When thinking of any speakers, especially any marine speakers, you would most definitely want your product coming from a well reputed company. Rockford and JL have been around since the dawn of vehicle audio became available. They have been around long enough for people to blindly trust in terms of feature, quality and availability. In this guide for marine audio we will be looking at some of these devices from these companies and reduce them to their best systems for you to purchase.
JL audio and Rockford both feature a line in their brands for marine speakers. Both the products have a line called the M series which have different versions. Keeping in mind they both are not the same even though they share the same letters assigned to their line of marine speakers.
JL audio has two lines of speakers however to keep it simple. The Fosgate has 3 lines which aren’t that far off from their counterpart in this case. The JL audio line of marine speakers have only M3 and M6. Rockford has M0, M1 and M2.
Each of these are their own lines. They also have different sizes of speakers available on each line of speakers. Depending on your preference you are able to pick out the right size for your marine cruiser.
Features and Review of Rockford Fosgate M series
Rockford Fosgate M0-65B
The M065B full-range loudspeaker is designed to reproduce high-quality sound in most outdoor environments. It adopts marine-grade waterproof technology, which is very suitable for swinging in your sailing vehicles and racing cars.
The M065B is a pair of 6.5″ full-range black speakers that provide excellent bass and mid-range reproduction, supplemented by smooth, crystal-clear high frequencies from the grille-integrated LCP balanced dome tweeter.
The 4 ohm loudspeaker has a 6 dB / octave crossover network and the power handling capacity is 50 watts RMS / 100 watts max.
The true marine grade compliant loudspeaker is Element Ready, which is proofed from salt dust and UV rays.
The Rockford Fosgate Construction Quality offers 2 year warranty purchased from an authorized Rockford Fosgate dealer.
Great purchase if you’re looking into purchasing 6.5” drivers to go cruising in your marine vehicle. Highly affordable and performs great as a marine speaker.
Rockford Fosgate M1-8
This device is a massive sounding 2-way Color Optix speaker system that produces loud, clear, and accurate sound while also illuminating your path!
Aesthetically these are a pair of white 8” full range marine drivers. The M1-8 has app support for color control for RGB. Allowing you to fully customize your lighting in full RGB spectrum for your own desired color patterns.
The speakers are 4 ohms. That comes ready with a 1” tweeter. Its power goes up to 150 Watts RMS and a max wattage of 600.
Additionally the speakers come with certification around its design. Making it extremely reliable for use in marine vehicles. Ensuring protection against UV rays and water spray.
On top of all these great features and protection. This device comes with a full 2-year warranty when purchased from an authorized Rockford reseller.
Great buy once again if you’re looking for something that is in the rockford fosgate family with an upgraded size and built in RGB. To fully bring out the stereo system rocking in your marine vehicle. Maintaining all these features in a great price range.
Rockford Fosgate M2-65B
These devices, which mostly come in pairs in the amazon market. Are much like their other drivers in the same M series line. They are guaranteed to deliver once again, Extra-loud, Crisp and true to ear clarified sound while also maintaining a great look with the lights built in.
These pairs of black 6.5” also connect with the Fosgate color optix controller and RF connect app. Allowing you to listen to music while you’re cruising and relaxing while at the same time providing lights for aesthetic.
The drivers additionally provide IP67 certification making them the perfect devices to fit on your marine vehicle. Making sure you never damage your speakers with water since you are protected by the certification.
These 4-ohm speakers are equipped with a 1 inch tweeter with advanced network technology. It has an RMS of 150 Watts and max wattage of 600 watts. The grille inserts are supported for both stainless steel and standard inserts.
They are a great purchase if you’re looking for a pair of drivers at a great price. With great protection against the natural wilderness you will be driving in. Beat the heat with the sound and fresh water while cruising and listening to your favorite tunes in super high quality.
They also offer 2 year warranty when purchased from a rockford fosgate reseller allowing you to casually lean on the service from them anytime in that time period.
Rockford Fosgate M2-8
The M2 – 8 is the second in line of the M series. And these are the 8 inch variants in the line of marine speakers. And they deliver insane sound as per usual while being slightly better than the previous one in terms of sound due to the size.
Fosgate loves their RGB options and the consumers love to see it too. These also once again make an appearance with the color optix feature which offers a wide range of RGB customizations to spice up your boat party or cruise experience.
Once again, when purchasing a marine speaker. It is absolutely necessary to avail the best possible certification for water proof and dust and UV ray protection. These are IP67 certified from the factory meaning you have no worries against those rough and harsh circumstances for your speaker.
These 4-OHM speakers feature 1 inch tweeters. Its power handling ranges from 250 RMS and a maximum power of 1000 watts. The grille inserts are standard and stainless steel inserts.
The M2-8 is a slight cut above the previous ones in terms of size allowing you to get a little louder on your marine vehicle. Clearly a matter of preference as they have minute appearance changes. They are available in stainless steel and white and in pairs. They also have a slightly more premium look and feel.
The 2 year warranty can be claimed from any vendor that is a certified reseller for Rockford Fosgate. Great feature to have if anything from the manufacturer goes wrong within that time span.
JL Audio M3 650X
This is a marine speaker that is built for just marine vehicles. They also deliver incredible performance at a price that won’t hurt you financially. They are said to be more affordable than their M6 models. The maximum size available for this option is 7.7 inches.
These 6.5 inch coaxial speakers are designed with a very premium look. To add to the premium performance the looks are top notch. Integrated underneath the sport grille frame you will find the internal LED lighting assembly. It was designed perfectly to distribute bright glow for your lighting requirements.
The tweeter however is only .75”. It is a silk dome which was designed to be able to tank the marine ambience. Silk is great for being lightweight and having superb dampening and seamless response for music.
These are 4 ohms. With an RMS of 60W and a maximum wattage 120W. The low wattage range is not to be doubted as weak power consumption but intelligently distributed to sound to your liking. Brings premium sound regardless.
They are sold as a pair on their website. They do not provide any IP certification for being waterproof or anything. However, judging by their reviews, they are great marine speakers regardless.
They are available in non interchangeable grille options. You are set to choose the color and the grille style upon purchasing the drivers. They are usually in pairs. They are available in classic and sports grilles. Gunmetal and gloss coating finishing.
Definitely a great buy if you’re looking for great aesthetics, lights and sounds. Sporting a clean white look JL audio does a really good job of illuminating behind the grilles while providing huge sounds for your marine vehicle. If these aren’t your cup of tea, you may opt for the M6 line of marine speakers from JL audio.
M6-650X-S
These are the more advanced versions of the M series. They are the successor to the M3. Indicating that they are clearly the more premium and pricier version of the M3. The M6 coaxial systems claim to deliver the most performance in all marine vehicles.
They additionally boast once again their great transflective RGB LED that is available on their drivers. With great RGB lighting and overall looks they have DMA optimized long excursion woofer design that ensure amazing power control alongside crisp and loud noise.
Their tweeters are .8 inch silk domed. They claim to take on the marine ambience such as water and dust and UV rays. Their silk domes add premium sounding noise. They aid in providing clean, clear high frequency response even in higher volume levels.
Moreover they have a true 2 way passive crossover which is hidden in the chassis. Adding protection against the vibration and harsh environment it may encounter. They added a solid state twitter protection circuit to prevent tweeter failure despite not having IP certification.
They have an RMS of 75W with a nominal impedance of 4-ohms. Their maximum power wattage was 150 watts. Once again bringing in their intelligent power consumption system which recommends a wattage between 25 and 150 watts.
They are sold as pairs and they use marine grade, synthetic fibers with special roll designs to endure high humidity and wet situations. They claim to have one of the most advanced technologies in the assembly departments to ensure people have the most premium products for their marine vehicles.
Like the M3 series they are available in size options up to 8.8 inches. They are available in various finishes. In both classic gloss and gunmetal trim sport rings. They inherently look, feel and sound more premium than the M3 series.
Great purchase if you have a few extra bucks to spare for the premium, more superior version of their counterpart. At the moment they are quite difficult to find on amazon however if you find one it will definitely give you a run for your money.
Availability
In terms of convenience and finding these devices in the market. You wouldn’t have to go too far to purchase any of these devices. Most of the reviews in the guide will be available on amazon for you to purchase right from your couch. So pick wisely as the guide has served you with crucial information to choose and pick for your superior audio experience.
Conclusion
Hopefully this review serves as a great guide to finding the best sounding marine speakers for your summer cruises. Throw parties or cruise by yourself while enjoying the best sound money can buy.
Whichever you pick from within this review you are sure to satisfy yourself. All options are well worth your money. Obviously you yourself are the judge of that. If the JL audio or the rockford fosgate aren’t your cup of tea. You are free to explore your options but hopefully this guide serves as an example to keeping your options limited to only the best in the market.
You are now equipped with knowledge of picking between some of the most legendary brands of marine speakers on the market. Hopefully you are able to find the best marine speakers for your marine vehicle. Happy cruising!
The price between JL M3 and Rockford M1 is very close. The price of Rockford M2 is significantly lower than JL M6. If you want RGB LEDs, Rockford models are much cheaper than JL audio. Rockford will become bright, crippled, and everything is for loud noises. Since JL speakers have silk dome tweeters, they will be warm and balanced, paying more attention to sound quality.
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