Power for Outdoor Speakers

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kcindc

kcindc

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Sep 2, 2011
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Fairfax, VA
I'm struggling with the details in putting together my outdoor audio system. I'm pretty ignorant of all things audio. Here is what I have purchased thus far:

Two TIC GS-3s speakers to put out by the pool http://www.amazon.com/TIC-GS-3-150-Watt ... ds=tic+gs3

two Yamaha NS-AW150W speakers (to put hung on the deck next to the house) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001V ... UTF8&psc=1

One cheap receiver: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+200W ... ifications

My yard is just over 1/2 acre and my house and deck is slightly lower than my in-ground pool.

I'm afraid that my receiver might not have enough power and I don't know how to control the volume and music selection.
Here is what I want to do:
1. I want to play my i-tunes (either using my laptop or my ipod nano 6th generation)
2. Play pandora
3. Control the volume and music via remote/ or my android phone

Should I return the receiver and purchase a different one? If so, what do you recommend?
What player would I get?
Any other accessories I would need to make this work?
 
We went through a similar process - although our yard is smaller. I purchased a Yamaha RX-673 receiver because I needed 2 zones. We have the receiver inside, hooked up to Directv, Blu-ray and our HDTV. I have the HDMI out from the reciever hooked to a HDMI powered splitter that connects 1 split to our inside TV and the other to a HDVT mounted on our patio (I used a HDMI over etherent connector to go the 50' distance).

I use Zone 2 on the yamaha to power 4 speakers in our backyard, 2 in-ceiling round Polk speakers in our covered patio area, and 2 outdoor speakers pointed towards our pool.

The Yamaha allows for airplay, so you can play music from your ipod or iphone, and it also has a really nice app (ipod and android) for controlling the receiver. You do need to be able to connect the receiver to your home network.

I don't use pandora, so I can't comment on that.

If I had a dedicated receiver for outside, I would go a little cheaper and get the Yamaha RX-473, which has everything except the multi-zone.
 
Thanks shuye,

I like that the two receivers you mention can be controlled using my phone, but I don't need the receiver and/or player to do anything related to video or indoor sound.
 
My signature should have a link to my backyard sound/video system writeup. One thing I recommend for you is a speaker selector switch and dedicated volume controls. Even if you never adjust them after install, it allows you to balance the sound of your different zones. I've got one set of speaker in my patio area, and another outside the patio for the pool area directly. When intially had them hooked up together before I setup the volume controls, I found that in order to hear well in the pool, the speakers on the patio were too loud for comfort for people sitting there.
 
If you are wanting a professional opinion free, upload your backyard plan to the OSD website http://www.outdoorspeakerdepot.com/
Or call them and ask for suggestions, they have great customer support and will work with whatever equipment you have. No high pressure sales and very friendly. I bought a set of Rock speakers and a set of eve speakers from them in 2007 and they asked questions about my yard (slope, trees, decking, etc.) and gave me plenty of ideas. The rock speakers finally died this year - 4 years after the Warrenty ran out. They are still willing to fix them for less than $75.00 each!
 
Here is what I am doing. I am almost done with the final install of the full system.
My deck is 36’ x 36’ facing North from the house with a free form pool in the middle. The southeast corner is a 12 x 14 covered patio. My yard is fenced in with a 6’ shadowbox fence that is 3’ from the west edge of the deck, 5’ from the north edge, and 10’ from the east edge.

I have an Onkyo receiver already that is rated at 100 or 100 watts per channel. I also have a netbook connected wirelessly to my home network. I bought 3 pairs of RX540 rock speakers, 1 pair of AP520 eave speakers, and a outdoor volume control from outdoorspeakerdepot. Two rock speakers on the west, north, and east sides of the deck and the eave speakers mounted to the house on the south side of the deck. I also bought a USB soundcard with SPDIF output and a SPDIF cable to connect the netbook to the receiver. The speakers are equal distant apart at about 15’. I bought 300’ 12 gauge speaker wire from monoprice and cut it so I could wire the system in series parallel to create an 8 ohm load on the receiver. It was close but I have just enough wire. Volume control in mounted outside the sliding glass door on the patio. To control the system I am using teamviewer (free for personal use) which allows me to remotely control the netbook. Basically I connect to the netbook via LAN or internet and the screen on my remote device (android, apple, kindle fire, etc)changes to the screen on the netbook. I can play mp3s, internet radio, or Pandora on the netbook. The receiver also has an auxillary input so people can connect their devices that way if they want to.

I have tested the system twice, once before I buried the wires in ½ pvc in a shallow trench around the deck and up the sides of the house and after when it would be a pain to change wires. I have not connected the volume control but hooked it directly to the receiver. I see no issues with including the volume control in the circuit. I wired the speakers so they alternate left and right channel. The sound fills the deck easily and though the speakers were really cheap, it sounds fantastic.

Remotely controlled from many different devices, great sound, outside volume control, and it was less than $250 to buy what I needed.
 
Thank you for your input it was very helpful for my decision making process.

Here is what I decided to purchase:
Speakers: Two TIC GS-3s speakers to put out by the pool & two Yamaha NS-AW150W for the eaves
Receiver: Pioneer VSX-822-K ethernet connection to my internet router
Volume Control: Leviton Volume Control SGVST-W for each pair of speakers which will be installed in a semi transparent weatherproof box
Wires: Landscape wire for the tic speakers and ro

I installed the Pioneer App and am controlling it via my phone. The app allows me to control volume, some sound setting, music source (ipod, internet radio, pandora, etc). I can control my ipod using the app.

I paid just over $600 for the materials and will pay my contractor to install the wires (attic and underdground). Here are hyperlinks for people like me who need the pictures and extra help:
Speakers inground http://www.amazon.com/TIC-GS-3-150-Watt ... ds=tic+gs3
Speakers eaves http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001V ... UTF8&psc=1
Receiver http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-VSX-8...=1365615141&sr=8-2&keywords=pioneer+vsx-822-k
Weatherproof box http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203984...gId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbohm&R=203984747
Volume Control http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100602...iton+volume&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100602408
Wires for TIC http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202206...dscape+wire&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202206446
Wires for Yamaha http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex&#...3?id=1181832841773&skuId=8428551#tab=overview
 
I have a question do the in ground speakers have a pigtail coming off of them. If they do and you are not using conduit I would suggest using waterproof wire nuts like these. http://www.outdoorspeakerdepot.com/aqua-blue-connectors.html

These things are a little big but they are great if you are going to bury the cable. I used them for my flower pot speaker.


Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
 
jkurl said:
I have a question do the in ground speakers have a pigtail coming off of them. If they do and you are not using conduit I would suggest using waterproof wire nuts like these. http://www.outdoorspeakerdepot.com/aqua-blue-connectors.html

These things are a little big but they are great if you are going to bury the cable. I used them for my flower pot speaker.


Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Thanks for mentioning those connectors. I plan on having my contractor use those connectors, caulk the connectors and seal with a heavy duty ziplock bag.

Karen
 
If you use them there is no need for using caulk it zip lock bag. They have silicone up in them that coats the wires and keeps the water out but using a good strong bag wouldn't hurt to help protect them even more. I just buried mine.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
 

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I looked at many different options for outdoor speaker control. We ended up going with the Sonos Connect Amp. Kind of pricey but great control and super easy to operate. They have an app that makes controlling the content easy. You can use your own library or any of the web based providers integrated in the system. Easiest setup on the market.

Not paid, just a very happy customer. I own a lot of their stuff and its all high quality.
 
I purchased this PA system a few weeks ago. I paid $225 online. It lets you stream via Bluetooth. It has four inputs, a built in mixer, does karaoke, and it rocks much to the dismay of my neighbors. You can hear this thing three blocks away if you want. The bass is amazing. It is on wheels like a piece of luggage so I just stow it in the garage. Roll it out and plug it in and I am up and running in 2 minutes. My nieces love it when I plug in a mic and let them sing. This is the best money I have ever spent for a pool accessory. I put it next to our outdoor bar and my Ipad provides the tunes. I also have my HDTV plugged in so we can watch movies from the pool at night. Highly recommended! I am outside listening to it as I write this.
 
I purchased this PA system a few weeks ago. I paid $225 online. It lets you stream via Bluetooth. It has four inputs, a built in mixer, does karaoke, and it rocks much to the dismay of my neighbors. You can hear this thing three blocks away if you want. The bass is amazing. It is on wheels like a piece of luggage so I just stow it in the garage. Roll it out and plug it in and I am up and running in 2 minutes. My nieces love it when I plug in a mic and let them sing. This is the best money I have ever spent for a pool accessory. I put it next to our outdoor bar and my Ipad provides the tunes. I also have my HDTV plugged in so we can watch movies from the pool at night. Highly recommended! I am outside listening to it as I write this.

http://www.pyleaudio.com/sku/PPHP1537UB ... te-control
 
Man that thing is awesome. I went w/ a raspberryPI w/ a small amp to power the two planter speakers I have. I can use my iPad to stream to it via airplay. I wish the amp had hmdi audio input but I can't complain as it is in a nice neat little package.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
 
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