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Outdoor config!

Hi all!

I have been reading weeks and weeks of reviews and listening to YouTube videos trying to figure out what the heck to buy.

I have finished up hardwiring electrical outlets all over my yard.

I’m trying to find some awesome speakers that will go in the dirt and look like rocks or perhaps be staked in to the dirt .. and not looking like rocks …Or really anything dirt compatible lol (I live in a mostly manicured forest area so I can’t really control the amount of dirt or the sprinklers)

My budget is 2K… Looking for nice sound in all ranges  (as good as I can get for that price anyway, and definitely has to support Bluetooth. I’m assuming this means I need an amp of some kind from the videos I’ve been watching.

I’ve been looking at the Klipsch AW650. Looks like it could be good? What I’m having a hard time conceptualizing is where does the amp go, how do I get Bluetooth out to the darn things, etc. 

In my head, at this late tech game in 2025, the speakers would inherently support Bluetooth, but it doesn’t look like that’s the case. I didn’t think I would be wiring crop up like I did in the 90s but I guess maybe that will be the case.

Any assistance with helping me follow the what to wire where part and what to buy would be awesome. Thanks so much everyone.

Svetlana

svetlana1

Showing 3 responses by paradisecom

paradisecom
407 posts
 

You have electrical outlets around your yard, but did you install and direct burial speaker wire from your house to the areas where you would like to place speakers?

Generally 14/4 direct burial works quite well.  Most landscape systems would have an amplifier located inside the house or an outdoor utility room where the amp and source, such as a Sonos Port would be located.  Then passive speakers, like you mentioned and shown above could be installed at the other ends of the speaker wire.  These would be systems like:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sonance-mag6-1-mag-series-6-1-ch-landscape-outdoor-speaker-system-powered-by-sonos-each-brown-black/6440405.p?skuId=6440405

This system is powered by a Sonos Amp so it might be OK but depending on the size of your yard, it would run out of steam pretty quickly.  The larger systems have dedicated amplifiers and can have more satellites, 2 subs, etc., but the cost much more.

If you can't run wiring to the house, you could install something like this from Rockustics:

https://rockustics.mseaudio.com/os-440-outdoor-smart-amplifier.html 

This would be installed outdoors, in a weatherproof box, near one of your power outlets.  Then you would run direct burial speaker wire from this enclosure to some speakers like:

https://rockustics.mseaudio.com/xt-powerrock-g.html

The reason for choosing these speakers is they have a compression driver and an 8" woofer making them much higher efficiency compared to the other speakers and that small amp only has 40wpc to work with.  These speakers are rated at 97dB so they will make use of the amps limited capability.

Hopefully that helps.

paradisecom
407 posts
 

They you just need a passive speaker system with a location for the amp.  Also, if you go with something like Sonos for a source, you don't need Bluetooth.  It runs on wifi which is better anyway.  

If you go with a passive system that includes a subwoofer, which you should anyway, make sure you pour in a bag of pea gravel at the bottom of the hole you dig for the sub.  This will make water drain properly so that if and when the ground becomes saturated with water, the sub stays put and doesn't float/ heave upwards on it's own.

paradisecom
407 posts
 

Given your budget, the Sonance system shown above is a good option, especially since it's on sale, now.  

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