Wet Sounds has a product called the "A-Link" coming out soon. THey're still working on extending the range, but basically you can buy a send/receive kit, or receive kits individually. It allows one send module to send signal to multiple receive kits with 1 bluetooth source.

The WS-420 pre-amp/EQ is a good option to ditch a head unit, as it has a 5V line driver from each output. It's completely dual-zone, so you can control volume and tone to each zone independently. There's the SQ version that has 1 RCA input, and 1 3.5mm input, then there's the BT version that has bluetooth built-in, and also the same RCA/3.5mm input. Both units have boat/tower/sub controls. The tower output has a microphone that broadcasts over the tower speakers only. You can either coach wakeboarders, or scream at people like an idiot. Either way, it could be fun.

I sell a lot of the 420's to the UTV crowd as they're a simple solution to not have a head unit.

Ok time to call you out.....On a serious note i am getting tired of lugging around cd's just so i can get full range sound and take advantage of all that sub amp money i spent and really get full range sound? Just what medium does on use???? usb stuff steaming blue tooth from a phone or HD radio MP3 i no longer have any ideal what is really full dynamic range in these new sources.

I don't even use CD's any longer. Ipods have the worst sound there is unless you are using the interface, if using Bluetooth or headphone jack they are terrible.

I switch to using a laptop with a good sound card and a DJ program called VirtualDJ. Laptop costs $300...less than a head unit these days. In that price range you will get a decent sound card and 500+ gig of storage. You can put a lot of music on that size drive.

I setup play lists on virtual dj and let it play. All you need is the 1/8" to RCA adaptor and plug it into the AUX input on your head unit, or you could go right into your amps if you wanted. Sounds almost as good as a cd, and far better than any MP3 player such as a smart phone or Ipod. The program is free a www.virtualdj.com

That's a very good point which I think we all have lost sight of over the years.. ?

Ok I really like this option! What exactly is the cable needed to connect to aux adapter!?

Rambocj7 I think Nightlife has RCA outputs on his laptop and uses a cable that converts rca to Headphone plug and plugs it into the head unit. As far as bluetooth goes, Its only as good as the source file plus the type of bluetooth protocol.. I dont know anything about iphones but with my samsung tablet the sound is crystal clear. I use the samsung for GPS via a navionics program and play the music at the same time. I usually have my tablet hot spotted to my phone and can also pull in youtube if I dont have the song someone wants. There really is no need for a head unit anymore.Or a an expensive marine GPS.

Chris

It's really going to depend on your setup. I have a Rockford head unit in the boat. The AUX input is RCA, my laptop is 1/8". So I use an 1/8" to RCA adaptor. If you head unit has an 1/8" Aux input (that's what a headphone input is) then all you will need is an 1/8" to 1/8" patch cable.

If you wanted to go straight from your Computer to your amplifiers you would use an 1/8" to RCA cable. At that point all you would need is a switch to turn the amps on and off. I just use the Rockford HU at this point because I have the remote control on the dash to control volume.

What I really want is a Bluetooth volume control or some kind of volume control that I could control from my phone. There are volume controls you can use that I could install but it means more wiring. At this point I don't want to do that.

if your just using an Ipod or Mp3 player the easiest way to ditch the HU is to get a phono to RCA adapter to plug into the player....then that goes to a splitter that gets routed to the amps.....the player will control the volume. If you want to get all fancy and link other boats up then the bluetooth would need to be integrated in but the other boats need to have it as well to play the same music...its either that or you can buy a small FM transmitter and have everyone tune into the same channel your broadcasting on.

The only thing is Ipod's, MP3 players, and most of the phones I have tried sound like trash out of the headphone output.
There is a night and day difference between my computer and any of the other devices I listed.

We link boats together every year for the raftoff at Muskamoot bay. We just run RCA cables between boats and they all run of my computer program. I just have all the different Y-cables, and adaptors to connect everyone up. We tried a FM-transmitter it was pretty much useless as most boats suck at picking up FM signals.

Ok, I like this option! So what are other people running if you're able to hook them up? What output from your computer?
I do have a laptop I can use.