Clarion out of marine audio business?

[wkearney99]

So, ticking through my Spring to-do list and get to the one for replacing the flybridge speakers...

I've got some older Clarion 6.5" speakers up there. No great, not awful, but it's an open space so it's not like audio fidelity really makes much difference. I've always found it useful to just stick with a given vendor, mainly because the mounting hole sizes and screw placements are always different.

Annnnnnd I discover Clarion no longer makes marine audio gear? The speakers are all discontinued. So now I'm down the rabbit hole of finding alternatives or NOS online somewhere.

 

[ranger58sb]

You might find the mounting holes have been semi-standardized across the industry.

FWIW, we did the same thing with Sony speakers... just swapped in new ones from time to time as weather affected the old ones...

-Chris

 

[Bustlebomb]

Interesting. I just received the latest West Marine flyer in the mail and they have multiple models of Clarion 6.5” CMS speakers on sale right now.

Might check there.

 

[wkearney99]

You might find the mounting holes have been semi-standardized across the industry.

FWIW, we did the same thing with Sony speakers... just swapped in new ones from time to time as weather affected the old ones...

You'd think, but a bit of time wasted this morning came up empty on anything that'd use both the cut-out hole size AND screw positioning. 4 screws, 5 screws, even 6 for some. Most seem to now want to use a larger center hole for the speaker too.

It's not that I'm unable to drill new mounting holes, I'd just prefer to avoid it if not necessary.

Making the center hole larger isn't an impossible task, just adds another level of tediousness. Hint, use the old mounting holes to attach a piece of wood from behind, and use that to center the bit for a larger hole saw.

I just wanted to find a quick swap-in set of craptastic outdoor speakers for the flybridge... but no.....

 

[wkearney99]

Interesting. I just received the latest West Marine flyer in the mail and they have multiple models of Clarion 6.5” CMS speakers on sale right now.

Those need 6 mounting screws and require a larger center hole. If I'm going to go through that much work I might as well move to another brand.

 

[CompuNerd]

Take a look at Crutchfield.com. They have quite a bit of marine gear including Clarion. You may be able to find the same speakers there.

 

[wkearney99]

Take a look at Crutchfield.com. They have quite a bit of marine gear including Clarion. You may be able to find the same speakers there.

Yeah, searched through there and a bunch of other places online. Though I haven't tracked down a full range of which Clarion speakers use the same mounting hole/pattern. With that I could at least trawl through craigslist, ebay, overstock and the like to find some NOS units. The ones in there now are CMQ1620R.

Though I could ask crutchfield support for their replacement recommendations, they've no doubt fielded this question more than once.

 

[Benthic2]

Depending on the source of the audio, have you considered portable bluetooth speakers ? You can tuck them in the cabinet when not in use to keep the weather out, throw one in the dingy for fishing/exploring trips and bring them out to the foredeck during dock parties. With your phone in your pocket you can change music and volume from where ever you are on the boat without having to go back to the head unit of a traditional stereo. Just another angle to consider.

 

[wkearney99]

Depending on the source of the audio, have you considered portable bluetooth speakers ?

No, not at all. Not for this purpose.

Oh, portable speakers are fine, and we have used some amazon Echo Tap units for movie nights when using a portable projector and a screen.

But for an existing radio setup, with wires already present? It would be a pretty strange endeavor to complicate things with pairing, charging and all that.

 

[ranger58sb]

You'd think, but a bit of time wasted this morning came up empty on anything that'd use both the cut-out hole size AND screw positioning. 4 screws, 5 screws, even 6 for some. Most seem to now want to use a larger center hole for the speaker too.

It's not that I'm unable to drill new mounting holes, I'd just prefer to avoid it if not necessary.

Yeah, searched through there and a bunch of other places online. Though I haven't tracked down a full range of which Clarion speakers use the same mounting hole/pattern. With that I could at least trawl through craigslist, ebay, overstock and the like to find some NOS units. The ones in there now are CMQ1620R.

Interesting nomenclature coincidence, maybe. The original ones we had in the boat were Sony XS-MP61, replaced with XS-MP1620, eventually replaced with XS-MP1621. 4-hole pattern.

-Chris

 

[rsn48]

So I did a search, I was curious. The results were almost all speakers are larger than 4.5 inches, as you found out, except for one 4 inch clarion speaker. My theory is that more folks want a decent sound so the larger speakers will give more "oomph" so to speak.

I installed three flush mounted Fusion speakers that I'm quite happy with and decent sound. My suggestion go to a larger speaker, you only live once....lol.

 

[wkearney99]

I installed three flush mounted Fusion speakers that I'm quite happy with and decent sound. My suggestion go to a larger speaker, you only live once....lol.

Yeah, if I punt it will probably be for some Fusion speakers.

I have to double-check the clearance behind where they're located now to make sure I'd have enough space for a larger diameter hole.

Interesting nomenclature coincidence, maybe. The original ones we had in the boat were Sony XS-MP61, replaced with XS-MP1620, eventually replaced with XS-MP1621. 4-hole pattern.

Heh, I have some Sony speakers down in the salon (terrible placement, even worse sound) but I don't seem to have noted the model# anywhere here. The ones you mention would at least use the same cut-out hole, but would require different mounting screw holes.

I just wanted a simple item knocked off my to-do list, dang it.