Outdoor Audio Recommendations (1 Viewer)

[ClownCausedChaos2]

I'd like to find a nice audio setup for outside.  I have a sunporch, so I have protection for a receiver, but nowhere to really hide the speakers from the elements.  I also have an Amazon Echo, so I'd like something that has Bluetooth capabilities.  

It's been 10-15 years since I bought a receiver/speaker setup and have never bought one for the outdoors.  I'm really coming in with no knowledge of what's out there.  I'd like to spend $400 or less.

Ant recommendations?

 

[SWC]

get those speakers that are disguised as rocks i just think it would be awesome is the clownclan listened to rock and roll from an actual rock bam i just blew your mind right up take that to the bank bromigo 

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

get those speakers that are disguised as rocks i just think it would be awesome is the clownclan listened to rock and roll from an actual rock bam i just blew your mind right up take that to the bank bromigo 

And I would have to get the round rocks, so if I need to move the tunes to another part of the yard, I could roll the rock of rock and roll.  Blow my mind and I blow yours back.   That makes us blowmigos.

Maybe we should work on the name....

 

[SWC]

yeah listen i am pretty much live and let live you do your thing and ill do mine but blowmigos is not happenin take that to the bank ps love the work you are doing as higgs alias man

 

[tommyboy]

i have a 200 watt denon pushing a pair of Bose 901's that i like to blast the neighborhood with at 9AM on a saturday with some GWAR

 

[McGarnicle]

Wow, $400...I just bought this for the pool and it sounds great.

 

[Wooderson]

Wow, $400...I just bought this for the pool and it sounds great.

That's the type of thing I use at the pool. 

With how good portable speakers are I just couldnt see why I needed a more complicated system. 

 

[McGarnicle]

That's the type of thing I use at the pool. 

With how good portable speakers are I just couldnt see why I needed a more complicated system. 

Yeah these things have come a long way for sure.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

Wow, $400...I just bought this for the pool and it sounds great.

Again, I had no frame of reference.  Looking on Amazon, I see they are considerably cheap compared to the huge receiver/speaker surround sound speaker setups that you used to buy.

Like I said, it's been at least 10 years since I bought a system.

 

[Wooderson]

Here's what I would do get the potable Bluetooth speakers that you can link together. That way can play music from your phone but still have music all around. 

Plus you you can bring it anywhere else you might want music. 

 

[Brony]

Wow, $400...I just bought this for the pool and it sounds great.

Can you really do this when you get one of these?

 

[McGarnicle]

Here's what I would do get the potable Bluetooth speakers that you can link together. That way can play music from your phone but still have music all around. 

Plus you you can bring it anywhere else you might want music. 

Good point, they have these little can speakers that you can pair up for stereo sound. One left channel and one right. 

Whatever they do to pump bass out of these little units is pretty magical.

 

[Mr. Ected]

May be a bit outside your range, but look at the Sonos system.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

Wow, $400...I just bought this for the pool and it sounds great.

I impulsed and bought this at Best Buy yesterday:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014M8ZO8S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1460893234&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ue+boom+2

It sounds great, it's clear and loud, but I'm having second thoughts on the price I paid.

I want the speaker to be able to fill my yard with loud, clear sound and good bass.  How loud does your speaker get, McG?  Will it rock my elderly neighbors clothes off?

 

[James Daulton]

I impulsed and bought this at Best Buy yesterday:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014M8ZO8S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1460893234&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ue+boom+2

It sounds great, it's clear and loud, but I'm having second thoughts on the price I paid.

I want the speaker to be able to fill my yard with loud, clear sound and good bass.  How loud does your speaker get, McG?  Will it rock my elderly neighbors clothes off?

An odd way to describe your desire for outdoor high fidelity.  

 

[[icon]]

Those can-sized Bluetooth speakers are great for what they are made for (decent portable sound)....but if you are a musicguy, have a decent sized yard, etc... There is no substitute for actual outdoor speakers. I have a Bose Soundlink Mini and love it. It's not bad for this purpose but I also have actual outdoor speakers installed because, well, it's not great for this purpose either. 

Bose and Klipsch both make excellent ones that involve running wire and mounting... But the sound quality and volume you will able to achieve (if you desire) will make the Bluetooth stuff look like toys. 

Just depends what you are looking for.,

 

[The Ref]

You said "nice" so this probably isn't what you are looking for..... But my take is all my outdoor stuff comes from the pawn shop.  I buy a new TV year year or so.  One I'm running now is a 5 year old Samsung glad panel that I picked up for $175.  If it dies it dies.  They also have a bunch of speakers and recivers available.  Try and set them up and weatherproof them as best you can and just replace them for short money as the die.

just not worth going premium for outdoor equipment IMHO.

 

[Hawks64]

Those can-sized Bluetooth speakers are great for what they are made for (decent portable sound)....but if you are a musicguy, have a decent sized yard, etc... There is no substitute for actual outdoor speakers. I have a Bose Soundlink Mini and love it. It's not bad for this purpose but I also have actual outdoor speakers installed because, well, it's not great for this purpose either. 

Bose and Klipsch both make excellent ones that involve running wire and mounting... But the sound quality and volume you will able to achieve (if you desire) will make the Bluetooth stuff look like toys. 

Just depends what you are looking for.,

Actually Sonos and Heos both make fantastic sounding portable speakers that are loud have very good bass and can handle outdoor duties. Downsides are the AC plug requirement and not being weatherproof. A brewery I go to uses this Marshall speaker that is incredibly loud and fills a very large space, I think it's the Stanmore

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

Those can-sized Bluetooth speakers are great for what they are made for (decent portable sound)....but if you are a musicguy, have a decent sized yard, etc... There is no substitute for actual outdoor speakers. I have a Bose Soundlink Mini and love it. It's not bad for this purpose but I also have actual outdoor speakers installed because, well, it's not great for this purpose either. 

Bose and Klipsch both make excellent ones that involve running wire and mounting... But the sound quality and volume you will able to achieve (if you desire) will make the Bluetooth stuff look like toys. 

Just depends what you are looking for.,

Thanks icon.  Do you have a link to the type of setup that you're referring to?  I'd be interesting in seeing it.

 

[Hawks64]

Used my Heos 5 outside on the deck this weekend, sounds actually better than the outdoor speakers I do have and can go just as loud, it is a hassle to plug and unplug it though.

 

[odin33]

Bumping this thread instead of creating a new one. Looking to get some thoughts on a better outdoor music situation than grabbing Alexa, or linking to a mini bluetooth speaker. Both work for the family eating outside, but I'm looking for more.

Specifics: I'm not an audio geek, just looking for some nice sound that'll carry my backyard. Needs to cover roughly 1/3 - 1/2 acre backyard. Issue 1 is I back up to a highway. We have one of those lovely concrete walls that help some with the noise but the wheel whine, semi's air brakes, etc. is something I need to come over the top of.

Issue 2 is there is zero protection for anything mounted short of the second story eaves, unless someone wants to loan me about $50k to put an extension on the backside of my garage.

I do not currently have a receiver to tap into, only a soundbar inside.

I was thinking about a couple portable speaker stands and something like a sonos system, but I'm technology illiterate in this area in terms of what is needed: I see the sonos amp connect- seems like I might need that, but thats a spendy item I might be able to get around. Also not sure how close the amp needs to be in relation to the speakers.

Also would like to use my iphone to control, but not have the sounds of text dings, calls, or time waster apps I may be playing come through. I do have an old Iphone 5 that I could dedicate, but who knows how long that'll last.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Hawks64]

Bumping this thread instead of creating a new one. Looking to get some thoughts on a better outdoor music situation than grabbing Alexa, or linking to a mini bluetooth speaker. Both work for the family eating outside, but I'm looking for more.

Specifics: I'm not an audio geek, just looking for some nice sound that'll carry my backyard. Needs to cover roughly 1/3 - 1/2 acre backyard. Issue 1 is I back up to a highway. We have one of those lovely concrete walls that help some with the noise but the wheel whine, semi's air brakes, etc. is something I need to come over the top of.

Issue 2 is there is zero protection for anything mounted short of the second story eaves, unless someone wants to loan me about $50k to put an extension on the backside of my garage.

I do not currently have a receiver to tap into, only a soundbar inside.

I was thinking about a couple portable speaker stands and something like a sonos system, but I'm technology illiterate in this area in terms of what is needed: I see the sonos amp connect- seems like I might need that, but thats a spendy item I might be able to get around. Also not sure how close the amp needs to be in relation to the speakers.

Also would like to use my iphone to control, but not have the sounds of text dings, calls, or time waster apps I may be playing come through. I do have an old Iphone 5 that I could dedicate, but who knows how long that'll last.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Without a receiver I think something like Sonos or Heos would be ideal. I have Heos (Heos 5) and have it connected to my Alexa via headphone cable and use Spotify. Biggest issue is Sonos and Heos don't have all weather outdoor speakers so you need to bring in and out each time. The Heos I have is plenty loud, but there a lot of really loud really good speakers like them. Fender has an awesome one that a brewery by me has. Loud enough that it's hard to talk in the bar.

If you had a receiver that could power speakers there are a bunch of choices but then you have to run wires and mount.