Industry / Tech Trends

Outdoor Audio Solutions – ‘Tis the Season for Outdoor Entertaining

The season of barbeques, outdoor entertaining, pool and beach parties is almost upon us. Is your yard ready for the season? What’s a party without great music? Good quality speakers are key to outdoor audio systems. First, they need to withstand the elements. And, of course, they need to sound great too. So, what type of outdoor audio solution will work best in your space?

Outdoor Audio for Small Patios, Outdoor Rooms, Courtyards

A pair of good outdoor rated speakers work well for targeting smaller areas (less than 750 square feet). Areas like patios, courtyards and outdoor rooms. These can be mounted and hidden in eaves or installed in walls/ceilings. In-wall and in-ceiling speakers are available in round, square or rectangle to mimic the shape of your lights.

Outdoor Audio Large Yards, Commercial Rooftop Decks, Larger Areas

For larger areas, landscape speaker systems provide a blanket of rich audio for your entire space. Landscape systems are comprised of a larger number of small satellite speakers reinforced with a hidden subwoofer. Or, a few subwoofers depending on the size of the space. The speakers are strategically placed around the perimeter, facing in. This speaker arrangement allows for even sound coverage. As a result, there are no spots that are too loud or too quiet. And, because the speakers are facing in, directing the music to your listening area, 90% of the sound remains in your yard, and you’re not disturbing your neighbors.

Speakers placed around the perimeter allow for an even blanket of sound

Also, landscape systems are completely scalable. They are suitable for everything from small patios to large residential or commercial rooftop decks to any size yards. These systems typically use 70 volt technology, making it possible to simply add speakers to cover a larger area. The speakers and
subwoofers are finished in a neutral earth tone and are easily camouflaged into plants and foliage. Subwoofers are placed below-ground and seamlessly blend into landscape. Or, they can be built into patio furniture or planter boxes.

Subwoofers and speakers are easily camouflaged into plants and foliage.

Types of Landscape Speaker Systems

A pre-configured landscape system is ideal for spaces up to 2,000 square feet with little or no ambient noise. These systems are flexible for configurations of eight satellite speakers and one subwoofer up to sixteen speakers and two subwoofers.
For high-quality sound covering over 2,000 square feet where there is a high level of ambient noise (party decks, spaces adjacent to the lake, commercial rooftop decks), a configurable high-performance satellite system is the best option.
Sarah Brewster

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