Outdoor Speakers
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need a receiver for outdoor speakers?
You only need an amp or receiver if you choose passive speakers for your outdoor area, but there are active outdoor speaker options that do not need an external amp or receiver. If you choose active speakers, you only need to worry about running cables for those speakers, but passive speakers also require that you wire up the amp. Thankfully, many active speakers are also Bluetooth capable, so you do not need a remote or control panel to change the same when any smartphone will do the job.
2. How do you waterproof outdoor speakers?
Speakers are not waterproof by default, but you can make them water-resistant with a coat of a simple spray. Use high glass polymer varnish or polyurethane to seal your outdoor speakers and prevent water damage.
3. What should I look for when buying outdoor speakers?
The best speakers for your outdoor space somewhat rely on the space itself. Overly large spaces will need good low-frequency response, but the less-than-ideal conditions mean you also want speakers with enough bass. The key is finding the best cone size and wattage, as those factors often govern other criteria.
4. How do you protect outdoor speakers?
Speakers can be a wonderful addition to an outdoor space, but you cannot just place the speakers and forget about them. The outdoors will damage your speakers over time unless you take steps to keep them in good conditio. Here are a few ways you can maintain and protect your wireless speakers:
• Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from water even with a spray coat • Figure out how to cover the speakers during bad weather as taking them inside is not practical
• Check mounting hardware and wiring on a regular basis as a failure in either system could ruin a speaker
• Clean the speakers on a regular basis to prevent build-up and ensure you can keep using these speakers for years to come
5. How do you set up outdoor speakers?
Setting up outdoor speakers can take a bit of planning and time to get right along with other finishing details some people overlook. While the process of setting up your outside space is a personal choice, there are some tips and tricks that might save you time and headache so that you can enjoy your outdoor new sounds even faster.
1) Put your receiver and external amp indoors so they are safe from the elements. Electronics are sensitive and if you can protect them indoors, you should. You can also get fancy and have a multi-zone receiver to play one song outside and something else inside.
2) If you do not mind running a few more cables, you can install a volume box outdoors so you can turn the volume down without leaving the party. If your speakers have Bluetooth or are connected over the Internet, you can also adjust the volume from a paired smartphone or computer.
3) If you are running multiple pairs of speakers, you should add another amp next to the receiver and then run the speaker wire out of the amp. While you can chain pairs of speakers together without issues, you do run the risk of overwhelming the built-in amp. If you are routinely adding more speakers to your system, it might be time to consider a better option with less risk of failure.
6. How Far Should the Outdoor Speakers Be Apart?
The best rule for outdoor speakers is to put them at least 10 feet away from each other. This separation distance is typically good enough and does not require extra adjustments or professional installation.