8-9-2017, Mobile Electronics -- People sure do love their toys. Hot tubs, Harley-Davidsons, and Hunt yachts are a few on that list of disposable income pleasures. For Aquatic AV, outfitting those products with the best sound possible is its specialty.
The San Jose, Calif. -based company, founded in 2005, focuses on three categories—spa, marine, and Harley-Davidson motorcycle stereos and speakers. While the spa lineup is still the core of the company’s business—it supplies spa stereos, speakers, power supplies, and wiring harnesses—Aquatic AV is currently focusing on strengthening its marine business and Harley-Davidson line.
“The majority of our business is definitely with the spa industry,” said Kyle Aeschliman, vice president/national sales manager for Aquatic AV. “But marine and Harley are right behind that. We have been trying to build up the marine part of the business for the last eight years.”
Aquatic AV marine stereos are not only fully featured like many premium traditional car stereos, but come with marine grade environmental protection which is essential considering the exposure to salt, sand, and sea. Each is designed and built to withstand the harsh conditions associated with use in marine and boat applications.
For instance, the newest marine stereo, the AQ-MP-5UBT-S, is not only waterproof and IP55 rated, but offers Bluetooth, USB, and built-in SiriusXM receiver which grants access to more than 170 satellite radio stations. It features an onboard 288 Watt amplifier that can power up to 8x speakers.
The lineup also includes BC, or Bluecube Hide-Away Marine Stereos. The AQ-BC-5UBT plays music wirelessly via a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, USB, or MP3 device. It is IP65 rated for use in any environment that is dry, wet, muddy, or damp.
“We also have 61/2-inch speakers which are doing really well for us,” Aeschliman said. “The line also includes a 10-inch subwoofer and waterproof 4-channel amplifier.”
On the Harley side, the first stereo was introduced three years ago, according to Aeschliman. “Since then we have released another Harley stereo so we currently have two head units in the market,” he said. “We have a set of Harley-Davidson speakers and there are plans to have another one released this summer.”
The big draw with the Harley products is that the head units are easy for anyone to install. “They are a plug-and-play replacement for Harley-Davidson motorcycles for years 1998 to 2013 so it’s a pretty wide market there,” Aeschliman said. “Harley-Davidson didn’t change any of their connectors on those years of models so one of the reasons those models have been doing well is because the stock stereo doesn’t have Bluetooth.”
Adjusting a stereo while riding a motorcycle can certainly present some serious challenges which is why, Aeschliman said, the integration with the hands free control is so important. “If you’re cruising down the road, you don’t want to be looking down at buttons on your stereo,” he said. “With our head unit integrating with the hand controls, it’s just as seamless as the stock Harley-Davidson stereo was to use, but with the added features of Bluetooth and the added power of our built-in amplifier—it’s all around a better system.”
Aquatic AV also added a two-year warranty. “Sometimes these stock stereos aren’t the most reliable so if someone has had a bike since 1998, a lot of these guys want to update to a newer and improved product,” Aeschliman said. “We use the stock 23-pin connection so all you need to do is remove your stock stereo, the wiring harness that is already on the motorcycle plugs directly into our head unit, and then there are four bolts to mount the inside of the Harley facing. It’s a really simple installation. It retains all of your hand controls. Some folks are using aftermarket car stereos but when you do that you have to buy a separate module to integrate with the bike’s wiring harness and enable your hand controls. With the 23-pin connector everything is easy—just plug-and-play with the wiring harness.”
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