Outdoor Speaker Placement Guide
Outdoor Speaker Placement Guide
Having the right equipment is only part of the answer. Using it right is just as important.
It’s the same thing with outdoor speakers. Having excellent outdoor speakers and speaker systems such as we sell at Whole House Audio is only part of the solution to your enjoyment of great music outside. To get maximum enjoyment out of your premium equipment, you need to set it upright.
Part of doing that involves placing the speakers in just the right place. Here are some tips from Outdoor Speaker Depot to help you do just that. Although every space and every taste is different, this guide will help you get started on the road to setting up your outdoor speakers the right way for maximum pleasure.
The first thing is to remember that your outdoor speakers will be outdoors. That means they’ll be subject to all kinds of weather, brutal as well as benign. Although the outdoor speakers that we sell at Outdoor Speaker Depot are designed to be weather resistant, that doesn’t mean you should unnecessarily expose them to rain and snow or the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. If possible, give them a little protection, whether under the eaves of your house, against a wall that blocks the prevailing wind or in the somewhat protected confines of a pool cage or lanai.
Generally, separate your speakers as much as possible but no more than 20 feet from one another. Try to point each speaker toward a central point where the optimal sound will converge. If you have a space of between 200 and 400 square feet, two speakers should suffice. Use more for a bigger area — four, six or whatever it takes. Spreading out speakers will mean that you can distribute the sound evenly rather than having to blast it out from just two speakers, simultaneously rattling the eardrums of those sitting closest to them.
If you plan to install your speakers permanently, move them around at first and listen to them for the best performance before drilling holes and installing them. Experiment with angles. Listen and decide what arrangement sounds best to you.
The Achilles heel of outdoor speakers is bass, which tends to get sucked up into the ether by the great outdoors. Speakers that would provide great bass sound inside with solid acoustics might provide only wimpy bass sound outside.
To remedy this problem, consider installing a quality subwoofer rated for outdoors use to augment your outdoor speakers. This small addition will help bring the bass up to par. It’s especially important for those who like to dance or just appreciate good rhythm. As with the speakers, experiment with placement of the subwoofer to find the best location for it to provide optimal sound.
Finally, make sure that you use adequate amplifiers for your outdoor speakers. Generally, amplifiers should provide at least 80 to 100 watts per channel. Keep the amp inside and out of the weather, and run the wires to it through a corner of a window or through a hole drilled in the wall.
Your situation and tastes may vary, of course, so feel free to contact the experts at Outdoor Speaker Depot if you have any questions. Call us toll-free or send us an email, and we’ll give you helpful answers.