Wet Sounds XS-650

Wet Sounds is a relatively new company in the loudspeaker industry, and it specializes in marine audio. The company started in Texas, but has dealers around the country. The company specializes in speakers that are mounted to wakeboard towers; however, they do make some excellent coaxial speakers that can be placed inside your boat. The Wet Sounds XS-650 is a particularly good speaker. The sound quality is good, even at extremely high volumes. The frequency response range doesn't go as low as some marine speakers, but they still produce a relatively good sounding bass. These speakers are made specifically to have high volume so they get to loud very fast, but they require quite a bit of power to drive them. The speaker doesn't perform well at lower volumes, and the sound soon disappears as you dial it down.

The titanium dome tweeter is part of what helps the speaker get loud. It produces a bright sound, which not only helps carry the sound, but makes it seem louder. The basket, or frame, is made from a nylon fiberglass mix that Wet Sounds calls Nylas, and it is pretty sturdy. It is built to survive the marine environment, which includes bouncing along the waves, but it is by no means built to be dropped or otherwise abused. The spider, the surround, and the protection around the magnet are all made of rubber to help prevent water damage. This speaker also comes in an option with an enclosed grille for further protection.

The warranty covers manufacturing errors only. The warranty is non-transferable, and you want to make sure that you register your product within the first 45 days to avoid voiding your warranty. You also have to be careful where you buy your Wet Sounds speaker. The warranty only covers boat speakers purchased from the company or from authorized dealers.

The technical and customer service support is fairly standard. There is a toll-free number to call, an email address and an email form, but you are also able to get good one-on-one service from one of the authorized dealers.

If volume is what you are looking for, then the Wet Sounds XS-650 will satisfy. The titanium tweeter produces a fairly bright sound, so it might not be for everyone; however, the bass response is also really good and helps balance out the brightness of the tweeter. The speaker is specifically built to survive for years in a marine environment, and the warranty will cover anything that might be a manufacturing defect.