Garmin’ s marine audio systems help to keep the vibe alive whether you’ re out on the water or relaxing at a sandbar.

By Krystina Skibo

Advanced materials, multi-zone digital signal processing( DSP) and integrated touchscreen cockpits are fueling a tech-driven renaissance in marine electronics. Boaters now look for systems engineered to cut through engine rumble and wind noise while surviving relentless saltwater spray, intense UV exposure and humidity.

As boaters demand elevated on-water experiences, understanding these consumer trends is essential for boat builders, audio manufacturers and aftermarket installers navigating the future of marine technology.

Historically, boats had just one zone for audio that contained a simple up and down volume lever. As these water cruisers get larger and more lounge-focused, especially pontoons, day cruisers and fishing boats, the demand for multi-zone audio is growing.

“ We’ re actually seeing zone control on smaller boats, too,” Dave Dunn, Senior Director of Sales for Marine and RV at Garmin, mentions.“ And as these boats are getting larger, multi-zones are becoming more important. Parents can go to the back and listen to their own music, while the kids are up at the front listening to different music.”

And marine audio companies, such as Garmin, are making it easier for manufacturers to personalize boats to have these multi-zone capabilities.

“ Now, it’ s more personalized than ever,” Dunn adds.“ You can have different audio sources, and you can even have different volume controls. We’ re seeing this shift and many people are setting up different zones on boats.”

Agreeing with Dunn is Jeremy Bale, National Brand Manager for KICKER, saying that consumer interest has definitely grown in this area.

“ We see more people come in asking,‘ How many zones can we have? How are these going to work together?’ Another thing we see on some of the larger boats is people asking for multiple sources so they can listen to different things. Some of that has been around for a while, but now it’ s becoming more regular on smaller boats,” Bale says.

It all boils down to personalization. Consumers want their boats to be malleable to fit whatever situation they’ re in. Whether they’ re relaxing on a sandbar or out making waves on the water, boaters want to be able to hear what they’ re listening to while still enjoying their surroundings.

“ Depending on the use case, we always ensure we’ re designing the boat around how you use it so that you’ re satisfied,” Bale mentions.“ If you want to listen to something while you’ re going 35 down the waterway, or if you want to connect with some other boats, then there’ s arrangements in different zones that we can look at. We love that people are having these conversations more frequently now. They’ re talking about how they want their audio to be part of their experience, and for us as an audio company, it’ s a great conversation.”

As boater demand for elevated on-water experiences increases, Rob Ferro, Field Marketing Manager at DS18, believes the next major shift in marine audio will be deeper integration between audio, lighting, digital switching and the boat’ s main control system.

“ Instead of treating the stereo as a separate accessory, the entire entertainment experience will be managed as one connected system,” he says.“ We will see more intelligent DSP processing, automatic zone adjustment, compact high-efficiency amplifiers, immersive lighting synchronization, voice and wearable control, and presets designed for different activities. A captain may select a cruising mode, party mode, fishing mode or dock mode, and the system will automatically adjust the volume, zones, subwoofer level, lighting and

KICKER continues to invest in durability, integration, design and dealer support to ensure boaters have the best audio experience possible.

Elite Audio brings this boat to life at night with a clear stereo and LED lights to keep the party going.

power consumption.” Ferro also expects customers to continue demanding more output from equipment that is smaller, more efficient and easier to integrate.

“ The future of marine entertainment will combine high-performance sound with clean installation, flexible control, advanced tuning and the durability required for real marine use,” he adds.

Especially when it comes to multi-function displays( MFDs) on the helm, Dunn says that stereo head units are becoming more integrated into the dashboard to create a cleaner, headunit-free look.

“ Now, the MFDs are more capable and integrated, but there are still instances where consumers prefer standalone stereos or head units,” he explains.“ But we are seeing a trend towards more integration into the dashboard.” Like so many things, it all depends on the type of boat and vessel.“ With fishing boats especially, they’ re still looking for head units within reach, so they’ ll put multiple remotes within the head unit at the helm,” Bale notes.“ Center consoles is where we see most of the clean helm preferences, but even still, I think the industry still has a ways to go before we see a seamless clean surface.”

Apollo RA800

Not all boat segments value audio in the same way, but each has its own opportunities. According to Dunn, while most segments have similar audio interests, there are some key differences.

“ Audio is very important in the tow market. I’ d say that’ s arguably the most competitive space for audio,” he says.“ With center consoles, I see a mix. Some brands and builders prioritize audio, and there’ s some that don’ t.”

Dunn is noticing a trend for new boat builds from OEMs where they offer a standard package and an upgraded package. This way, the customer can choose how much audio they want in their boat.

Bale has noticed a similar trend at KICKER, adding that it truly comes down to how the customer is planning on using the boat for the type of audio they choose.

“ Across every boat segment, there are different use case scenarios,” he says.“ It all goes back to how you want to enjoy your time on the water.”

At DS18, they don’ t believe one system design fits every application.“ The speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, enclosures and tuning strategy should reflect how and where the vehicle or vessel will actually be used,” Ferro notes.

Every category has a different definition of a great audio system, and Ferro explains how he’ s been seeing this play out at DS18.

“ Wake and tow-sports customers want extreme projection,” he says.“ The system needs to remain loud and clear behind the boat while the rider is moving, so tower speakers, high-output compression drivers, strong amplifiers and powerful midbass are major priorities.”

Center-console owners, on the other hand, usually want durability, clarity and output that can overcome wind, engine noise and open-water conditions. Ferro explains that corrosion resistance and long-term reliability are critical because these boats often experience some of the harshest environments.

“ Pontoon and luxury-lounger customers are more focused on balanced sound, bass response, appearance, lighting and multi-zone control,” Ferro says.“ They want the system to sound good at both conversation level and full party volume.”

RV and overland customers face similar environmental challenges, according to Ferro, but their systems must also handle dust, mud, vibration, limited installation space and changing power conditions. They often want marine-grade durability even though the vehicle is not used on the water.

JL Audio M6

For almost every boat segment, audio has become essential to the boating experience. Brands like KICKER, Garmin and DS18 invest in durability, integration, design and dealer support to ensure that when boaters turn up the volume, their experience lives up to their rising expectations.

“ Builders want powerful audio, but they do not want large components disrupting the boat’ s design or occupying valuable storage space,” Ferro notes.“ For us at DS18, that means focusing on compact amplifiers, shallow-mount speakers and subwoofers, sealed-back designs, weatherresistant components, and hidden receiver systems that can be installed behind panels or inside protected compartments.” Agreeing with Ferro is Bale, saying that all consumers want is reliable, powerful audio.“ Consumers want the audio to be ready whenever they want to use it, they want it to work for how they use their boats, they want it to be nimble to be able to change with their boating lifestyle over time and as their kids get older, and they want it to be as easy to use as possible,” he says.“ Consumers want their audio to work and they want it to last.”