Summer means a lot of things. For some, it means summer vacation. For others, it means summer projects. A great summer project that combines friends, family, and fun is installing an outdoor speaker system. We all know that summer music provides some great memories, so why not add some fun music to the stories. Listening to music outside is one of the best ways to embrace the #RelaxPlaySwim attitude. The classic summer BBQ is turned up a notch with a great surround sound system to play music as everyone enjoys the summer sun. One of the great things about this summer project is that once the sound system is installed, then it will last for years. This is a project that takes some time to do right but is worth the investment as it provides years of enjoyment for future springs and summers. Even if you are not the handiest person, the in-store equipment is very good at providing specific instructions to help install the speakers. 

Step 1: Preparation To provide a great surround sound experience, the first thing to do is take a look at your backyard. All of the decisions on the type of speakers relate to how much of the yard should hear the music. There are some starter landscape questions to ask, such as - Where do people hang out during parties? - Is there a deck or patio? - Do you have a pool? - Are there any areas to avoid? - How many trees do you have that can support a speaker? These questions will help you think about what type of speakers fit your yard. For example, if you have a small yard, but a nice sized deck, then that simplifies your decisions. People will likely stay on the deck, which means you can likely use standard outdoor speakers and mount them to the deck or house. Alternatively, if you have a pool, then you’ll want to consider speakers that fit into your pool deck area. There are some great speakers designed to fit into poolside plants or disguised as rocks that meld into the surroundings. Also, some yards are seemingly limitless. If you have a yard with room for folks to roam, then you may want to consider some more in-depth options. One key component of a great outdoor sound system is ensuring the music reaches all points in the yard that guests will wander. This also works wonders if you want people out of a certain area, perhaps like the compost area. If they don’t hear any music, then odds are they will move towards the sounds of the summer.

Step 2: Scout Once you have an idea about how much of your yard to cover with sound, then the next step is to scout out some ideas. As Family Balance Sheet points out, walk or drive around different neighborhoods for visual ideas of design. It is perfectly reasonable to take some inspiration from some luxury homes. The size of the yards and decks might be different, but you may find a great way to incorporate a speaker by the pool or hang near a tree. However, it may make sense to take an extra look at yards and landscape designs that most resemble your home. Keep an eye out for other visuals as well. There are great sites like Pinterest and Houzz that provide some stunning images of home landscapes with outdoor speaker systems. Pinterest provides a variety of speakers, but also some great boards to get your creative juices flowing. There are some nice ways to integrate speakers into the outside of your house. Houzz, which is specific to the real estate and housing industry, has some stunning examples of home landscapes that include an outdoor speaker system. And the best part of this technique is you can do it from your own home!

Step 3: Set your Budget Like all home projects, designing an outdoor speaker system involves many different price points. The quality of speakers vary, so setting a budget is a great step to ensure the project remains under control. It is important to set a realistic budget and keep the speakers at the top of the list. If you find great mounts and ways to blend the speakers into a poolside plant but find below-average speakers, then guests won’t be able to hear the music. The planning stage is crucial because you’ll need to know how many speakers to buy so the music reaches the desired parts of your yard. If you have a set budget and know you’ll need 2, 4, or 8 speakers, then that will factor into the quality speaker and additional products. To learn more about speaker quality, make sure to check reviews and do your research.

Step 4: Confirm Surround Sound Speakers can be pretty expensive, so before installation, it is a great idea to test the sound in your yard. For a quick overview of how to test the sound, check out this video on setting speakers along the perimeter of your yard. This is a great tip recommended by the folks at This Old House because:

You don't want to have to dig up the wire to relocate speakers once your system is installed, so before burying the cable, test out the speakers to see how they sound in the locations you have planned.

Along those lines, it may be worthwhile to test the sound at a few different times during the day. If you plan to use the sound system on weekend afternoons, then test during that time. If you test after work on a weeknight, then the traffic patterns will be different. A general rule of thumb is one pair of speakers will cover between 200 and 400 square feet. It is also important to space the speakers out with Left, Right, Left, Right around the perimeter to promote true surround sound throughout the listening area.

Step 5: Installation After all the planning and testing, the next step is installation. At this point, you know if you’ll need to wire the speakers throughout the yard or have a smaller area to cover. Follow the instructions provided with the speakers because there may be some product-specific information. However, in general, make sure to attach the speakers to a sturdy fixture. As Digital Trends indicates in the piece on speaker reviews:

The surface where you chose to mount your outdoor loudspeaker needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the bracket and loudspeaker, so stick with drilling into solid wood or masonry. Do not mount outdoor loudspeakers to cedar or aluminum siding.

Another installation tip is the speaker position. For the best results, try affixing the speakers between 6 and 10 feet from the ground. This will cover the most area. Also, point the speaker downward. The speaker's direction helps two things. First, the sound will be directed at guests. Second, although outdoor speakers are weather-resistant, facing down helps prevent water from pooling at the bottom of the speaker. For folks that want a little more bass, then place the speaker near a wall to provide some resistance. Just note, if you attach to the house, then depending on the speaker quality, the bass may shake the walls a bit. If you have a sprawling yard and need to wire your speakers, then check out this video for some wiring and speaker placement tips. The video suggests using outdoor wires, which should be labeled as CL2 or CL3, and Direct Burial for running wires underground. Although this may seem a little daunting, rest assured, most of the products should work out for the box. It may take some time to determine where and how to place the speakers, but as This Old House says:

Today's rugged, all-weather sound systems are easier than ever to incorporate into your landscape, whether it's a couple of box-type speakers mounted on the outside of the house or cleverly disguised versions hidden in planters at the poolside. "Outdoor speaker companies have really tweaked and perfected the technology and the products," says Scott Trusty, a residential audio/video consultant, and installer based in Stamford, Connecticut. "The quality's gotten a lot better, and the components last forever."

Classic Speaker Hack Of course, there is one way to impress friends and family with a high-tech music solution. Find an awesome playlist and put your phone in a bowl or coffee cup. Anything with a round bottom and open top make the sound carry with pretty good quality. If you find yourself in need of some speakers and need a quick fix, then Lifehacker tested a few simple solutions that work.  

 

What are your favorite tips? Please join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook to find out more great outdoor sound system ideas!