Fusion Stereo worth the bucks?

[KevO]

Bumped from another thread 'cos I thought I might get a better response under a clearer title...

I'm in a quandary. We LOVE our music and I want to have it available in the saloon when we are all safely tucked up below on the mooring and also have the ability to mosh me pants off in the cockpit when I feel like it. The NTM has a standard old style car stereo cassette player (gives out horrible scratchy sounds when adjusting the volume knob... prob some internal corrosion going on there somewhere) and a pair of speakers mounted on the forward saloon bulkhead that seem fine and sound ok (ish).

If Santa (yeah I know it's really SWMBO holding off on shaving for a day or so and donning a red suit) was to feel like bringing a good boy like me a new sound system for the NTM what should it be?

A dedicated marine Fusion 200 system with seperate ipod dock thing and a pair of 6" waterproof speakers (currently on a deal for about £250 all in from JG Tech) and use the old existing speakers in the saloon for the below decks set-up or just go with a new car stereo that can take a USB / ipod connection?

I want to be able to connect and charge my ipod (or the other ipods owned by the sprogs). Connection could be by hard-docking or by wire, I'm not overly worried as long as different models of ipod can be used. I want zonal volume control over the saloon and/or the cockpit and remote control over track selection and volume as required.

Thoughts? Are the fusion speakers any good? Are other makes better VFM?

Am I better off just going with a bog-standard ipod compatible car stereo and a set of waterproof speakers in the cockpit or sell my soul to the devil and push for the whole Fusion rig set-up?

 

[Talulah]

I would be a liitle cautious about buying something with an iPhone dock bearing in mind the jack changed with the iPhone 5.

 

[aluijten]

I have the Fusion 200 Series and am quite happy with it. As the other forumite said, consider the change Apple has made with the docking connector recently.
If you are not bothered with the connector then the 200 is a nice unit, combined with the separate dock. I like the separate dock as it prevents the amplifier in the unit to cook the iPod.
My fist unit had bad FM reception but it has been replaced and is much better now. The iPod control is excellent, very much like a classic iPod, even via the remote control is quite usable (navigation through the music on the RC is a bit slow though).
I like the system with separate zones for volume control.
No experience with Fusion speakers as I think the grilles are very ugly.

Sound quality is good but not exceptional. Using .75mm wiring for speakers and supply (as found in the enclosed pig-tail connectors) is no recipe for a "wall of sound".

Cheers,
Arno

 

[Cardo]

I have this setup. Cheapy eBay speakers in the saloon and the 4" Fusion speakers in the cockpit. All hooked up to a 200 with the iPod dock. Very pleased with it. The separate zone control is tip top.