Marine radios are definitely not the same since a few years back- there have been a lot of updates made to make them better!
Nowadays, gauge mount marine radios are available for purchase in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and, more importantly, with all kinds of new technology which is built into them!
Having one or even a few gauge mount marine radios these days have become one of the essential things any boat owner should have on board. That’s why we have decided to educate you a bit about how to purchase and choose the best gauge mount marine radio for yourself.
In this article, we will be presenting you with the 05 best gauge mount marine radios, and we will be also giving you the full buyers guide later on.
But first, let’s meet our favorite models:
Our top pick of best Gauge Mount Marine radios at a glance in 2022:
| IMAGE | NAME | KEY FEATURES | PRICE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Best overall
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Best overall
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1. The Kicker 46KMC2 weather-resistant marine gauge mount media center receiver
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Price on Amazon |
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Editor’s Choice
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Editor’s Choice
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2. Boss Audio systems MCKGB350B waterproof marine gauge receiver and speaker
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Price on Amazon |
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Best Audio system
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Best Audio system
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3. Boss Audio Systems MGR350B marine gauge receiver
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Price on Amazon |
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Best NOAA weather
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Best NOAA weather
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4. Boss Audio Systems MCKGB350W.6 weatherproof marine gauge receiver and speaker
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Price on Amazon |
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Best weatherproof
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Best weatherproof
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5. Planet Audio PGR35B Weatherproof Marine gauge receiver
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Price on Amazon |
What are the advantages of owning the best quality gauge mount marine radio or best marine gauge radio?
Okay, so in the continuation of this article, we are going to see whether or not there are some advantages to owning gauge mount marine radios. And, let’s tell you upfront- there are many of them!
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They increase the fun
There is literally no doubt that having one of these on your boat will make every boat trip a lot more fun. Music is a part of everyone’s lives, so, boat rides with good music are more fun than the ones without it! So, having one of these devices on board will definitely boost the mood make the atmosphere better and your trip enjoyable.
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Gauge mount marine radios are better than regular radios
Regular radios might be good for on-the-sore usage, but, we don’t recommend you to use them while you are on a boat. The gauge mount marine radios are specially built radios built to remain the same under all kinds of circumstances that may occur while you are on a boat. In other words, most of the marine radio models are waterproof and ready to serve you well for years without failing, while, on the other hand, regular radios do not even come close to that.
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Charging your phone is possible
Since most of the gauge mount radios contain USB slots, that means that you will be able to charge your phone. All that you need is just a simple USB cable, and you can charge it right away. This is a great thing especially if you forget to bring a power adapter onboard, and you need to charge your phone as soon as possible. These gauge mount marine receivers have your back!
How to choose the best gauge mount marine radio
So, if you want to purchase the best quality gauge mount marine radio receiver, there are certainly a few things that you should definitely have in mind. We will try to display literally all of the things to which you should be paying attention when you are about to purchase your new gauge mount mariner radio.
So, let’s start.
- Is the receiver made out of waterproof materials?
As you know, since boats are on the water, you have to pay attention to which kinds of devices you are bringing on them. Gauge mount marine radios in particular should definitely be waterproof and weather resistant, especially if you do not plan to put them inside of your cabin but outside of it.
If the device has waterproof materials, UV coating, and some other protective materials that can keep it from getting water damaged, you should definitely place it on your choice list. If perhaps, the marine radio that you are about to buy is not waterproof, you should definitely think about whether or not that is going to be a smart purchase.
- Does it contain Bluetooth technology?
If your marine radio contains Bluetooth technology, well, that can for certain be a lot helpful. This is not a thing that every gauge mount marine radio should have, but it is helpful! If you are a modern person that knows how to hook up two devices via Bluetooth then you should definitely get a marine receiver that has it built into it!
By connecting your phone to your marine radio, you will gain the ability to play any kind of song that you want to!
- Does the manufacturer offer a warranty for that marine radio?
Again, this is another not essential thing, but having a warranty could keep your mind at peace. Even though your marine receiver may be waterproof, it may eventually break. In those cases, it is a very good thing to have a warranty from the manufacturer guaranteeing you that you will either receive a completely new device or that they will be able to fix the one that has been broken.
So, here are the three most important things that you should be paying attention too. We also have to add that you should not get carried away and forget about your budget. Try to stick to it as much as possible! Think rationally when you are purchasing devices like these ones because they are not necessarily cheap, and these are the kind of devices that should be serving you for years and years to come!
The details Product reviews of the best gauge mount marine radio:-
1. The Kicker 46KMC2 weather resistant marine gauge mount media center receiver
This gauge mount media center receiver is a very practical receive that has a very compact and simple design. It is only available in black color which makes it look very modern and trendy. When you take a first look at it, you will be noticing that it has a round shape, and a digital LCD display. Right under the display, a few buttons have been located that help with the navigation throughout the receiver.
This receiver is really easy to use since you basically only have a few commands. The LCD display helps with easy reading even a toddler could use it!
When it comes to the power of this receiver, it works on 200 watts of peak power that could be used for four channels. We can easily say that this receiver is powerful and that could easily make your boat trip a lot more fun.
One of the best things about this receiver is that it has Bluetooth technology built into it and that it has plugs like USB and RCA. In other words, a wired remote controller could be added to it and could be used even easily. Even wireless remote controllers could be connected to it, as long as they contain a small USB plug. And lastly, we must mention that this marine receiver is weather resistant and also waterproof, you do not have to worry about it breaking on those kinds of occasions since it will remain resistant at all times! You can place it outside of your cabin if you want to, nothing will cause it harm!
Kicker 46KMC2 manual pdf
2. Boss Audio systems MCKGB350B waterproof marine gauge receiver and speaker
The next model that we will be introducing you to is the Boss MCKGB350B gauge mount receiver. Now, this model is probably one of the most affordable ones on our today’s list. Let’s see what it can do!
Even though the price of this receiver is pretty much affordable, this receiver actually has loads of features that some of the expensive marine ones don’t! For example, this receiver has Bluetooth technology built into it. This means that you can easily connect it to your smartphone and play any kind of music that you would like to listen to. The fun will never end since Pandora and Spotify are also supported by this gauge mount receiver!
On top of that, the Boss MCKGB350B receiver contains also a USB slot, and the RCA one. The bad thing is that it doesn’t have the CD player built into it-but, you really can’t expect that sort of thing from a very cheap marine radio.
The design of this receiver is completely awesome! Namely, it is waterproof and it contains a special UV protection coating to keep it safe from corrosion or from sun damage. This means that you can place it on the outside of your boat without having to worry about it getting broken.
This receiver comes with two full-range marine speakers and also the MRANT10 dipole antenna. This is a great combo that can be bought for a very low price!
Boss MCKGB350B manual pdf
3. Boss Audio Systems MGR350B marine gauge receiver
You will never have to worry about weather conditions or water damaging this receiver no matter where you place it- it is waterproof and weather-resistant as well. Some of the special UV coatings are an essential part of this receiver’s design, and they are there to protect it from sun damage. On the other hand, since it also contains an IPX 6 rating, it is also completely protected from the splashing of water.
The Bluetooth technology is just a small portion of what this Boss receiver has to offer. Namely, the USB slots are also a part of its design, which means that you can connect your phone to it and even charge it. Of course, the receiver supports AM, FM, and Weather band radio stations so that you can stay notified of all of the possible weather conditions that are coming your way.
The built-in Subwoofer control, as well as the preset EQ feature, are there to help you change up the sound whenever you feel like it. In other words, you have the complete power of the sound levels that are coming through this gauge mount marine radio’s speakers.
The fact that this receiver doesn’t have the mechanism to play CDs is literally overwritten with all of these wonderful features that can easily replace that.
Boss MGR350B manual pdf
4. Boss Audio Systems MCKGB350W.6 weatherproof marine gauge receiver and speaker
As well as all of the previous receivers that we have shown you today, this one is also made out of weatherproof materials. Water will not do it any kind of harm even if gallons of water splash it-the IPX6 rated coating is there to protect it against those kinds of damages. This means that you can easily place it on the outside of your boat you do not have to place it inside of the cabin.
The Bluetooth technology is there only to provide you with the best user experience possible. By connecting your smartphone to the receiver, you will gain the ability to play any kind of music that you like, even from Spotify or Pandora. Of course, you always have the ability to play music from regular AM or FM radio stations.
The good thing about this receiver is that you will be receiving two additional gauge, mount speakers, alongside the actual unit, and the MRANT10 marine dipole antenna as well. This means that the performance of this gauge mount weatherproof receiver will only be better.
It is only normal for a receiver like this one to not contain a digital CD player. But, due to the AUX-in port, you can always add the additional one and buy it separately. It is also important for us to mention that the performance of this receiver could easily be improved just by adding a simple amplifier. That will not be an issue since the unit contains pre-amp outputs.
Boss MCKGB350W.6 manual pdf
5. Planet Audio PGR35B Weatherproof Marine gauge receiver
And lastly, we will be presenting you with this Planet Audio PGR35B weatherproof marine gauge mount receiver. It is needless to say that it is waterproof as well as the previous ones-its name even says so! Besides being made out of weatherproof materials, it also contains front panel UV coating, and a PC board with conformal coating to keep it from sun damage.
The ability to connect your smartphone to it is just the first of the features from a long, long list of ones. So, that is possible all due to the Bluetooth technology which enables that sort of thing. Of course, Pandora, Spotify, and MP3 media are supported.
If by chance, you decide to place this receiver on the outside of the boat, you might need an amplifier in order for the music to be heard everywhere on the boat. That can be easily solved just by purchasing an amplifier separately and connecting it to the unit. The unit contains pre-amp outputs that easily let you expand your music system by adding up to two amplifiers or signal processors-it’s your choice!
Another amazing thing is that you actually have the ability to charge your smartphone through this receiver. Just by connecting your phone via a USB cable to the unit, you will be able to charge it anytime. The unit actually contains a 1A built-in charger.
Planet Audio PGR35B manual pdf
Related:
Testing the best gauge mount marine radios
These were definitely fun devices to test out, especially because we got the chance to lie down and get a tan while testing these out. We have decided to hook them up separately on the outside of the boat so that we could sunbathe. We have to mention that we first decided to test out their ability to play AM and FM radio stations. And, we are more than satisfied with the reception that they have provided us with. Of course, we have connected them to our phones next to see how they would act when music from Spotify was playing. We are happy to say that there were no issues whatsoever and that all of the receivers from our list were able to successfully pass all of our tests. There is even a slight chance that the sound was a bit better when we have connected the smartphones rather than the original AM and FM signal reception.
Our favorite model is definitely the Boss Audio Systems MGR350B marine gauge receiver, for many reasons. One of them is that it is affordable, and can easily deliver all the things that it is supposed to.
Final words of best marine gauge radio
If you follow all of our advice from this article, there is no way that you will end up purchasing a gauge mount marine receiver that you won’t like- namely, you will love it!
Of course, there are many other gauge mount marine radios available for purchase on the market, but, we have decided to test out some of our favorites and present them to you. These five of the best gauge mount marine radios are marine radios that we have been recommending to all of our friends who own a boat- and we totally recommend them to you too, they won’t disappoint you!
FAQs related to marine gauge radio
1. What is a gauge mount marine radio?
Generally speaking, gauge mount marine receivers are basically digital media receivers that are there to enhance the sound. These kinds of radio receivers are usually pretty much equipped with all of the latest features and have a very modern design that will help with their survival in the outdoors and indoors too.
The good thing is that these kinds of marine radios aren’t big at all, and could easily fit into your boat. Another amazing thing is that their compact design is there to provide you with comfort and make your overall experience better.
2. How do I choose a marine radio?
-You should first ask yourself what kind of features are you lacking inside of your boat. Once you determine what kind of features you need, you should be looking for a marine receiver that has those kinds of features. Also, you must determine your budget and try not to cross it while shopping. Some of the devices might seem better to you if they are more expensive, but that does not necessarily have to be the case.
3. Do I need a marine stereo for my boat?
-Generally speaking, having a marine stereo inside of your boat is able to help you a lot with loads of things. So, the answer is yes, we would totally recommend you to get yourself one of the marine stereos for the boat if you would like to make the trips more enjoyable
4. What is the difference between a marine and a car stereo?
-Marine stereos are basically car stereos that are built for boats, they are, therefore, equipped with some of the features that a simple car stereo does not have. For example, marine stereos are usually weather and waterproof, since boats float on the water this is essential for devices like these ones in order to avoid possible damage. On the other hand, car stereos don’t have to necessarily be waterproof, some are, of course. This is only the main difference between these two, there are some others as well.
Photo: amazon.com
