Types of outdoor speakers
Birds chirping, relaxing on the back deck with friends and your favorite band in the background. Spring is in the air!
When the ground is nice and soft (in case some wires need to be buried), other work in the yard is being done (so adding some dirt or mulch to cover some wiring or conduit isn’t a problem), why NOT install those outdoor speakers to create the perfect backyard ambiance?
Which ones are perfect for your backyard? Well, there are at least five types of outdoor speakers to choose from.
1. The first are surface-mount all-weather box speakers which are usually made of plastic and have metal grills. They usually come in black or white.
2. Outdoor rock speakers are another option. They are designed to blend in with your existing landscaping and usually come in a few different colors to help them blend in.
3. A third type are in-wall or in-ceiling speakers that have special considerations taken to make them weather-resistant. These would be good inside a screened-in porch, or in a soffit.
4. Want to really disguise where the sound is coming form? Consider a planter that can sit on your patio which emits the sound from the bottom.
5. The fifth type is sometimes referred to as a landscape satellite speaker and is designed to be surface mounted, stake mounted to blend in with your lights, or even tree-mounted.
All of these varieties of outdoor speakers range in price from about $100/pair to $450/pair, depending on quality, size and how much bass (low frequency richness) you desire. Speaking of bass – there are even outdoor subwoofers available for a truly full-range sound.
Other things to consider are:
What will power the outdoor speakers? Do you have an existing receiver with a free “B” channel or 2nd zone, or do you need to add one? What do you want to play through your outdoor speakers – radio? cds? television? internet radio? How will you control the source and volume? Tech Ease can help you design and install a system based on your needs and desires.