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PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2014 MOBILE ELECTRONICS EDITION

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TESTREPORT

We all want music, no matter where we are

or what we’re doing. There are a lot of people out there who have been longing for a way to listen to their music in their boat, UTVs and basically everything, from garden tractors to a golf carts. Unfor-tunately, most of these vehicles won’t accept a traditional DIN or double-DIN head unit. So what’s the solution? Well, the folks at MB Quart may have the answer.

FeaturesThe MB Quart Nautic GMR-1 is

a source unit unlike any other. It’s designed to fi t into a standard, round 3.125-inch gauge opening with a mounting depth of under three inches! Building an audio source that fi ts this common opening makes the GMR-1 a perfect fi t in a wide variety of vehicles where traditional head units simply won’t go without a lot of custom (aka expensive) work.

Another important consider-

ation when installing a head unit in these types of vehicles is durability. After all, if you are off road or on the water, there are a whole new set of rules when it comes to keep-ing things working. To that end, the MB Quart GMR-1 is designed to be waterproof, dustproof and UV sta-ble. And with no moving internal parts, it will handle the extreme G loads found in these environments without any complaint.

While it may be small in size, the GMR-1 has more features in it than you might expect. First, a built-in four channel amplifi er provides power to four speakers. If that’s not enough, you can drive an additional amplifi er with the RCA pre-outs. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to stream music from your favorite Bluetooth-enabled player including music apps like Pandora, Spotify and others. The GMR-1 is equipped with large, easy to use rubber but-tons and a bright LCD display. Blue-tooth pairing is quick and easy and

the controls on the unit face allow you to adjust volume, play, pause, and select your favorite tracks.

Additionally, there is a built in AM/FM tuner to pull in your favorite stations, and a USB input allows you to connect your MP3 player or thumb drive. Still not enough?! A set of aux-in RCA connectors allow yet an-other possible source, like a portable satellite radio or any other portable audio device. Should you need to remote mount those other sources, the optional PSAP-2 dual input plug is waterproof and very handy. This accessory provides 10 feet of exten-sion, allowing you to mount things wherever they need to go.

In the DetailsThe GMR-1 is a well-built unit

that should provide many hours of enjoyable listening. It’s dead simple to use, and there are no compli-cated menus or manuals required. It wires up the same way as virtually every aftermarket radio since 1980,

uses a standard Motorola plug for the radio antenna, and everything simply works as it should.

On paper, the internal ampli-fi er power might seem limited, maxing out at around fi ve watts per channel (measured using the CEA-2006B standard), but in small vehicles with speakers mounted in close proximity, it seems much more powerful than it is. The inter-nal amplifi er has a high-pass fi lter at approximately 85 Hz, and thanks to the RCA outputs, you can drive a separate subwoofer amplifi er if you want some real bass in your face.

So there you have it: an AM/FM, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary-capable self contained audio system. All you need now are some four ohm speakers and a vehicle with a three-inch round space on the dash!

BLUETOOTH SOURCE UNIT REVIEW BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

MB QUART Nautic GMR-1

PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2014 MOBILE ELECTRONICS EDITION// 2014 MOBILE ELECTRONICS EDITION//

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mbquart.com MBQuartUSA MaxxsonicsUSAInc @MBQuart

For an expanded version of this test report, go to

pasmag.com/testreports/MBQuartNauticGMR1.

4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N - 14.4 V BATTERY

16.05_TEST_REPORTMaxxsonics_v2.indd 1 2014-07-02 3:09 PM