Landscape Speakers: Your Guide to the Perfect Backyard Sound System
As you spend more time in your outdoor living space and pool area with friends and family, you can set the perfect mood with the help of your favorite tunes. Even though portable speakers are getting better with each iteration, there is nothing quite like a hardwired outdoor speaker system. The perfect outdoor speakers can truly transform a backyard and make it the perfect place for all your outdoor gatherings.
In this article, we’ll cover all the basics of what an outdoor speaker needs, what makes a great outdoor speaker system, as well as a detailed description of the best brands including bluetooth outdoor speakers and wireless outdoor speakers.
Are Outdoor Speakers Worth It?
As with many other parts of your outdoor living space, you can get much more from your outdoor speakers than what you put into them. If you ever find yourself dragging speakers outdoors, or trying to play music on little bluetooth speakers, you will have a much better experience with quality outdoor speakers.
Practically any outdoor living experience can be enhanced with outdoor speakers, the only requirement is that someone will have to be outside to enjoy them! The return on investment factor is huge when you spend the summer throwing parties with friends and family and relaxing or jamming to your favorite tunes.
What Should I Look For In An Outdoor Speaker?
To build an outdoor speaker system, you’ll need to consider exactly what your outdoor living space needs. These considerations include the use of hardwired or wireless systems, the size of the outdoor living space, the type of outdoor activities you and your family enjoy, and ways to make the space even more interactive. The biggest consideration, however, is what the outdoor speaker requires in order to stay in its best condition outside. Here’s how to decide what kind of outdoor speaker system you need:
Hardwired vs Wireless
Of course, the world we live in is increasingly wireless as we find better ways to use technology. The outdoor living space is no exception and there are lots of wireless outdoor speakers on the market. Using wireless outdoor speakers is a convenient way to build an outdoor sound system owing to the versatility and ease of arrangements. There are some downsides to a wireless system, especially how power is sourced, the distance to the music player, and how the system reacts to weather. Because of these drawbacks, some landscape designers may still recommend a hardwired speaker system as the most worry-free solution.
The Size of the Space
As with any sound system, one of the biggest considerations is how the sound will interact with the space. A small space is better suited to have smaller and lower powered outdoor speakers. As expected, a large outdoor space will likely require a much more complex system with larger speaker units.
Keep in mind that not every corner of an outdoor living space should be treated the same when it comes to sound! A zoned approach will deliver the best listening experience. Always keep a quiet area and a main gathering space separate when it comes to music so that anyone trying to relax won’t be constantly asking other people to turn down the volume.
Your Preferred Activities
Even though outdoor speakers can elevate or even transform outdoor activities, not everything you and your family do in the backyard needs to have a rousing soundtrack. The pool area and patio may require a subwoofer and some great satellite speakers that help create an immersive experience.
Other, quieter areas in your backyard may be enhanced with a few accent satellite speakers or ones that are hidden within features or even disguised.
As with outdoor lighting, map out areas of the landscape where you want more music volume and areas where you prefer more quiet. Then, look into outdoor sound systems that let you create listening zones.
A More Interactive Space
Beyond just enjoying the perfect backyard soundtrack, there are some great ways to improve the outdoor experience. Some outdoor speakers also act as wi-fi extenders, while some contain a series of lights that pulse and move with the music. You’ll be amazed at the jumps forward in outdoor speaker technology in recent years. The biggest question with all of these technological advances is: Will you ever go inside again?
Effective Weatherproofing
Are your outdoor speakers really outdoor-rated? Some speaker brands may claim to be usable in outdoor settings, but they quickly fall short of dealing with inclement weather. When it comes to building the perfect outdoor speaker system, don’t sell yourself short. Always choose speakers that are fully weatherproofed for whatever nature can throw at them!
Where Do You Mount Speakers On A Patio?
For many homeowners, the most logical place to install outdoor speakers is the patio. Even though every patio is different and every family has a different lifestyle, here are some great tips on where to mount outdoor speakers in a patio setting. Let’s cover some of the best places to mount different types of speakers:
Ceilings
Covered spaces, such as those underneath a pergola, pavilion, gazebo, or even covered porch, are prime locations for enjoying music outdoors. Even though the spaces are protected from direct moisture, you still want to use outdoor-rated speakers to avoid damage from condensation or high humidity. Wiring can be hidden within the ceiling and you can use wall-mounted outdoor speakers in this application.
In the Garden
Patios that directly adjoin a green space such as a garden or series of plantings provide the perfect location for hidden speakers. These include a popular variety of outdoor speakers that are camouflaged to look like they’re hidden inside a rock. Though anyone would be able to tell upon closer inspection, these types of speakers will help to improve the visual appeal of the space. They can even be mounted onto masonry blocks within a garden. Keep in mind that if your plant beds are heavily watered, there’s always a chance of damage to the speakers even if they’re outdoor-rated. For that reason, we recommend placing ground-level speakers in areas that don’t get heavily watered.
Embedded In Masonry
Patios are often surrounded by retaining walls or raised masonry planters. These vertical masonry structures - along with retaining walls, water features, and fire features are perfect places to embed outdoor speakers. They will be protected from both weather and outdoor activities and will fold into the look of your outdoor living space. Keep in mind, however, that it’s only possible to install these speakers with a special mount to be included during masonry construction. It’s a great option for new masonry but not a practical solution for existing masonry.
Mounted On the Wall
Some patios, especially in compact backyards, directly adjoin the side of the house or garage. A wall serves as an excellent location to mount speakers above the patio. Wall mount kits are often included with the speakers themselves, but if that’s not the case, they’re typically easy to find at the local hardware store. Wiring can be hidden within the wall or run through a conduit attached to the siding. Typically, speakers are placed under the relative protection of the eaves, which also makes them stand out less.
In the Outdoor Kitchen
Who can resist dancing along to their favorite tunes while cooking up a feast for friends and family? Outdoor speakers can be integrated into the kitchen backsplash, mounted overhead if the space is sheltered under a roof, or even embedded into the wood or masonry walls of an outdoor kitchen.
What Is A Good Brand Of Outdoor Speakers?
As with anything else, get the best quality you can afford. Look for the best quality of sound as well as a sound system that’s fully weatherproof.
Sonance is a brand of speakers that we can’t recommend enough. Whether you’re listening to music, watching a movie, or keeping a close eye on the game, you can rely on outdoor speakers from Sonance to make your outdoor living space sound brilliant. All around the world, homeowners, business owners, and landscape designers have fallen in love with the sound and reliability of Sonance outdoor speakers.
Are Sonance Speakers Any Good?
Absolutely!
You may have heard of Yamaha outdoor speakers and Klipsch outdoor speakers. These are solid products and you can’t go wrong there. However, we recommend the outstanding products from Sonance and SONOS, especially the products that they have collaborated on together.
Outdoor speakers from Sonance have a strong reputation among landscape designers and sound experts, and they’re highly rated by users as well. Sonance is such a trusted name that it’s seemingly attached to the concept of outdoor speakers itself. It’s an investment that will surely pay off the first time you decide to have a party on your patio.
Is Sonance Made By SONOS?
No, but both companies are partnering on some amazing products! Sonance is under the umbrella of Dana Innovations and is a company that specializes in so-called “architectural speakers.” Actually, it’s a category that they invented with their creative solutions of building units that blend into the structure of a home or the design of a landscape.
SONOS is a company that innovates audio technologies and builds some of the most famous voice assistants: Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google’s Assistant. While most of their products are separate, the two companies have partnered to create some technology-forward home and outdoor speakers.
Where Are Sonance Speakers Manufactured?
Sonance Speakers are manufactured, assembled, and distributed from their head office in San Clemente, California. In fact, their head office is also shared with iPort and TRUFIG, two companies also under the umbrella of Dana Innovations. For a company that has such a huge presence in the speaker industry, it’s great to know that they continue to have a foothold in the United States. And, of course, the made-in-the-USA label is an important selling point for many.
Does Sonance AMP Work With SONOS?
Yes, in fact all Sonance and SONOS products are compatible with each other as long as you’re combining individual components, such as a Sonance AMP or the SONOS Port. Both companies have realized how valuable their partnership is to landscape designers and homeowners. Some of their products, such as in-ceiling, in-wall, and other outdoor speakers have been designed to be compatible with each other since 2019.
Can You Connect Your Outdoor Speakers To Your Sonance?
The catalog of fantastic speaker products from Sonance features almost everything you ever need to bring high quality sounds to your home and outdoor living spaces. The technology and software from SONOS make Sonance products even more exciting. Since those two products are designed to work together, they make a fantastic combination. We don’t recommend, however, combining any non-Sonance or non-SONOS products with a Sonance system even if they appear to be compatible. Third-party products are likely set to a different calibration and there is no way to guarantee it will work, especially when weather rolls in.
What Outdoor Speakers Are Compatible With SONOS?
The range of incredible technologies and products from SONOS will lead to some of the best sounds you could ever hear in your outdoor living space. SONOS has quite the impressive partnership with Sonance that uses cutting edge technology to enhance outdoor gatherings. Even better, SONOS products can be found in a variety of speaker products from different companies such as ABB, Alarm.com, Elan, Elite, Ikea Home Smart, Integra, iPort, Lutron, Niko, Onkyo, Rako, Schneider Electric, Senic, TunesMap, URC, Wink, Wondrwall, and Yonomi.
How Many Outdoor Speakers Can I Connect To SONOS Amp?
For optimum audio quality and best performance in an outdoor setting, SONOS has designed their amps (amplifiers) to connect with a maximum number of outdoor speakers. No more than the maximum number of outdoor speakers should be connected to a SONOS Amp, which is either four or eight speakers, depending on the model. Any more additional speakers than that will lead to a lower quality of sound and potentially a shorter lifespan for both the speakers and the SONOS Amp. Your outdoor living space can have more than one SONOS Amp, so this is the best way to add more speakers if necessary. Keep in mind, however, that just four outdoor speakers and a SONOS Amp can produce a great amount of high quality sound so there’s no need to go overboard!
How Do I Power My SONOS Outdoor Speakers?
There are two types of speakers to choose from: active and passive. These terms describe whether or not a speaker draws energy by itself or if it needs another component to supply power, such as an amplifier, also known colloquially as an “amp.” Active speakers work well as individual units, but it quickly becomes complicated when you combine multiple active units. For a surround sound outdoor speaker system, it’s much better to use a passive system. For this reason, all SONOS outdoor speakers are passive speakers and are intended to be attached using any one of the models of the SONOS Amp. It’s a perfect combination for outdoor sound!
Our Recommendations for Perfect Outdoor Sound
As you know by now, we’re big fans of what Sonance and SONOS have to offer in creating the perfect outdoor sound. It’s no secret and many homeowners and landscape designers around the world have fallen in love with the two companies’ fantastic individual products as well as their excellent collaborations together. Let’s cover some of our favorite products from both companies.
The Garden Series from Sonance
The outstanding Garden Series from Sonance is an incredible outdoor speaker system designed for large outdoor living spaces. The current Sonance Garden Series products include the SGS 8.1 System, the SGS SAT 4 Pack, and the SGS Subwoofer. The speakers and subwoofer work together to create finely tuned and balanced sound in an outdoor living space of up to 3,500 square feet. The speakers are meant to scale back their prominence and take a nondescript design approach in a wide variety of outdoor living spaces. Here are the individual components:
The SGS 8.1 System from Sonance contains 8 individual speaker units with 3.5 inch anodized aluminum tweeters and 0.75” polyurethane dome tweeters, a 10” SGS Subwoofer, and the SR 2-125 Amplifier. The entire set works to build perfect outdoor sound in your backyard in its beautiful dark brown finish and durable polyethylene weatherproofing.
The SGS SAT 4 Pack from Sonance is a set of 4 additional speaker units with the same specifications above. These are intended to work in congruence with the SGS 8.1 System. Keep in mind that the SR 2-125 Amplifier can only power up to 8 speakers and 1 subwoofer at a time, though you can have more than one amplifier in your overall outdoor speaker system.
The SGS Subwoofer is the central unit of the SGS 8.1 System from Sonance and it provides depth in the low-end of sounds for your outdoor speaker system. The 10” subwoofer is quite large and powerful, but its beautiful finish and color help it blend into your landscape with ease. Keep in mind that the SR 2-125 Amplifier can only power up to 8 speakers and 1 subwoofer at a time, though you can have more than one amplifier in your overall outdoor speaker system.
The Patio Series from Sonance
The stunning Patio Series from Sonance will fulfill all your dreams of the perfect outdoor sound for your patio. The current Sonance Patio Series is comprised of the incomparable Patio Series 4.1. Within this package, you’ll find one 8” SPS Subwoofer, four 3.5” SPS satellite speakers and the Sonance DSP SR 2-125 Amplifier. You can also purchase the Patio Series 4.1 without the SR 2-125 Amplifier if you plan on expanding your outdoor sound using the original amplifier you purchased with the first Patio Series 4.1 set.
SONOS Outdoor
The fantastic SONOS Outdoor by SONOS is represented by a perfect pair of white speakers. Each speaker contains one woofer and one 1” tweeter to bring outstanding sound outdoors. These speakers require an amplifier for power, which means they can join an outdoor speaker system and enhance the overall sound. The SONOS Outdoor speakers can be mounted to walls or ceilings and help create a brilliant depth of outdoor sound.
SONOS Move
We realize that not every outdoor gathering will be permanent. In the case you want to expand your outdoor sound capabilities, we recommend the excellent SONOS Move by SONOS. A portable speaker that uses Bluetooth, it is self powered and can move to practically any location. It’s completely weatherproof too, ensuring you’ll have many days and evenings full of fantastic sound no matter where your outdoor gatherings take you!
