Best Dash and Panel Marine Stereos Ranked

The flagship pick for a large boat that wants four zones, Wi-Fi streaming and real power from the head unit itself. Skip it if you listen to SiriusXM.

A four-zone touchscreen stereo with built-in Wi-Fi, for larger boats with several amplified areas. The RA800 fits the same hole and is the newer choice.

An Apollo-series stereo in the compact Fusion cutout, for a boat with up to three amplified zones. Buy it over the RA210 for the third zone, the networking and the longer warranty.

A four-zone stereo with chartplotter control for well under the price of an Apollo. It suits a boat that will add amplifiers zone by zone.

The Fusion that covers most boats: color screen, USB, SiriusXM and chartplotter control in the standard Fusion cutout. It fits owners who want those features without paying Apollo prices.

A zone stereo for a second listening area on a boat that already has an Apollo RA670, RA770 or RA800. As the only stereo on board it gives up too much.

A two-zone, two-source dash receiver for a boat where the cockpit and the bow want different music. Buyers with a Raymarine display should budget for the PMX-CAN module.

A compact two-zone Wet Sounds receiver for a wake boat with a chartplotter. Its listing publishes too few numbers to rank it high.

A Wet Sounds tuner and media center for a boat already built around Wet Sounds amplifiers and an NMEA 2000 display. The listing leaves out most specs.

A Fusion for boats that already have a single-DIN opening. It has USB and two zones, but newer Fusion models give more for the money.

A compact, simple Bluetooth receiver for a small boat with a second zone or a subwoofer.

The cheapest way to put Bluetooth on a small boat with a single-DIN hole. The listing leaves out most of the numbers that matter.

A solid two-zone stereo around $200 for a boat that powers its speakers from the head unit. Step up to the CMM-30 for color, SiriusXM and NMEA 2000.

An inexpensive single-DIN marine receiver with Bluetooth, USB and SiriusXM. Sony publishes too little about its amplifier and water rating to rank it higher.

A low-cost Fusion head unit for a small boat that streams from a phone. Pick the RA210 instead if you want USB, SiriusXM or chartplotter control.

A single-DIN marine receiver for a boat that still plays CDs. Mount it under a cover or in a dry dash, since Kenwood gives it no water rating.

A bargain single-DIN marine receiver for a small boat or pontoon on a tight budget. Expect basic sound and no water rating.

A budget single-DIN receiver for a boat, cart or UTV that will run an external amplifier. Its own amplifier is too weak to drive marine speakers loudly.