Speaker Cover?

[Bfassler]

We have a Sonos audio system. We have some outdoor Bose speakers driven by the Connect:AMP, but they are over by the patio and deck and we want to leave them there. We just happen to have a Play:3 that we aren't really using anymore inside and rather than get ANOTHER Connect:AMP and more outdoor speakers to put over by the pool, I'd rather make/get some sort of a weatherproof case for the Play:3 so we can keep it outside. Any ideas?

I took it out there last night and just set it by the pool and the sound was enough to complement the more faint sound from the Bose speakers, so we could get better coverage by the pool.

 

[Bfassler]

By the way, I COULD turn the Bose speakers up loud enough to hear them nicely by the pool, but my neighbors would kill me. So that isn't really an option.

 

[Slippery when wet]

I just started researching the Sonos system for my backyard needs also. Isn't the Play 3 small/portable enough to just bring in and out whenever you need to? Not sure why it needs to be weatherproofed?

 

[Bfassler]

It is. However, with three small children, carrying anything extra out to the pool and back is never convenient. I also worry about it getting wet. If they would just make an outdoor speaker I'd be all set.

I do love my sonos system. Just wish they'd drop the prices so we could afford the best setup out there ...

 

[FTC3]

I'm running Bose 251s along with a second set of in-wall speakers through the Sonos Amp wired through a manual speaker switch with no issues. Just a simple A/B where you can use them in combination or separate.

Are you able to run more outdoor speakers with the wires running to the same location?

 

[Bfassler]

I don't really want to run them off of the same Amp because I'd like to be able to run the patio/deck and the pool zones independently if desired (our neighbors already complain about the one zone we have).

But I'm intrigued with this manual switch (although our Amp is in the basement and not in a real convenient place). Can you add the link to it?

Thank you!

 

[titaniummd]

What about a clear grill cover? Would that do the trick?

I have a Control4 but I just carry a Bluetooth Speaker outside when I go to the hot tub. For the pool, when it ever gets finished, I will have weatherproof speakers installed.

 

[bumpy1]

I don't really want to run them off of the same Amp because I'd like to be able to run the patio/deck and the pool zones independently if desired (our neighbors already complain about the one zone we have).

But I'm intrigued with this manual switch (although our Amp is in the basement and not in a real convenient place). Can you add the link to it?

Thank you!

Google for "speaker selector", one with volume control. You can then drive different zones with with same audio source (in your case the Sonos Amp) and use the speaker selector to determine which speakers will get audio.

The reason your neighbors are complaining is that you likely do not have enough speakers to adequately cover the outdoor area you want to listen in - hence you have to crank up the volume. I would recommend more speakers to cover the area. A good quality outdoor speaker (pair) can be had for $150. Your pool area would likely have at minimum 2 pairs or four speakers. I'll see if I can take a pic of a speaker mount I fabricated with with a 2x2 estate fence post (which you can pick up at your local big box store) and a standard 6" black outdoor speaker.

 

[bumpy1]

Here are some pics of traditional outdoor speakers mounted horizontally to a fabricated post (low to the ground). 12 gauge LV direct burial lanscape lighting wire used for the hookup to the amp. Hope this helps.

 

[Bfassler]

Nice! I never thought to set them low like that. Thank you!

 

[bumpy1]

Not a problem. Glad I could help. I'll tell you these traditional outdoor speakers kick the pants off rock speakers and the 360 degree speakers.

While you;re dogging that trench for the wire, buy extra wire and run your prewire for landscape lighting. If you have questions, ask - I can give you some practical advice on how to go about it based on your yard layout.

 

[Bfassler]

thanks bumpy1! - I'll take whatever advice I can get.

 

[2.ooohhh]

I'll tell you these traditional outdoor speakers kick the pants off rock speakers and the 360 degree speakers.

Yeah they do, and you have a lot more options in a standard outdoor driver. Unfortunately the due to the WAF(wife acceptance factor) I'm stuck with rock speakers at one end of the pool.

 

[Bfassler]

Here's some pics. Not sure if it helps, but these are from the deck. Starting with where the pool pad is and doing a 180. Not sure if these help. We've got alot going on.

 

[bumpy1]

Oh boy, I would have a field day with your yard (and your wallet). It's a big space and well landscaped. Do you have landscape lighting now ? Do you have a budget for the audio improvements ?

You have two options on the audio side as I see it:
1) you can stay with conventional speakers - you could start with two but I'm thinking four would give better coverage for the pool area, and use a connect AMP to drive them. If you wire them in parallel you may need an impedance matching device depending on what speakers you go with - two 8ohm speakers wired in parallel will ne 4ohms (fine) - two 6ohm speakers wired in parallel will net 3 ohms (problem for the connect amp).

2) Though I'm thinking a 70volt system would be perfect. You could pump a Sonos connect into the 70v amp as a source. In 70v the speakers are basically daisy chained and theirs no consideration for ohm ratings. Example here: http://www.snapav.com/p-1550-kit-es-ls-sat-6.aspx

In either case I would look at placing the speakers such that they are inside the estate fencing on the far side of the pool facing back towards the house. This will give the best sound reproduction for the pool area while keeping the sound "in" your yard, facing your space. Between the diving board and the slide would be for #1, and just past the slide to the left before the ledge for #2. I'd have to give it a little more thought but I think you;d want another pair to service the seating area by the firepit. Just an FYI, you can split the output from your cable box and put that into your Sonos connect so you can listen to a ball game (TV) outside too.

As for lighting, I would definitely uplight that tree to the right of the walk headed towards the pool, and uplight some of the other shrubbery and trees in the elevated beds. Path lighting outside the pool gate would be a must too. I might consider something like this in your retaining walls, especially out by the fire pit: http://www.landscapelightingworld.com/H ... -p/668.htm

Just some starter thoughts !

 

[Bfassler]

Wow, thank you! Lots to cover. We have a budget for audio improvements (I really didn't wanna buy another Sonos Amp, but my other hacks (wireless) blew my Sonos system away. Then I ended up leaving my Play 3 out there in the rain yesterday. :-(

I hadn't thought of the 70volt idea. I will check into that too.

We do have landscape lighting now around the patio you can see between the deck and the pool. We'd probably want to consider using the same fixtures. Thanks again. I'll try to remember to post pics when we get everything done.

 

[bumpy1]

You guys have done a beautiful job on the yard and pool area, really ! Which ever way you go, the one piece of advice I would amplify is to definitely aim the speakers back across the pool towards the house (doesn't have to be directly at the house but definitely not away from the house) and use more speakers - this later point is important as it will allow you to hear the audio without cranking up the volume

Good luck with your research !!

Dave

 

[Bfassler]

Dave, would you aim all four back across the pool then towards the house? We were originally thinking to kind of put one on each corner of the pool area and aim them all toward the pool.

 

[bumpy1]

There wasn't one pic of the whole pool so I was kind of evaluating the area in two pieces. (1) The left side of the pool (when standing on the deck) - the seating area and fire pit, and 2) the right side of the pool - where the slide and diving board reside.

You could try your idea and see how it sounds. I'm not overly optimistic because 40+ feet is a lot of space to cover.

What I would do is run two pair of wire to the right side of the pool (behind the slide perhaps) and two pair to the left side of the pool (by the seating area - maybe the void between the raised retaining walls) -(so thats 4 strands/conductors to each location. Terminate them in a weatherproof junction box. Then run your speakers to each respective junction box - the connections should be done using blue silicone filled wirenuts (bag of 20 for $9 at Lowes). This will give you the flexibility to shift left and right channels around and add speakers. Use UV rated direct burial landscape lighting cable for the runs ~ $90 per 200 feet of 2 conductor 12 gauge.

Once you have the home runs in place to the junction boxes you can play with the speaker placements before your dig further between the junction box and the speaker location and/or permanently install the speakers.

Edited to add: leave a service loop at the end of each run (1-2 feet coiled up in the ground) just in case you need to re-terminate the cable or move the boxes or speakers a bit.