KICKER’s new Premium M-Class speaker system
Ever since Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877 and developed a horn to amplify the sound in 1880, music systems have been on a quest to create sound clarity equal to a live performance, perhaps even more so. It wasn’t until the 1920s when the electrodynamic loudspeaker was conceived to become the most common type of speaker to this day.
It takes an understanding of electricity, radio, sound waves, mechanics, chemistry, and physics to create a quality speaker, and from his early days with the band Moses, Steve Irby has spent 50-plus years developing, researching, and testing, both in the lab and in the field, tuning up Stillwater Designs to create KICKER, one of the largest manufacturers of subwoofers, speakers, and amplifiers in the world. It’s only logical, then, that KICKER’s latest development, the Premium Marine series M-Class, raises the bar for its marine audio systems. To show it off, KICKER joined with Intrepid Powerboats at the 2025 Miami International Boat Show to demonstrate live its premium sound.
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The 51 Panacea, Intrepid’s new luxury cabin center console, has all the features for personalized performance, comfort, and style with a double sun lounger and wraparound seating at the bow, two rows with quad seating at the helm, a fold-up rear bench seat, and a comfortable cabin below. Along with a leaning post, summer galley, and an electric sunshade for the aft cockpit, the 51 Panacea has entertaining at its core, and KICKER is the audio system of choice.
As mentioned, it takes a scientific and mechanical understanding to build a good speaker. The electromagnet portion was invented in the early 1860s, but knowledge of acoustics and materials took another 40 years to develop. KICKER uses the finest materials to create a complete sound system that includes the speakers, subwoofers, head unit, and amplifiers to bring the clearest and most authentic sound to the discerning boat owner.
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On-water Performance
The on-water environment augments the complexity of speaker design. Engines, wind, pounding waves, people talking above the noise—it adds up. KICKER Marine Audio’s new Premium M-Class speaker system means much more than turning up the volume. It means quality, audio, and durability, and it’s designed to provide authentic, life-like sound reproduction along with volume capacity to be clearly heard in noisy surroundings. Glass-filled nylon basket frames stand up to extreme heat and use. Carbon fiber-infused mid-range cones strengthen rigidity to improve sonic performance and durability. Toray Industries’ Tetoron fabric, a polyester-cotton blend that is weather- and UV-resistant, is used for the audiophile tweeter dome because of its excellent tenacity. All these materials provide highly accurate sound reproduction as part of KICKER’s Real Marine standards—state-of-the-art and matched components, marine-compliant terminals, splash-and-spray resistance, and materials designed specifically to take on the marine environment, including UV and salt/fog exposure.
KICKER’s M-Class features specially engineered tweeters, integrated into the coaxial speakers with subwoofers that amplify the sound with precise bass and clarity. There are no screws used for installation to prevent any rattling, and the 10-inch and 12-inch woofer can be free-air or enclosed and have more than twice the power of the current KICKER Marine subwoofer. The 10-inch marine loaded enclosure utilizes a 10-inch Premium M-Class marine subwoofer and a custom-tuned, 10-inch reflex passive subwoofer. The reflex subwoofer provides deeper frequencies for the lowest bass notes. The tuned enclosure optimizes performance, increases output, and offers flexible mounting positions. When space is limited, the Free-Air subwoofers feature the same waterproof connection and ribbed silicone gasketing for a compete weather-proof seal.
Both the interior and exterior of the Intrepid 51 Panacea boast the new KICKER Marine Audio M-Class sound system and both have just the right features to provide the ultimate in cruising entertainment. kicker.com
-by Stephen Spurling
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