Harman releases first fully digital Marine Head Unit using A2B Technology

Harman releases first fully digital Marine Head Unit using A2B Technology © HARMAN International

HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., focused on connected technologies and solutions for marine, automotive, consumer, professional and enterprise markets, announced today the release of the world’s first fully digital marine head unit using its Automotive Audio Bus (A2B) technology – the Harman Kardon R7100HU. Capable of providing better than CD quality audio, the Harman Kardon R7100HU gives boat builders the ability to offer their customers a superior on the water listening experience, while simplifying installation and maintenance for exceptional value.

“We are really excited to be the first to bring this technology to the Marine market. We have been investing heavily in the Marine space and are proud to add this to our amazing line up of Harman Kardon Marine products,” said Jeffery Fay Global VP and GM Special Markets and Aftermarket.

“Building on last year’s release of our A2B DSP audio module, our new head units take control of a premium audio experience to a new level,” said Kent Jopling, Harman Global Senior Manager for Marine. “The rugged-yet-beautiful head units give boaters the best audio right from the source all the way through to the speakers and are the perfect complement to any helm.”

Since the system is fully digital it does not use RCA analog cables that can cause a multitude of noise issues which have always been a challenge for the boat builders to eliminate. The fully digital system can accommodate up to 32 channels of tuned audio signal to be delivered to the amplifiers via a twisted pair cable. This reduces weight, installation costs, and improves reliability.

The Harman Marine Head Unit is capable of transmitting from multiple audio sources, including Bluetooth, USB-C, AUX, AM/FM and in SiriusXM and DAB+ ready. It has four zones of tone and equalizer control with a 10 band EQ for each zone, with each having their own independent sub level controls. Rugged and made for the marine environment with an IPX 67 rating, the head unit can be surface or flush mounted. It has a 4.3-inch bonded sunlight viewable display, which is color-selectable along with its buttons and backlight. It is also NMEA 2000 certified, allowing control from either most major manufacturer’s multifunction displays or one of Harman Kardon’s R7100RC remote controls.

HARMAN's legendary brands have been introducing important innovations in audio for more than 65 years, and the company continues to further develop new ways of enriching the audio/visual experience. From state-of-the-art professional audio systems and surround sound systems for the home, to market-leading in-car audio, headphones, and portable speakers HARMAN delivers premium audio experiences. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems.

For more information on Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL or their full lines of marine audio products, please visit www.harman.com or contact them at . The new Harman Kardon R7100HU Head Units will be on display at IBEX 2023 in the Tampa Convention Center, booth 3-352.