Best 6×9 Marine Speakers For 2021!

There aren’t many activities more fun than getting out on the water in your boat. Adding the ability to listen to quality tunes can only make it better. The best 6×9 marine speakers will give you a great mix of highs and lows. They allow you to get some of the best audio quality available. 

What to Look for In a Marine Speakers

Mobile speakers are modern marvels. The amount of sound they can produce in such a small amount of space is shocking. When you make them marine, you have to add even more features to the speakers. 

When you’re shopping for speakers, you have to find ones that will fit in your boat, sound great, and be safe in wet situations. Looking for the right features can help you find the speakers that will give you the best boating experience. 

Size

The best marine speakers 6×9 will only work for your boat if they can fit. Many watercraft have spots for 6.5 circular speakers. If you want to upgrade, you will have to talk to your installer and ensure that the boat can be modified to fit the 6X9. 

You can also get kits that help you fit your speakers into different spots. You have to be able to mount the speaker, and it has to have enough room to flex without breaking or rubbing. 

If you can’t fit a 6×9, don’t worry. They make decent speakers in all sizes, and you can always add a subwoofer for the extra base you might lose out on moving into a smaller speaker. 

Understanding Watts

Watts are how much power your speaker can handle, and they are sometimes deceptive. There are two ratings, the max, and the RMS. 

Max is a fictional one-time max the speaker handled in a lab somewhere. Odds are it blew out a few seconds later. Root mean square (RMS) is the average power your speaker can handle, making it the most critical rating for watts. 

You want to get an amp and speakers that match as closely as possible in RMS. That will give you the best sound possible for your setup. 

Quality

Better speakers have better quality. They are made with better components and technology to enhance their sound. Some companies use unique processes that help make their speakers sound better.

6×9 speakers offer two and three-way systems. The system describes how many locations pump out sound. Three-way spreads out music and gives you the most distinct sounds. Two-way only offers high and low. 

In theory, three-way speakers should sound better, but it’s not that hard of a rule. Sometimes the three speakers can muddy the sound. As a rule of thumb, higher quality brands, even with two-way speakers, will sound better. 

Water Resistance

For marine speakers, you need to make sure that you get 6x9s that are water-resistant. Some speakers will even say waterproof for specific amounts of time and distance. Boats are going to get wet. You want to make sure your speakers can stand up to the elements.

Price

There is a wide range of prices for speakers. There are cheap ones that get the job done, and there are high-end speakers that can cost a lot more but usually sound better. You can find speakers in your price range. You just have to set the budget.

Top Ten Marine Speakers

Finding great speakers for your boat can maximize your fun on the water. Even if you don’t have speaker ports, some options allow you to install your speakers to work well and sound amazing. Here are the ten best 6×9 marine speakers. 

1. Polk Audio DB691 [Editors Pick ⭐️]

Editors Note: I use Polk Audio speakers every opportunity I can especially when weather exposure is concerned. I have used them with great results on boats and in my Jeeps. Ironically, I got caught out driving in my Jeep when it started pouring down rain. With these 6×9 polk speakers in the back of my Jeep I didn’t have to worry. — Kern

These aren’t Polk Audio’s marine speakers, but every Polk speaker is waterproof. The standard Polk Audio speakers hold up to almost every rigor out there. All Polk audio mobile speakers are boat friendly, heat resistant, and tough as they come. 

The audio quality and the price point come together in a significant way. The DB series uses a three-way system that can handle 125 Watts RMS, so they have plenty of power.

2. JBL MS9520

These sleek and good-looking JBL marine speakers can pump out a lot of power in all the elements. 

The JBL’s are a great example of high-quality speakers sounding distinct even in a two-speaker system. You still get a distinction between the highs and lows from the two components. 

These speakers top out at 300 watts. The RMS is a bit low on these speakers coming in at only 100 watts, but that is still plenty of power for most receivers and amps.  

3. BOSS Audio Systems MRWT69RGB

Boss didn’t design these 6×9 to set into a speaker location. They can be placed directly on a bar or tower so that they are prominently displayed. 

Led lights help these speakers stand out. They allow you can enjoy a light show with your music. A remote control allows you to set the lights’ color, speed, and pattern in many unique ways.

The speakers can handle all weather conditions while still pounding out over 600 watts of max power. They don’t slip on the RMS either with a 300 watt RMS. They are two-way speakers, but they still blast quality sound. 

4. Wet Sounds REV 6X9-SM-W

The Wet Sounds REV 6×9 doesn’t need a speaker port to function. The speaker has its own enclosure, so you simply connect it to any surface, run the connections, and enjoy top-end audio. It is an excellent solution for boats that didn’t come with speaker options. 

Pick black or white for this speaker, and you will enjoy incredible sound and power. The speaker has 150 RMS which can handle almost every marine amp on the market. These speakers come with a hefty price tag, but they may help you save on installation costs and efforts. 

5. MB Quart NP1-169

Getting the best connection is integral to achieving this highest quality of sound. MB Quart uses real 10k gold on their connectors to increase the conductivity and allow users to hear the music with less distortion. 

The waterproof marine NP1-169 sounds wonderful, but the power can be a little light. At 75 RMS, it will work terrific with any receiver, but you may have to watch out when pairing it to bigger amps. 

6. Kicker PS694

Kicker is one of the most popular names in car and mobile audio. They made their Power Sport series to work in anything that moves. They are waterproof and able to survive the wet environment of a boat while still putting out great sounds. 

The speakers can push 90 watts of RMS power, and they peak at 180 watts. The company takes base seriously, and these 6x9s can get pretty deep. 

7. Memphis Audio MXA69L

One thing you have to respect about Memphis is that they trust in their audio quality. They don’t brag about their mythical peak power, but instead, they give you their RMS front and center. 60 watts RMS may not be the most powerful, but everyone on the boat will hear your music. 

The speakers also come with LED lights to add a little extra pizzazz to any party. The high-quality sound and fun light display make these a solid option for any boat. 

8. Rockville RMSTS69B

One of the top-selling points for the Rockville 6x9s is the amount of power you get for the price. These speakers are one of the cheapest options on the list, but they still bang out 125 RMS, with a much higher max power. 

They aren’t the clearest speakers on the list, but these speakers will hit hard and loud if power and savings top your list. 

9. Rockford Fosgate TMS69

These didn’t make it higher on the list because they aren’t technically marine speakers. They were designed for motorcycle use. However, they are still water and element resistant, and they kick out some of the best sounds you can listen to on the water. 

These speakers need to beat road noise at 70 mph, so they are loud enough to make every boat trip a party. They offer 100 watts of RMS power to enjoy while you’re cutting through the waves or floating down the river. 

10. Pyle PLMR692

The Pyle is a great bargain 6×9 for your boat or outdoor events. The built on-screen offers good protection, but it can make it harder to fit these speakers into some premade speaker ports. If you are making your own box, these can work well. 

The speakers don’t have as high a range as some other options out there, but they hit a respectable 125 watts of RMS power. They put out enough sound to make any boat trip more fun. 

Enjoy Your Speakers

Once you get your speakers and install them, it is time to enjoy them. Remember, when you first start using speakers, don’t turn the bass up too high. 

Often speakers have been sitting on cold shelves getting stiff. Let them warm up for a few extended uses before you start pumping full power into them. 

After you break them in, turn them up. The best 6×9 marine speakers will give you a blast of bass, clear highs, and crisp mids. They’ll help make every trip on the boat feel like a party.