out of your subwoofer, you would need a stereo unit and amplifier that are going to be able to cope with an increase in sound volume when you are on the boat.

Impedance

Another important electrical measure when it comes to your marine grade speakers is going to be its level of impedance. This is a measure of electrical resistance and related to the amount of power that your speaker is going to be able to accept from your amplifier.

In general, you want to have a speaker that has a lower level of impedance as a 4 ohm speaker is going to be able to extract more power from the amplifier than a 8 ohm speaker and therefore this is going to be important if you want a great level of sound.

An important note here though is that the level of impedance should match that of the amplifier. The reason for that is if it is too low then the amplifier can overheat and if it’s too high the output tube or transmitter can be damaged. Therefore it’s important to get a good match.

Installation

Before getting any product for your boat you need to make sure that it is going to be able to be installed easily into your existing fixtures and fittings. You also want to make sure that it fits in with your existing marine speakers that you have.

In terms of installation you have three options as you would either be able to get a plug in and play model that can be easily connected, you can do the wiring yourself or you can hire a professional to do the job for you.

Perhaps the most difficult part of installing the subwoofer is going to be the mounting of it. You want it to be able to match your marine stereo and you also want it to be able to fit in and fit properly too. This can be tricky for some, especially if holes need cutting.

At this stage, if you are unsure of how to do it then it really would be the best idea to call a professional. If not, you simply want to make extra care as any mistake could leave a lasting mark on your boat which is something that you obviously want to avoid.

Marine Grade Materials

When something is described as marine grade then it is expected to conform to a higher standard than any other type of speaker. The obvious point about this is that it has to be at least water resistant in order to be able to deal with the splashes it will inevitably have.

If your subwoofer isn’t water resistant then you are going to have huge problems and this equally applies to your speakers, stereo and your battery too. The build quality on these products has to be high in order to deal with the conditions.

Aside from the waterproofing, there are other aspects that these materials need to deal with as well. The salty air can start to corrode any exposed metal and also if the subwoofer is in direct contact with the sun then the UV rays could well damage it.

It’s important to guard against all these potential dangers and the best marine subwoofers are going to be able to do that to a very high degree of quality. Some products are going to be better than others though and these are aspects that you will want to check before you buy.

FAQs

Q: Why Do I Need Marine Subwoofer?

A: If you care about the sound that is going to be coming out of your sound system then you are going to want a subwoofer to be able to give you the best quality possible. Often subwoofers are connected to people who love to thump out a heavy bass but on a boat they are more important than that.

It’s likely that your subwoofer and speakers will be trying to carry that sound through the open air and it can easily get lost if it is too windy or the conditions aren’t favorable. A subwoofer will allow you to have the best sound quality possible.

You want to make sure that you have the best battery to be able to deal with the power output and if you do, you’re going to quickly see why getting a subwoofer was a great idea as they will vastly improve your sound system.

Q: What If It Gets Wet?

A: Even though these products are marine grade, a lot of them aren’t actually waterproof. They will though be designed to be able to cope with rain and splashes as they won’t succumb to that type of water.

All these products listed have a good amount of water resistance but if you are particularly worried about it then it’s a good idea to find a subwoofer that is going to be able to give you a full amount of waterproof protection.

Globo Surf Overview

Getting a subwoofer is a great idea for your boat. It’s going to be able to increase the sound quality that you are able to produce and most likely increase the volume too, and this is going to make the whole experience even better.

Whether you are having a party and firing up your boat grill or simply just relaxing, a good sound system is a great thing to have. With a subwoofer though, it’s always going to be vital to match it up to the other sound products you have.

Once you are sure of that, you will be able to choose the best subwoofer for you and enjoy the higher level of sound you are going to get. All that’s left to do is get it installed and start making the most out of that great bass you will now have.