Bluetooth only audio options

[dreddy]

I'm planning on replacing my old Clarion marine head unit with some kind of minimal bluetooth only audio system this spring. There's minimal radio reception anyplace that we boat and I don't think I've ever had a CD on a boat in a decade of boating. Plugging the 1/8" stereo cable from the aux connection into various phones is just too old-school at this point. My goal is to have volume/mute and track control easily accessible from the driver's seat without having to touch the bluetooth source (typically an iPhone) that is safely charging in the glove box. That's about all we need.

I've looked at the Wet Sounds bluetooth volume control and the Exile audio digital media center and both look like solutions that would work. I've also looked at various replacement head units with bluetooth built in but they would then require some kind of additional remote to allow control from the driver's seat.

Are there any recommendations between these two or other solutions that I should consider?

Thx.

[chpthril]

Yes, any traditional head-unit is going to require a wired remote to allow for basic head-unit control at the helm. What model head-unit do you have now, does it have a helm mounted remote? If the head-unit still functions and has rear AUX inputs, the Wet Sounds BT is a great option. It can be panel or surface mounted and allows for volume control and track skip. The other unit is also labeled by a handful of others such as JL Audio, Metra, Carwin Vega, etc. I should have one in my hands later next week.

[dreddy]

The head unit is a CMD4 and there is a helm remote as well as a transom remote. I'm sure this was pretty state-of-the-art when installed. The helm remote has developed some issues with the volume buttons and is frustrating to use so needs replacement at a minimum but the CMD4 is also a pain as it requires a series of cryptic menu selections to get it to work after every battery disconnect at the Perko. The transom remote has leaked over the years and is just plain flakey. A guy on wakeworld just suggested a http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/pmx-2 which looks interesting as a helm-only solution. I need more info on it than what is at the link. thanks as always.

[CoreyZ1]

Get the handheld wireless remote. That's what I did. Bonus it floats!

http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-MF1-Ma.../dp/B004M4TC86


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[chpthril]

Thats why I ask about a helm remote, was going to suggest something like that RF unit. They are designed to fit a typical round remote hole. They are very simple head-units so check the available outputs as they can be limiting for large systems.

[Bryan]

I believe that fosgate unit is what Mike was referring to in his first post... About all the major audio companies have one now or are bringing one to market soon.. I think I saw somewhere on here that Wet Sounds has a media center coming this year.. I'd probly buy a new remote now and wait for these media centers to get all the bugs and tweaks worked out...
Mike will know more, but a simple hot wire to your memory power wire on your current head unit could fix your disconnect/settings problem..

[UNSTUCK]

We have a kenwood deck that has radio and Bluetooth only. No cd. It's much smaller as it doesn't need to fit a cd. I e been very pleased with it. Just run it off my phone.

[Bryan]

What if you just pick up a Wet Sounds WS-420BT and lose your stereo headunit all together? Then you'll gain all the EQ and zone volume features of the 420 and you can connect your phone (safely in the glove box) directly to it via bluetooth or aux cable.. Grab a Bluetooth iPhone remote to change tracks and what not and your good to go

Sample steering wheel remote: http://www.amazon.com/iSimple-Portab.../dp/B00KPZN5UC

[zany]

When is Wet Sounds coming out with the remote for the 420?

[chpthril]

Not aware of a remote for the 420 as there are no guts in the 420 that would support a remote. However, Wet Sounds is releasing a complete source unit this spring that will support a remote.

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...it-and-Remotes

[dreddy]

I kind of like the idea of the 420BT in the glove box with the Wetsounds BT remote at the helm and plugged into the 420 aux input. This would give the ability to easily switch between 2 BT sources, one controlled from the helm and one controlled from someone's phone. The kids would love that.

[chpthril]

Allow me to touch on a couple things here. The WS-420 is not the type of audio equipment that needs to located in a closed compartment. It really needs to be at the driver's fingertips. Being a 3 zone volume controller w/master volume, placing in a glove box or other out of the way spot, negates its primary function.

Even though the Wet Sounds BTVC has a volume/track skip knob, the phone/source unit would still have 100% control. You would not need two BT receivers. As long as a phone has been paired with the BTVC previously, then switching to another phone source is as easy as the currently paired one turning off its BT. The BTVC will become available and the waiting phone can connect. Yes, this is likely 20-30 seconds longer then just turning the source knob on the 420 from BT to AUX.

[dreddy]

Thx for the thoughts on the 420. I've never been a boat with one so I haven't really experienced all that it can do. I do know that sometimes the ladies would like to sit in the bow and talk where it is quiet (zone 1) while the party is going on behind the windshield (zone 2) and in the water (zone 3 from the tower) or however the zone numbers work out. Like you have said, having that functionality at your fingertips is a really nice option and after thinking about it, I would like to have a physical knob for volume rather than a series of +/- button pushes like what is required from most remote sources. The 420 and something like the Exile dual zone controller are the only ones that provide that functionality other than one of the new smaller head units that mount in a gage hole. With the boat under wraps for the winter I don't even know if one of those would fit in the available space that is currently occupied by the Clarion helm remote.

That being said, does anyone know what the most likely Clarion amp model that I have is? It is the factory installed unit in a 2004 24V.

[chpthril]

For a more basic form of zone volume control, I would suggest the Kicker ZXM-RLC. Fingertip control as well as a 9V line driver. The knobs can be panel or surface mounted. With the right design, you can get sub level control as well as bow level that independent from the main cabin level.

If a base model 2WD 1/2 ton from A is priced the same as a loaded 4WD 3/4 ton from B, which would you go with? The MKII is not an apples to apples comparison to the WS-420 and is the MKII is about $150 too much for what it is.

[dreddy]

it took me a while to understand what you were referring to in your last post but I finally got it. I would definitely go 420 for the full zone control and hadn't even looked at the exile MkII. The only part I was talking about was their volume control that has the concentric knobs for 2 zones. I thought I had seen it sold separately but now only see it with their small BT device.