Outdoor Blog

How to Get Great Sound in Your Backyard; Outdoor Speakers

JBL speaker in the backyard, great sound outdoor speakers

If you’re into home entertainment, then you know how vital outdoor speakers are. But if you’ve ever hosted a party, watched the Super Bowl, or thrown any other kind of event in your backyard, chances are you’ve been disappointed by the shoddy sound quality. 

Even with expensive high-end audio systems and speakers, it can be next to impossible to get that crystal clear sound in your backyard. So how do you get great sound into your backyard? It’s not as complicated as it may seem. Follow these simple tips for creating a stunning backyard entertainment experience!

Invest in High-Quality Outdoor Speakers and Amplifiers for Great Sound

When it comes to listening to music, quality is essential. You can enjoy your music with the best sound experience by investing in outdoor speakers and amplifiers. Consider buying a good pair of outdoor speakers and amplifiers for your backyard or even for your patio. As such, you can listen to your favorite music with the best sound quality. 

High-quality outdoor speakers and amplifiers are critical to getting great sound in your backyard, during big game watchings, or any other outdoor event. If you’ve ever had a party where all of your guests left talking about how amazing your music was, then you know just how important having great speakers can be. You can find pretty much any outdoor speakers or amplifier online at places like Amazon and eBay.

A cheap home speaker system is less than ideal for watching movies or a lot of music

However, you can still get away with it if you learn the best practices for building an excellent speaker system. To maximize sound quality, you need a professionally calibrated bass system and a wide stereo field that makes well-differentiated sounds. 

Since you need a great sound system for your backyard, I recommend that you go for a speaker with an open-back design, as they did in the olden days. While this design provides some downsides due to whistling sounds, it helps open up your sounds for audio listening.

You can look into the different sites on the internet for ideas on some amplifiers and speakers you can use to enhance the sound quality in your backyard. These sound systems are specially crafted for outdoor use. As such, you have the assurance that they will meet your needs. The best thing about these collections is that you can get a suitable system that fits your budget. So take your time to get what appeals to your taste.

Meanwhile, let me take you a notch or two into the different categories that might work for your overall entertainment both in and outdoors.

Passive Outdoor Speakers

passive outdoor speakers

Passive speakers are the best choice for people who want to save space. They are similar to bookshelf speakers and normally deliver better sound quality and more volume than wireless outdoor speakers. These speakers can be hooked up to an amplifier to produce sound, and they have two speakers – a woofer for low-sounding noises and a tweeter for high-sounding noises.

These speakers are weather resistant and can rotate depending on the mounting option you choose. The speaker includes a bracket that lets it be mounted horizontally or vertically. The speaker is waterproof, which means it is safe from the rain. It can be attached to eaves, patios, and other surface options for outdoor use.

Active Outdoor Speakers with Bluetooth

OSD-Audio-Wireless-Outdoor-Speakers

These are a new type of waterproof outdoor speakers with a Bluetooth receiver and an amplifier built-in. The speakers are one-piece Bluetooth speakers; you turn on your phone, pair it with the system, and then start streaming music. However, these speakers have a better design than a single Bluetooth speaker. Similar to passive speakers, they are designed with the same concept in mind. 

They also come complete with a waterproof power supply, so installation is simple as long as there is an outlet nearby. An example of these speakers is the BTP-650. All you need is a screwdriver, and you are good to go.

Portable Outdoor WI-FI Speakers

speaker-wireless-bluetooth-phone

Portable, battery-powered speakers with Wi-Fi are fantastic for outdoor gatherings because you can use them with no difficulties. For example, you don’t have to hold your phone while using these speakers because the Wi-Fi feature connects to your home network. They also have voice commands, which is very handy because it lets you control the music.

Currently, there are only a few models of speakers that have both Alexa and Google Assistant onboard. It also has Bluetooth, so your friends can visit and play their music through your speakers. However, the only letdown is that you will not get the best sound quality with these speakers.

Portable Bluetooth Speakers

portable bluetooth speaker

Many portable Bluetooth speakers today are water-resistant, with ratings ranging from IPX4 (splash resistant) up to IPX7 (waterproof for up to a minute) in most cases. So if it’s raining and you leave your speaker outside, it will be safe.

The only downside to these speakers is that you have to keep your device within Bluetooth distance, but some can work up to 100 feet away. That means you could leave your device inside and still enjoy these speakers. You may also need to recharge the device after 5-20 hours of use, depending on the model.

Portable Bluetooth speakers come in a wide variety of sizes. The two main questions to ask yourself before buying one are these: how loud do you want it to go, and where will you use it? 

If you’re looking for a speaker to play music outside, you’ll want one of the larger, louder models. But if your ideal setting involves relaxing with a loved one or listening to background noise, then a smaller, quieter model will work just fine.

Test, Tweak, and Tune for Great Sound on Your Backyard

Now that you have your sound system at hand, it is time to test, tweak, and tune your sound system for great sound in your backyard. 

There are two ways to improve the sound of your backyard. One is by getting the right equipment. The other is by getting a better location for your equipment. 

Prioritize your sound system by considering the following tips that will help ensure your sound system produces crisp, clear audio:

To get the most out of your backyard stereo system, you need to test the settings and tweak the components according to your tastes. Then, get a preamplifier that gives you the subwoofer kick you want without overwhelming the rest of the audio spectrum. 

Get a center channel speaker to bring clarity to your vocals while maintaining enough depth for music played at moderate volume. Once you’ve found a good setup, use an audio analyzer to check for frequencies that are too much or little for your tastes. Tune and Tweak until you get the results you’re looking for then you can enjoy!

Before you decide where to place your speakers or other audio components, you also need to consider your setup’s effects on the surrounding area. 

You want the sound to leak into your home, unharmed. So make sure possible walls and other surfaces are completely clear of any objects that could cut into your sound. In addition, manufacturers of outdoor equipment and sound mixes recommend keeping the operating volume very low (less than 15 decibels) and not letting outdoor equipment run continuously for hours at a time. 

If you’re looking to create a spectacular view for a party or any other gathering, it’s a good idea to hire a sound engineer or make a sound plan for your event. They will help you create master audio for your event, including background music, sound effects, music cues, and sight gags. 

If you’re looking for great outdoor entertainment, but your backyard isn’t ideal for a professional sound system, consider hiring someone to design sound ambiances for your event. These kinds of services can cost an excellent $300-500 for a complete design.

Get Your Wiring Right, So You Don’t Lose Sound Quality

Ensuring the wiring in your home is done professionally and connected to the right components is an essential step in ensuring that you get the best sound quality possible. For example, if you connect your home theatre receiver to your TV with a digital optical cable, you won’t get any sound. That is because sound travels through the medium of wires — in this case, a coaxial cable. 

However, if you connect your receiver to your high-quality sound system with a high impedance twisted pair cable, you’ll get a much clearer sound. By removing all of the random cables surrounding you, you can easily clean up all of the mess and get a dramatically clearer picture. To simplify the wiring in your house, you can buy pre-made wiring kits.

Pre-made wiring kits are an easier alternative to the tedious process of wiring your home. They simplify installation and come with everything you need to get started. All of the typical features are present on a higher-end system. With a pre-made wiring kit, installation is smoother, saving you time and money.

Just know that if you choose not to do any additional customizing, these kits will still make your life easier by providing an easy, quick way to wire up your project.

Making sure all the wires are correctly connected will ensure that every component within your home has the same signal. Wiring kits can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. But you don’t want any more wires running through your house than necessary.

Create a Speaker Layout That Will Produce Great Sound in Your Backyard

A speaker layout is an essential ingredient to creating a great sound system for your backyard. It performs three main tasks. First, it establishes a general area where your listeners can set up and hear what you have to say. Second, it directs sound where it is needed most, and it helps guide listeners as to where their attention should be.

Choosing the right speaker for your situation will not be easy- especially if you don’t have much time. However, by taking the time to put together one, you can enjoy stunning sound in your backyard that can help your family enjoy camping together or guests at your home office work better.

The best speaker layout you can create will produce excellent sound for you and your guests. Of course, you’ll want to make sure the music quality is good, but you’ll also want to make sure that you and your guests can hear it. Circumaural (or over-ear) headphones are usually the choice for audio for large meeting rooms or other rooms where sound quality is critical.

Suppose you’ve ever attended an industry event and attended extensive breakout sessions on popular product topics.

In that case, you’ll know what a relief it is to be able to hear every last detail of what the speakers say. 

A good pair of mid-priced dedicated home stereo speakers with in-line Bluetooth technology is sometimes called a mid-tier stereo system. That is because they’re not expensive, they’re not big, and they produce full stereo sound in the center channel and 2-channel output at the same time. You can find these speakers for under $300 at Target or discount electronics stores and online retailers like Newegg

Your local big-box electronics stores and others may also carry them, but some caution when using them in indoor spaces. As with any new audio gear, make sure to have a test track or song you’re legitimately familiar with because lack of background noise can throw your entire system off balance. The first thing you’ll want to do is assess to determine precisely where you want to place these speakers. 

Bear in mind that naturally, our ears align with the low-end of the audio spectrum, and in some circumstances, placing it at the extreme low end can produce excellent sound. You’ll want speakers in different locations to provide a variety of directional and spatial cues that will help to create a good “sound field.” That will allow the audience to quickly locate the speakers relative to each other and the music playing.

Keep the Sound Clean With Good Audio Cables

There’s a phrase that says; It takes good cables to make a great sound. It’s true. If you want the best audio quality, you’ll need high-quality cables. Audio cables that deliver quality sound from your stereo to your backyard speakers are the key to avoiding low-quality music with sounds that are either too low or too loud and distorted.

Audio cables are a vital component of any home theater or music system. They carry the signal from components to your speakers and subwoofer, and they deliver the high-fidelity sound that accompanies it. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, it’s crucial to invest in quality cables so that you can hear every note with clarity.

In this new era, audio cables need to transmit signals with the most clarity possible. When buying a new pair of cables, look for the terms “solid copper conductors,” “foil shielding,” and “high-quality connectors.” Avoid cables that use thin gauge wire or plastic jackets. They often degrade sound quality.

Let’s Wrap It Up

There are many options you can choose from to get yourself great sound in your backyard. From portable speakers to professionally installed sound systems, you can live your dream at the click of a button. What if your backyard isn’t quite what you’d like for a great entertainment experience? Well, you can also transform your backyard into something magnificent.