Contract signed; thinking about audio pre-wiring

[Normanssix]

Contract for in-ground 20'x40' signed on Monday. We're probably 3 to 4 weeks away from ground breaking. I've drawn up plans for pool placement, concrete, and fencing. We want to have music availble while we're outside. We dont have an inside system. So, I was wondering if there are any thoughts about pre-planning for speakers, placement of speakers, wiring (can do this before concrete is poured) and amps. Generally, we listen to XM radio and what we have downloaded from iTunes. Any ideas would be helpful!!! Thanks in Advance!!!

 

[ummgood]

Frankly if you don't have an inside system and you plan on using iTunes I would think about a wireless system. You can stream XM radio to the speakers.

 

[slappie]

I'd have them pre- wire to some flower beds that you have in the pool design, around the pool. Bring the wires back to the place where you would like your receiver to go. It doesn't have to be in an outside cabinet, etc. Get a receiver with Airplay and App control and it can be controlled with your phone/ipad, etc remotely. I have mine mounted in the attic above my outdoor grilling area, for instance. I prefer to go with wired whenever I can - more power, fuller sound, etc. However, some of the wireless options are awesome these days, so that is something to consider too. If you go with Sonos or similar, I think you have to have power for every speaker location so that is another consideration. With a typical receiver/speaker connection power is not required for each speaker location, only the speaker wire is required.

I'd also have them run some low voltage 12 volt wiring for landscape lights, etc. I retrofitted mine after the fact and it was a pain. Have them run conduit with string in it to any locations you may want to use in the future that you may not think of now. That way you can pull your own speaker/landscape lighting/power in the future and not have to dig up concrete decking, etc.

Have fun!

 

[chinatti]

In the same situation now - in the middle of a renovation (almost a new build with all the work we're doing, including redoing all the decking). Will be doing landscape lighting / audio later. I'm going to be burying some conduit now while things are trenched / ripped up, and will pull wires later. The Landscape Lighting guy suggested throwing a few 1" conduits across any major wiring headache routes (i.e. paths that are hard to access or inconvenient for direct burial cable). Then later on he can pull wire most of the way and do some minimal direct buried wire from the conduit to wherever the lights / speakers end up. 1" conduit is small $$$ at your local home center, so a little pre-planning can save you a bunch of work later!