Garmin releases 4-zone compact stereo for boat lovers who value a premium audio experience and dash space
New Fusion stereo offers additional audio zone, hideaway design and high-fidelity audio streaming
OLATHE, Kan./Jan. 31, 2023/PR Newswire – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), the world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, today announced the update of the Fusion-branded Apollo Series with the release of the Apollo WB675 Marine Hideaway Stereo. Designed to maximize valuable dash space, the WB675 hideaway stereo offers a world-class audio entertainment experience and the ability to enjoy premium sound from four separate audio zones.
“Our latest hideaway stereo provides customers even more flexibility and provides the very best on-board audio entertainment possible,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “We made sure to not only maximize dash space with the WB675 but to make our customer’s lives as easy as possible when it comes to streaming their favorite music.”
Amplify the moment with these key features
The WB675 is an advanced marine stereo with cutting-edge technology and features for those who value a premium audio experience while enjoying life on the water. Here are some of the key features of Garmin’s newest hideaway stereo:
- Customize audio zones — With Multi-Zone Technology, the WB675 provides superior sound in more areas on board your boat. Four separate audio zones can be set up and customized. Take full control of the audio system with integrated Fusion wired remotes and compatible Garmin MFDs or marine-specific wearables.
- Maximize dash space — Thanks to its compact design, the WB675 can simply be nestled inside the helm console, a glovebox compartment or mounted completely out of sight, providing the most dash space possible.
- Stream premium high quality audio — The WB675 has the ability to stream lossless audio with Apple AirPlay 2 software from a compatible Apple device1.
New product, same tech and durability
The WB675 possesses innovative technology — Digital Signal Processing (DSP) — that optimizes the audio signal that’s delivered to Fusion entertainment systems, resulting in superior sound quality at all volume levels and in every listening environment.
Designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, the WB675 is rigorously tested against salt fog, UV, humidity and extreme temperatures that can cause mechanical failure, providing peace of mind that the stereo will perform and last in the harsh marine environment. The WB675 is protected by a three-year warranty.
The WB675 is available now with a suggested retail price of $499.99. For more information about products from Fusion, a Garmin brand, visit www.garmin.com/fusion.
1 Compatible on Apple smartphones and tablets and Apple MacBooks with M1 or M2 chips, which require a connection to Wi-Fi enabled Garmin MFD or separate Wi-Fi router.
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Panbo publishes select press releases as a service to readers and the marine electronics industry. The release contents do not reflect the opinion of the editors and are not fact checked by the editors
The new Fusion Apollo WB675 hideaway audio system seems to be only a slight improvement on the WB670 introduced in 2020, but that makes this press release a good place to note how terrific the original model is.
I installed the WB670 shortly after the introduction — https://panbo.com/garmin-and-fusion-expand-apollo-series-with-new-products-designed-to-enhance-onboard-entertainment/ — and use it almost every time I’m on the boat, afloat or in winter storage. Zones 1 and 2 feed two sets of speakers in the main salon while Zone 3 goes to an early Fusion amp and speaker set on the flybridge.
The White Box — I think that’s what they mean by the WBxxx model name — also connects via Ethernet to Gizmo’s WiFi router and hence to the compact color ERX400 control head that’s a sharp part of the boat’s latest (and greatest) lower helm setup: https://panbo.com/helm-ergonomics-2-gizmos-pilothouse/
But the ERX400 is not necessary to the system because FusionLink apps running on my iPad or Android phone work well as remote controls and also support deep configuration and firmware updates. Meanwhile on the flybridge, the Furuno TZT2 offers excellent Fusion control via NMEA 2000 while underway, and there’s also a simple ARX wireless controller for sundowner time.
Audio sources I use are Apple AirPlay 2 from the iPad (great fidelity and range), Bluetooth from the phone (good enough), the FM receiver, a library of digitized music on USB sticks, and sometimes the boat’s PC sound via RCA aux input when streaming video. All this sounds and works really well, and could easily be expanded to more zones and multisourcing with more Apollo gear.
At any rate, that’s why I’m quite confident that this new WB675 is a solid performer. Plus the added fourth zone could be useful, and nice that the price has only inflated modestly since the original WB670 came out nearly three years ago.
And, yes, for those of you following the recent uncertainty about Vesper Marine products under Garmin ownership — https://panbo.com/garmin-shrinks-vesper-product-line-will-only-cortex-remain/ — there’s an interesting contrast here. I think of Fusion and Vesper as similar small companies that distinguished themselves with wave after wave of useful innovation in their respective niches.
But while Fusion has seemed to thrive under Garmin ownership — no innovations lost — that may not be the case for some Vesper features that many boaters appreciate. Or at least it looks that way at this point in time.
My tentative conclusions:
* Generalities about Garmin mismanagement of acquisitions don’t make sense
* Nuances behind the scenes — like supply chain and dev team issues, product margins and market share — have more to do with these transitions than we end users realize
* Some optimism that Vesper features will resurface in multiple Garmin Cortex products
An argument could be made that fusions position in the market when aquired by Garmin was big and growing. As the use of marine stereos is wayyyy bigger than ais systems. Not tnexclude the RV market that fusion and Garmin seem rather large in as well.
I really hope Garmin didn’t aquire vesper to remove competition but instead looks t how they can intergrate improve and grow the brand
nice