I am building a 14' x 18' covered patio/deck. I haven't put the ceiling carsiding in yet, so i can easily run wire's and speakers to where I need. I am trying to figure out what the most cost effective way to do this for me is. I am looking for anyone's opinion on options. We normally listen to our music through online like pandora, so I need to have that ability. Depending on cost, I would like to also have the ability to listen to FM radio. We don't have a lot of our own music stored on phones or other electronic storage. I would need to buy everything i need, speakers, amps, etc...I am just at the beginning of researching but I know there are different wifi/ bluetooth/ options. I think wiring speakers would produce the most consistent sound. The part i am most curious on, is what is the cheapest "acceptable" way to get music to the speakers? Also, if i need to get a receiver, what are recommendations to put the receiver in to stay out of the weather as much as possible.... Thanks in advance. Mitch
Looking for a cost effective music system for covered patio.
- Thread starter johnsonmitc
- Start date
SONOS. Get 1 or 2 Ones and a boost to start and you can expand from there. You can listen to any online source or the radio also online. No wires, just plug it in. Sounds great, super easy, not cheap and easily expandable. Soon you will have them all over your house.
I agree with the SONOS recommendation. They are not cheap, but the quality is very good. The SONOS system links to your home wifi network. Two PLAY Ones will give you great sound in that space. They only thing against the SONOS system is that you want to listen to FM stations. Many FM stations are also streamed through on line services that work with SONOS (ie IHeart Radio). You can get these through free accounts. You might just want to confirm the FM stations you want to hear are available through a streaming service that works with SONOS. Each SONOS speaker needs power, so you need to have receptacles near were you want them mounted.
The other option is to simply buy an amp/receiver to power some good quality indoor/outdoor speakers. Since they are in a covered patio you may not need to worry about outdoor rated speakers. You can simply hook up an iphone/ipod or other smart phone to the receiver using a simple connector that splits the phone/ipod earphone output to RCA plugs and pull in Pandora through your home wifi that way as well.
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The other option is to simply buy an amp/receiver to power some good quality indoor/outdoor speakers. Since they are in a covered patio you may not need to worry about outdoor rated speakers. You can simply hook up an iphone/ipod or other smart phone to the receiver using a simple connector that splits the phone/ipod earphone output to RCA plugs and pull in Pandora through your home wifi that way as well.
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Oh, forgot to mention that the Sonos system can be controlled by any and all devices connected to your wifi network, phones, tabs, apple, android, whatever. Change channels, skip songs, volume, pause. Same music on all speakers, different music on each speaker, it is pretty cool.
Big +1 on Sonos. I have 4xPlay 5's and a sound bar. Not cheap but I've yet to hear anything that sounds better for the quality vs cost. They're not made for outdoors but I've had 2 of mine outside for more than 3,years with no problems.
Sonos Connect Amp with a pair of a Definitive Technology AW5500 or 6500 speakers. Sonos is great. I have this setup along with the playbar, sub, play 5, and play 1s. I've had Bose outdoor speakers and Polk Atriums. The Deftechs blow both away. The Amp is in the house with speaker wires routed to the patio. This new will run around $1000, but there is a refurb seller on eBay who sells the Deftechs at about half the price.
I just went with SONOS myself and bought the older bridge instead of the newer boost at 1/4 the price on evilbay. And you can move those puppies to anywhere you have a 110 outlet. I bought wo 5's to cover the length of the pool mostly and have them grouped, not paired in stereo left and rights.
I agree with jmurph but take your situation into account. I have very close neighbors. I feel like I'd be throwing money away because I could never use them to their potential. But if you're nearest neighbor is 2 miles away, yeah, that would be a great setup. For me personally at the volume I can reasonably play, the play 5's are great.
Pandora from your phone and a decent one of the larger Bluetooth portable speakers speakers (I have a Bose, Sony , JBL and Jabra, would recommend any of them.) If your neighbors are close, you want ambient sound, not big booming sound. Don't buy the super cheap ones though, they sound like junk.
Now, I'm not disagreeing on the SONOS speakers, my employer makes most of the components in them, but they are pricey and may be overkill for what you want. Also, depending where you live, your putting them up, taking them down (they aren't completely weatherproof, and again, pricey,) where the portables you just take inside at the end of the day. And, they are 100% wireless....which in my book makes them even easier.
Now, I'm not disagreeing on the SONOS speakers, my employer makes most of the components in them, but they are pricey and may be overkill for what you want. Also, depending where you live, your putting them up, taking them down (they aren't completely weatherproof, and again, pricey,) where the portables you just take inside at the end of the day. And, they are 100% wireless....which in my book makes them even easier.
I have 2 outdoor speakers that I wired to my living room receiver. Zone A is living room surround sound. Zone B is outdoor speakers. This is the perfect excuse for your new home theater system.
timthek
0
I did the same. I have a projector setup in my basement and I just upgraded the receiver to one with a 2nd zone. I am able to feed it audio from any TV channel, music from my PC, or stream anything via Google Chromecast (or if you have Apple TV, etc). You can use Pandora, Spotify or any online music service. I wired that zone to a pair of outdoor speakers mounted under my deck with a volume control knob. I spent about $400 on the receiver, $250 on the speakers, $10 on outdoor speaker wire, $18 for the volume control, and $40 for a used outdoor Wireless Access Point to cover my backyard in sweet, sweet internet.
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skylar18
LifeTime Supporter
I did exactly that, got a Sony 2 zone receiver in the house with zone B always on. (So it is easy for the wife). Ran wire from the receiver up to the attic to speakers I mounted outside and connected to zone B. The bluetooth range reaches most places on the upper part of my deck. When we are outside we just connect to the receiver from our phones and it works. Didn't have to worry about outside power, receiver or amp outside or anything. Can play the speakers as loud or as low as we want.
I agree with both points, SONOS is fantastic but you pay the price.
As far as Bluetooth, that's what I use. iPhone or iPad as source or grab a WiFi stream from my media server(i have over 60GB of tunes) sent to a pair of Ultimate Ears portable Boom speakers 'double upped'. They're battery powered
The double up allows you to Bluetooth connect to two speakers. My speakers have lasted well past 12 hrs (UE states 15) they cost $199 each. they now have a MagaBoom @$299 UE MEGABOOM Portable Wireless Speaker on Steroids. | Ultimate Ears
Please explain this.........."double up"...........technology to me to let you use more than 1 bluetooth speaker. Does it have to be two of the same ones with this "built in" so to speak? Is it a software app, or what?
I purchased a Pyle portable PA system on wheels. It has all types of inputs from Bluetooth to RCA to XLR for Microphones. The kids love to use it for Karaoke. I hooked up a Chromecast to the outdoor TV and ran the Audio out from the TV to Pyle speaker. It is on wheels so we just roll it out when we need it. The high heat and humidity in south Louisiana will destroy anything permanently mounted outside. Using the Chromecast allows all of our guests to cast music to the device. If something is already playing the Chromecast queues it like a jukebox. You also get the benefit of having the video play on the TV. We usually cast the music from Youtube which has a huge library of new and old music. It has a 15" woofer so you can compensate low volumes with additional bass to give a fuller sound at low volume levels. It will also play at very high volume levels with no distortion which is great if you have a huge crowd. At under $250 it blows away all my other music gear for poolside music. Check it out at,
Pyle Pro PPHP1537UB (PPHP1537UB) 15'' 1200 Watt Powered Two-Way Speaker With MP3/USB/SD/ Bluetooth Music Streaming & Record Music Function w/Remote control at Onlinecarstereo.com
Pyle Pro PPHP1537UB (PPHP1537UB) 15'' 1200 Watt Powered Two-Way Speaker With MP3/USB/SD/ Bluetooth Music Streaming & Record Music Function w/Remote control at Onlinecarstereo.com
Woody
I believe the Double up works only with UE Bluetooth speakers. UE has an App (iOS & android) that is used to configure the speaker(s) sound, check battery level etc & the Double up is part of the app. I think you can mix UE speaker models? Models range from $100-$300. Again these speakers will not compare to the likes of SONOS, BUT most people are quite amazed at the clean sound that comes out them being small and no wires.
That's why I changed from a bluetooth speaker. Just couldn't get the area coverage out of ONE speaker.
If you are looking for an inexpensive / flex route and can fully shield from the weather, an Airport Express will let you run AirTunes to any stereo or amplified speakers.
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I installed 2 kills h speakers with a Onkyo wi fi receiver and it works great. You can play music from your iPhone/iPad/ spotify and all that good stuff