Outdoor Solution

jpell29 New member Username: Jpell29 North Charleroi, PA USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Mar-10	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 00:47 GMT Ok, I am having a hell of a time trying to get a half decent outdoor audio solution for my pool. I have bought speakers every year for the past 5 and I am sick of spending money every year. So, I am asking for your help. This is what I want to do: 1. Get speakers for outside and not have to worry about bringing them indoors. I dont want to hang them anywhere, I would much rather put them in the ground, but Im not sure of how the sound quality will be. 2. Run cables from inside the house to the speakers outside. Need to know what kind of cables are good. 3. Would have to imagine that I am going to need an amp inside to control the speakers outside. 4. I also wouldnt mind putting a outdoor volume control. 5. Would like to look into maybe getting a outdoor subwoofer if you think thats an decent option. I have attached a VERY rough diagram of the lay out outside. I was originally thinking about plugging the speakers in the area labeled "gravel", and was thinking about getting 360 degree speakers. HELP A BROTHER OUT!! This is killing me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Guys!!
Jan Vigne Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne Dallas, TX Post Number: 14637 Registered: May-04	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 01:08 GMT . Why are you buying new speakers every year for the past five years? Are you buying speakers that deteriorate in the outdoor environment? If so, you really, really need to find another dealer. Any decent shop (read not Best Buy or their ilk) can sell and advise you on the proper speakers to place outdoors. You live in PA, USA, there must be a good dealer in your area you can contact. Outdoor sound quality is always less than indoor sound quality. There are no reflective boundaries outdoors and that means you loose significant amounts of sound to the air. A subwoofer is a stop gap that is only convincing in most outdoor applications either when you are very close to it or when you are in your neighbor's house not wanting to hear the thump of the neighbor's subwoofer. If your neighbors don't care, go for it but make it a sub that goes for high volume rather than low bass extension. Outdoors you can get by with more thump and boom than you would want indoors 'cause it all sounds fairly bad out there anyway. Cables need to be burial type. You can buy 'em at any good dealer or at Parts Express on line. Buy the outdoor volume control while you're there. Who's going to install all this stuff? Buy directional speakers - not "360°" speakers. You want to aim the output of the speakers at the areas that need coverage and place them under the eaves of the house for maximum protection. You will loose substantial amounts of volume and sound quality outdoors - I think I've already mentioned that - so you don't need to waste even more with omni-directional speakers particularly if you're sticking them up against the house anyway. You also want to aim the speakers for where you do not want coverage - I've already mentioned those neighbors not wanting to hear your music unless they have been invited over for drinks and a meal. If you simply cannot find a dealer in your area, call Parts Express. .
jpell29 New member Username: Jpell29 North Charleroi, PA USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Mar-10	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 01:37 GMT Hi Jan, the issue with buying the speakers was basically I didnt want to spend $500 on speakers that when I get drunk, I forget them outside and they get ruined. Thats what I want to avoid. And as far as the speaker placement goes, I was thinking on putting them in the middle (area where it says "gravel" on my drawing). This way, you can hear the music from either side.
Jan Vigne Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne Dallas, TX Post Number: 14639 Registered: May-04	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 03:27 GMT . So how do you want me to amend my advice? I thought it was pretty clear and concise the first time.
Nuck Platinum Member Username: Nuck Post Number: 14739 Registered: Dec-04	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 10:43 GMT Is that what happened to the last 5 sets of speakers? If not, then your track record seems pretty safe to invest in something that does what you want.
Pablo Silver Member Username: Pablo Post Number: 175 Registered: Mar-06	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 13:00 GMT I have Omage GR303 (I think) for over 5 years now in cold canadian winter (there were days with minus 30C and with wind factor maybe -40C or less). They are next to the hot tub so they get water on them often + rain of cause, so far no issues. And I think they were like $130. Forgot exactly but I think I am using outdoor monster cable, I use squeezebox as a source and have iPhone. With iPeng application I have full control of what I play and how loud. iPhone becames wifi remote control Pablo Pablo
Jan Vigne Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne Dallas, TX Post Number: 14641 Registered: May-04	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 15:09 GMT . "Forgot exactly but I think I am using outdoor monster cable, I use squeezebox as a source and have iPhone. With iPeng application I have full control of what I play and how loud. iPhone becames wifi remote control" Ahhhh, but can you operate the iPhone as a remote when you are so drunk you forget where you - and your speakers - are? There's the rub, matey! .
Gavin Gold Member Username: Gavdawg Albany, New York Post Number: 1454 Registered: Nov-06	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 15:35 GMT http://www.miragespeakers.com/na-en/products/outdoor-speaker/ http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/outdoor-speaker/ http://store.cambridgesoundworks.com/The-Outdoor-AllWeather-Speakers-White-Pair/ M/B0031TN3LA.htm http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/speaker-type-outdoor-marine.paradigm
David Mitchell Gold Member Username: Dmitchell Ottawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3734 Registered: Feb-07	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 23:45 GMT I used gasp Polk audio outdoor speakers. I use an integrated amp in my basement connected to a PC via a DAC as a source. I bring my laptop outside and use it wirelessly to control the PC connected to the DAC. It works great, and I try never to get so drunk that I forget to bring my laptop in for the night.
David Mitchell Gold Member Username: Dmitchell Ottawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3735 Registered: Feb-07	Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 23:47 GMT Oh yeah, home depot 12 AWG wire (the one with the yellow sleeve) is great for outdoor applications - and it's cheap too.
Jan Vigne Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne Dallas, TX Post Number: 14659 Registered: May-04	Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 - 04:22 GMT . Not burial grade though. Spend a few bucks, Pablo Pablo, for the right stuff if this is going to be a permanent installation. .
leo stierer Silver Member Username: Magfan USA Post Number: 955 Registered: Oct-07	Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 - 08:01 GMT I've used PVC as conduit a few times. My small dish to house ran thru some and it lasted for over a decade without visible aging. This in Southern California summer sun. Put elbows aiming down so water won't get in. Figure it out first, run the cable thru straight pieces, thru the elbows or other connectors than glue it up with wire in place....no pulling wires later. More trouble than its worth, but I had free PVC, time and an urge to keep those nasty cables out of sight.

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