I haven't listened to music on anything other than my iPod or
computer for years (except for the occasional live concert!) so I
skipped over all the "radios with aux inputs" steps and simply got a
3-piece (subwoofer and 2 satellite speakers) to plug the iPod into.
Cost me about $60 at a local big box store, Altec-Lansing as I
recall, and sounds great. There are lots of similar systems designed
for iPod or computer sound output.

The subwoofer, which is about 6 x 6 x 12 inches, lives on the floor
under the nav station. Takes up a little foot room, but not
objectionable. The other two speakers are mounted on either side of
the companionway facing into the cabin. Can hear just fine from
anywhere in the boat, although I have to turn the volume up a little
to hear as well in the cockpit. If there were people both down below
and in the cockpit this wouldn't work as well, obviously.

The only downside is that these systems are all native 120 V, so when
not at the dock I have to power them through a small inverter. The
power drain is pretty low, though - something like 50-60 watts total
at the loudest peaks, and less than that during quiet passages.
(That's quiet musical passages, not referring to the sea
conditions;). Works fine for me, and it would take something like 50
days listening 24/7 to go through all the music on my iPod (a 40 GB
model, and just over half full at that).

Fair seas and singing winds,

Chuck Yingling
Hinayana, Baba 30
Sausalito

-----------------------------------------------------------
Baba Panda and Tashiba Owners Mailing List --
For more info, please check out the FAQ...
http://www.ballreich.net/hypermail/baba-l/faq.html
Received on Mon Jan 29 15:04:15 2007