Does Your Boat Need Built-In Remotes For Audio System?

Are Audio System Remotes Obsolete?

  • Total voters
    19
MonacoMike

MonacoMike

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2009
14,721
Indiana lakes and Lake Michigan
Boat Info
2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
Engines
85 Sea Ray Monaco 197
260hp Alpha 1
For years I have had this, almost obsession, that I had to have audio system remotes for my boats. I see many others asking questions about remotes often here. “Will this head unit work with my remotes”, is often asked. It with the evolution of Bluetooth do remotes even have a function on todays boats?

My case in point, my new fusion works great all over my boat and even on the dock, my only music source will be one of our phones or pads, running the Fusion app is no big deal and I have controls that no remote can do on my phone.

Then add to it the option, if one wants, to have the head unit connected to the display units at the helm and I see no need to have remotes any longer. Do you? What exactly does the remote do for you that you cannot live without?

I feel liberated to be free the shackles of the remotes and love the freedom of a full Bluetooth system…
 
Ditto that! I do not miss remote units in the least. I love my fusion system. It is only wired to speakers in the aft deck and bridge areas and I have a separate entertainment suite in the salon that also has BT. No need for those remotes. On other boats that I had in the past with Clarion systems, I often had reliability issues with the remotes and it seems like when I needed to replace them they would have been discontinued anyway.
CD
 
After one season running my Fusion head unit with just the app I was about to dump the entire product line. Well...maybe not that dramatic. But I could not stand unlocking my phone every time I wanted to change the volume. Shoot, when I'm on the boat I intentionally try to keep my phone OUT of my pocket and away from me.

There's no better money spent than on those stick-on Fusion remotes. I have two, could not live without 'em.
 
Mike, we have a remote on the bridge at the front seating area that has never been touched. The phone controls that. However I use the remote by the salon door often as I usually forget my phone on the bridge and use it for volume control.
 
I enjoy having Bluetooth remotes for my Fusion system.
 
Stee6043 said:
After one season running my Fusion head unit with just the app I was about to dump the entire product line. Well...maybe not that dramatic. But I could not stand unlocking my phone every time I wanted to change the volume. Shoot, when I'm on the boat I intentionally try to keep my phone OUT of my pocket and away from me. Im done with remotes. You

There's no better money spent than on those stick-on Fusion remotes. I have two, could not live without 'em.
Click to expand...

You can change the volume with the side buttons on your phone without unlocking the screen. I have an ra-770 and dont use bluetooth but control it over wifi instead. Much longer range.
My apple watch works great for selecting playlists and volume from in the water if we happen to be anchored out in a swimming hole as well
 
Shenanigans77 said:
You can change the volume with the side buttons on your phone without unlocking the screen. I have an ra-770 and dont use bluetooth but control it over wifi instead. Much longer range.
My apple watch works great for selecting playlists and volume from in the water if we happen to be anchored out in a swimming hole as well
Click to expand...
Control of volume from side buttons has been a problem I am trying to solve. I did read there may be a setting in the Fusion app to turn that on, but need to be at he boat to test it.
 
Shenanigans77 said:
You can change the volume with the side buttons on your phone without unlocking the screen. I have an ra-770 and dont use bluetooth but control it over wifi instead. Much longer range.
My apple watch works great for selecting playlists and volume from in the water if we happen to be anchored out in a swimming hole as well
Click to expand...

This was two...maybe three seasons ago but I'm pretty sure I did not have that capability with my iPhone? I added the sticky remotes the year they were released and haven't looked back. I guess I should try my side buttons this weekend, just for kicks. Thanks for the tip!
 
May or may not be the cause but my side buttons on my iphone are setup for volume only. Cannot change ringer volume from them

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I have a fusion remote at the helm. A lot of folks also stick one on the swim platform area as well, since they are completely self-contained. I would not want to rely solely on my iPhone as it it often engaged in other unrelated tasks.
 
The results of the poll are interesting. Even with a couple of folks that said they didn’t need a remote not voting it is clear that a majority still like the remotes rather than using their phone.
 
bobeast said:
I have a fusion remote at the helm. A lot of folks also stick one on the swim platform area as well, since they are completely self-contained. I would not want to rely solely on my iPhone as it it often engaged in other unrelated tasks.
Click to expand...
Mine is also hooked to my network through my axiom mfd if need be.
 
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