How to Enjoy High-Performance Audio in Your Outdoor Spaces this Year
The Secret to Stunning Sound
As we approach fall here in Winter Park FL, I like to sit in the backyard and enjoy a little bit of fresh air. Maybe listen to my favorite music and grill up a nice dinner for the family.
But I never liked to sacrifice sound quality for an outdoor setting. And neither do many of my clients.
If you’re like me, you probably enjoy great sounding high-performance audio while spending time outside. This blog will help guide you to a system that sounds fantastic, doesn’t distract from your landscaping, and performs as well as your dedicated listening room.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading.
See Also: How Style and Function Intersect with Your Home Entertainment
Speakers
One of the obvious obstacles to building an outdoor system is finding the right speakers. After all, indoor speakers typically feature wooden cabinets, delicate construction, and are meant to be used in controlled environments.
Outdoor speakers must withstand the elements. That means rust and corrosion proof cabinets and water-tight construction. They also have to overcome a lot more ambient noise – without the benefit of a room’s natural sound reflections.
Manufacturers like Sonance, Crestron, and Episode have directly addressed this situation and have provided some of the best solutions.
These new multi-channel bullet-speaker systems are the perfect way to enjoy robust sound outdoors with full coverage.
Bullet-speakers fire in a single direction, so you can listen louder without disturbing the neighborhood. They generally feature a multi-channel configuration with additional subwoofer, to create an even sound field throughout the area.
Plus, because the units are very small, they’re easy to hide within foliage to keep your landscaping looking clean and uncluttered, while emulating the look of high-end outdoor lighting fixtures.
Cabling
A lot of my clients think setting up a performance audio system outside means investing in a whole new set of AV gear. But in a lot of cases, you can use the same components you use to stream indoors.
The right cabling can help. Using large gauge direct burial type cables and PVC conduit to each channel will ensure there’s enough bandwidth for lossless audio signals and long usable lifespan.
Depending on the size of your yard, you may have to install a special commercial style 70 volt amplifier. These are designed to run several sets of speakers over long cabling lengths typical in outdoor installations. Plus, being commercial grade they are extra durable.
Interfacing the system to a music streaming system like Sonos or Heos means you can fully control your music anywhere in your back yard via your smart phone.
When I talk to my clients, these outdoor sound systems are usually one of their favorite features especially when the crisp fall weather comes around. If you’re ready to give your favorite music some fresh air, I can help you get high-performance audio to all your outdoor spaces just give me a call at 407-448-9500 or fill out this form.
