Have you ever wondered how to make a budget sound system for your UTV?
With the right equipment and know-how, you can have a high-quality sound system in your vehicle at an affordable cost.
Generally, there are several ways to make your budget sound system for a UTV. First, find some speakers that fit in the back compartments and then put them on stands at ear height. Now place the amp and stereo under one seat and wire them all up!
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Tip: If you are looking for a more affordable sound system for your UTV, then Sound Storm Laboratories BTB8 is the best and will cost you around 140$.
They have 8-inch speakers, 1-inch tweeters, a 700-watt class D amplifier, support Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux connectivity, easy to set up plug and play feature.
In this article, I will show you how to install speakers on a UTV and will also talk about some of the best brands available so that you can get an idea of what’s out there.
How to Install Speakers to My UTV?
When it comes to installing speakers for UTV, there are many options available in the market like soundbars, audio pods, customized UTV audio systems, overhead speaker systems, etc.
The soundbars and audio pods come with mounting accessories, so you have to simply mount them on handlebars and plug them into the 12 volts source (cigarette plug) of your UTV.
For customized speaker kits and overhead speakers, you have to mount each component properly and do proper wiring.
Nearly all the sound systems come with their installation manual. So, read the instructions correctly before mounting them.
Installing Soundbar and Speakers on Your UTV
When installing a sound system, you do not need any special tools and all that is required you may already have in your garage. If, however you do not have these, I listed below tools that I use, and I am happy with their quality:
With the tools in hand, the next step is to install the speakers. Below is the step by step process of installing audio pods and a soundbar system on your UTV:
- Before installing speakers on the roll bar, let’s set the orientation of the mounting angle of the speakers. To do this, you will see two bolts at the sides of the speaker pods. Lose these bolts, set them to the correct angle, and tighten them back.
- Now take the audio pod and hold it close to the roll bar of your UTV. Tighten the bolts to the clamp so that it becomes stable. You can do it first by hand and then make it solid using the screwdriver.
- Repeat the same process with the second audio pod. You should also adjust the gain of the speaker pods to match them with the audio bar. Adjusting gain varies from model to model, but you can check it on the installation menu.
- For installing a soundbar, you have to remove the visor of your UTV by simply unscrewing it.
- Before mounting the soundbar on a roll cage, set up the brackets, and also remember that you should use appropriate rubber gaskets for installation.
- Now attach the soundbar to a roll cage, hold it, tighten the clamp bolts, and then tighten the bolts with the screwdriver.
- Connect the soundbar and speakers with a 12 volts power source. Make a connection using the harness cable provided with the speakers.
- Tight all the cables with cable ties so that no loose ends are hanging on the roll cage.
- Connect the signal cables of speakers with the soundbar, and you are ready to enjoy your favorite track on your UTV.
- The last thing to do is put the visor back in its place and tight the screws properly.
These are the basic installation instructions, and by following them, you can install any soundbar and audio pods. However, I recommend you read the installation manual properly before installing any audio equipment on your UTV.
Installing Head Unit and Audio Pods on Your UTV
If you are looking to install a radio with speaker pods in UTV, then follow these few steps:
- Mount the speaker pods on the roll bar by following the above steps.
- Place the head unit on the dash of your UTV or under the seat. For an aftermarket stereo, you need an RCA cable to connect the stereo with the speakers.
- To power the stereo with 12 volts, run the cable directly from the battery or use UTV’s Cigarette Lighter 12V.
If you are going to install a heavy sound system for your UTV that will include a head unit, subwoofers, amplifiers, speakers, etc., I recommend that you look for professional help.
What Do I Need for a Budget UTV Sound System?
There is nothing like having your favorite tracks playing while you are crossing between trees on your UTV.
For a UTV, you need a sound system that can handle the wear and tear of environmental factors like wind, mud, rain, storms, etc. You can choose soundbars, overhead audio pods, stereo-speakers systems, etc.
Here are my top picks that can help you to build a budget-friendly stereo system:
BOSS MCKGB350B.6 Waterproof Marine Gauge Speakers and Receiver
This is my favorite set that comes with a stereo with two 6.5 inch lightweight speakers. It is not only compatible with UTVs but can also be used for marine boats, ATVs, and golf carts, and it makes excellent value for money.
Speakers have an IPX 6 rating which means the casing protects from the high water pressure as in rain or mud.
Here are some of its great features:
- Bluetooth – This model supports Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect it with your smartphone and enjoy music from your mp3 player or music streaming apps like Spotify or panorama wirelessly.
- They also have a 3.5mm AUX connectivity port.
- The MGR450B receiver has Bluetooth, a USB port, AM/FM radio stations to steam news updates, music, etc., on the radio. The receiver also has an NOAA weather band tuner.
- It has front/rear outputs for speakers and two separate outputs for subwoofers. So, you can also attach subwoofers to them separately to get better sound output with pounding bass, and this is, in my opinion the best feature to make music more dynamic.
- BOSS offers a 3-year warranty on this sound system, making it the perfect choice for your UTV.
Bazooka BPB24-G2 Party Bar With Led Illuminating System
It is somewhat costly compared to other sound systems, but this Bazooka bar is the best choice if you like to blast music on long rides.
If you are familiar with Bazooka, this bar does not need an introduction. It has two subwoofers and eight speakers. Wow, that is 10 speakers, no wonder why it is called a party bar.
Here are some of the unique features of the Bazooka BOB24_G2 party bar:
- It is the ultimate off-road sound system with 8 marine-grade speakers, subwoofers, tweeters, and a 450-watt class D amplifier in a single casing.
- It has customizable LEDs and a sync option that causes the LED to change color and speed according to beats. It has a lightning strip across the bar and also has LED lights at the end.
- It comes with mounting accessories and easily fits on the roll bar of UTV.
- You can connect your smartphone to this part bar via Bluetooth or 3.5 mm AUX and play music from the apps right away. This soundbar also supports hands-free calling on Bluetooth.
- It also has a handy waterproof USB charging port to charge your device.
- The weight of this soundbar is 14 pounds, and the dimensions are 24 x 6 x 5 inches.
- The only disadvantage of this party bar is that it does not have an on/off switch, so it can drain your battery quickly. To overcome this, you can build an external on-off switch.
What Is the Best Bluetooth Speaker for a UTV?
When you start shopping for UTV speakers, there are many reputed brands manufacturing amazing products for off-roaders, and sometimes you feel overwhelmed about which one to choose.
The best Bluetooth speakers for UTV are NOAM NUTV4 Quad. This set of four speakers with amplifier directly pair with your smartphone – Android or iOS, mp3 player, etc. on Bluetooth 2.1 and allow you to play your favorite songs and podcasts from streaming apps like Pandora or Spotify.
The Bluetooth range of these speaker pods is 33 feet.
Here are some of the remarkable features of this NOAM NUTV 4 Quad:
- They are waterproof and weatherproof, which means the speakers are sealed and specially coated to protect them from rain, dust, mud, wind, etc. However, you have to be careful with the amplifier and do not spray it with high-pressure water. Unlike speakers, the amplifier is not waterproof, and elements inside can get damaged from water.
- You can also connect your devices using 3.5 mm AUX with these speakers. It also has a slot for an SD card.
- This model has four 4-inch marine-grade speakers with 1 inch PEI Neomydium Tweeters. Speakers have adjustable brackets, making them easy to set up on rail or handlebar ranging from 0.75 inches to 2 inches that cover most vehicles on the market.
- Speakers are 100W which is sufficient to cancel the UTV engine and create a good sound experience. The system is really loud, and thanks to the amplifier play clear music without any distortion at the high volume.
- Four-channel class D amplifier, which is compact and water-resistant but not fully waterproof.
What Is the Best Soundbar for a UTV?
As more and more people upgrade their UTVs with sound systems, soundbars are becoming more popular because of their excellent audio output and easy to install, plug n play features.
To me, the BOSS Audio Systems BRT36A is the best soundbar for UTVs. This soundbar is easy to mount on UTV’s roll cage and comes with the latest weatherproof technology.
Boss BRT36A is 36 inches long and can be connected directly with your mobile device via Bluetooth or 3.5mm AUX. It has four 4 inch speakers with two soft-dome 1-inch tweeters powered by a fantastic built-in class A/B 500-watt amplifier.
The IPX 5 standard ensures that the soundbar is fully weatherproof and can withstand harsh conditions. It can be mounted easily on a roll bar with dimensions ranging from 1.75 inches to 2 inches.
The great thing that makes the installation straightforward is that you don’t have to mess with complex wiring while powering it up. Instead, plug it into a 12-volt cigarette lighter, pair it with your phone, and it will start playing.
Do UTV Speakers Have a Subwoofer?
UTV speakers do come with subwoofers, and the surprising fact is that they do a lot more work than just making the bass of your sound system better.
Some of the soundbars have built-in subwoofers, but if you install custom stereo kits with speakers on your UTV, you have to ensure that the head unit you choose has subwoofer outputs.
For example, BOSS MCKGB350B.6 has separate outputs for subwoofers.
Here are some of the things you look at before buying subwoofer speakers for your UTV:
- The enclosure of the subwoofer should be designed to fit in your UTV. Some companies make subwoofers that can be bolted directly to the chassis of UTVs without making any other adjustments. An excellent example is the MTX GENERAL 10″ subwoofer that is designed to fit the Polaris body.
- UTV subwoofers should be weather and waterproof.
- For good sound quality, you also need a powerful amplifier. So before buying the sub, make sure that it is compatible with your amp.
Conclusion
Making a budget-friendly stereo is easy if you have the correct information. In addition, installing soundbars and audio pods on UTV is easy as compared to other sound systems.
If you are an audiophile like me, investing a couple of dollars more in the sound system of your UTV will make your rides more adventurous and fun.