Outdoor music / speakers for backyard

[00bolt]

Last spring i did a big huge renovation to the backyard adding a pergula, big flagstone patio, outdoor kitchen, firepit and hot tub and alot of landscape.

Never got around to adding the tv and music like I wanted with everything else. So I was thinking of adding a tv out there, found a few different options to weather proof them.

But my main question is about the speakers / music. I see plenty of options for outdoor speakers, but my main question is, other than splicing off my surround sound system in the living room and running it to the backyard patio, is there some kind of simple way to do this? Maybe some wifi type outdoor speakers that can easily just play pandora or something? or maybe some simple device that can stream pandora or mp3 from my computer, etc? without having to do too much wiring?

[Binky]

Someone had one of these Jawbone speakers out at the campsite - I was amazed at the sound quality.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_42807_Aliph-Jawbone-Jambox-Black-Diamond-JBE03.html

if you really want a dedicated system, then look at a Marine stereo system like you would put in a boat. Get a 12v powersupply and then just mount it anywhere you want and run boat speakers around your yard.

[00bolt]

i dont really want a fancy system, i just want something weather proof that I can either play music off my computer, pandora, etc. maybe even able to connect my phone up would work... but would be nice if it was wireless so i could still have my phone with me, etc.

my vision was some mounted speakers up under my roof line... one over by the hot tub, another over by the kitchen area.

[yellowstang]

When my house was wired I had 2 runs to the patio and hooked them to my surround sound system in the living room and the B channel, I can play just those 2 speakers, or all the inside speakers plus those if I want. I do not have a dual zone amp, so I can not send a different program out back, and a different one in the living room, but I didn't need that feature so I did not pay extra for that in the amp I have.

Would you watch enough TV outside to always want one out there? I see my neighbor has one, but I think he watches it about 4 times a year. I never see it on! I'd say, just get a decent TV and place it out there when you wannt to watch it, put it in the bedroom the rest of the time.

[Txstang1]

Subscribing.....

[00bolt]

i think outside tv will be used 90% for sports. i think it would be cool when cooking out to have the game on... or in winter watching football from the hot tub. But doubt id really ever watch a movie or anything like that back there.

as for the speakers, i think i have decided one of these options will be best.

1. like what previous poster stated, just splice some wires (not sure if my receiver has a B setting, but i bet it does) off my receiver in the living room. Then I can just stream pandora or whatever from inside. But if I dont have a B option, would suck to have to have that sound on inside if someone is wanting to watch something in there

2. just get another WDTV live like I have in the living room and wire the speakers, tv and this WDTV live up together. This thing makes any TV a smart tv, and ill immediately have pandora out there. then if i really wanted, i would have all my current movies on demand out there because of the WDTV


i think im leaning toward option #2

[clevelandkid]

The larger jawbone is nice, sounds really good - much louder than its size. If you are willing to spend a little more, check these out:

http://www.sonos.com/

[Leah]

A bacini tower. If you can find one. Ask jluv about them.

[Pro88LX]

my dad has the Sonos soundbar system for his tv and it has wifi and bluetooth. apparently you can connect like 40 wireless speakers to it.

[95DRGT]

The larger jawbone is nice, sounds really good - much louder than its size. If you are willing to spend a little more, check these out:

http://www.sonos.com/

Those look pretty cool. I want something portable to take to garage or backyard. The small one looks like the ticket at @ $299 for me.

Does anyone have one? I was wondering if I can stream anything off my phone (itunes, Pandora) or does it have proprietary software?

[cool cat]

i've got a pair of Yamaha outdoor speakers spliced in to my main home theatre system. I don't know the model # off top of my head. They have around a 4 - 5" main driver and a small tweeter, and were around $100 when i got them.

[yellowstang]

my dad has the Sonos soundbar system for his tv and it has wifi and bluetooth. apparently you can connect like 40 wireless speakers to it.

That sounded awesome until you said 40 speakers. I'd need at least 42, damnit!

[BP]

I have a pair of Audio Source outdoor speakers I bought at Fry's or Sears years ago. They've been outside on my patio for 5+ years now with no problems, I've had rain running off them before and they work fine. Just hooked them to channel B of a tuner and I either run Sirius or Pandora from the PC to them. They come with their own brackets.

It's far from audiophile quality sound but it's loud enough to piss the neighbors off if necessary.

[AdRock]

As a sound man ill say that you should check the specs on the amp and the speakers before you just splice them in on the existing amp.

For instance. Say you have 16 ohm speakers now, and the amp is made to run at 16ohms per side. Great. But lets say the new speakers are also 16ohm each. If you just splice a speaker in on each of the existing ones the amp will now be seeing an 8 ohm load per side. This has the good possibility of burning up the amp.