The trick to properly matching your outdoor speaker setup to your tv installation depends on a few key factors. First, you have to decide whether you will be using your speakers for ambiance, or if they should be part of the viewing experience when watching your tv. For example, installations with additional speakers just used for ambiance just focus on audiocoverage of the given area,with an intent to provide entertainment with consistant audio coverage throuought. In contrast, speakers intended to contribute to your wall mounted TV experience will give you an audio sensation that strongly correlates with what you see on screen. If there is activity to the left onscreen, you will hear the corresponding sounds coming from the left of the sound field. Some action on the right side of the screen will produce sounds coming from the right of the sound field.

The Problem is…

Each set up has its own pros and cons. Besides the obvious concerns about keeping the speakers in an environment they can tolerate, i.e. out of direct sun or rain, or perhaps, stepping up and paying the extra premium for weather resistant ones, each set up has a distinct set of drawbacks. Here is a major plus and minus for both approaches:

Ambiance:

The bad:

No stereoscopic awareness. Speakers configured for ambiance create a sound field with no way of telling which way is right or left, and generally are geared toward playing music in a monoural way. This may promote even coverage, but most music sounds best when interpreted in stereo, that is, the left and right ears are fed slightly different signals which creates a pleasant experience to the listener. This is what lets you notice when a symbol crashes or back up vocalists chimes in to one specific side or the other. Monoural audio content is typically considered dull when compared to stereo content.

The good:

Never Miss a beat. When setting up and installing your system for ambiance, you or your tech should choose speaker locations close to where your guests will spend most of their time. One speaker is enough for any given area, and it doesn’t matter if it’s from the left or right channel, since the left and right channels should be delivering the exact same content. You can typically cover a larger area in this configuration as well, simply by centering the speakers along the listening environment. Centering the speakers along the area also reduces hotspots where the sound is especially loud due to sitting or standing in close proximity to its source. Again, you can ither intentionally create hotspots near where your guests will spend time, which allows you to maintain an overall lower volume level, or you can centralize the speakers along the listening area, which gives you even coverage no matter where you are. There is no real wrong way to do this, so be as creative as you want!

Stereoscopic:

The bad:

Strict speaker placement, strict seating arrangements. For stereo or surround sound fields in your outdoor speaker installations, the price of an accurate sound field is strict placement of both the speakers- and your ears. Every stereo environment has a sweet spot. usually it is somewhere that is equidistant from the all sources of audio. The speakers also have to be placed correctly relative to the listening area for good sound. If you have a TV installation outside too, this complicates things further because the speakers have to also be mounted in such a way that creates an accurate sound field in respect to the display. The left, right and surround channels each are critical and have to go near specific positions that may be inaccessible due to architecture or just plain out open(or limited) space. If you have a large seating area, the listener on either far side may be getting hit with blaring loud content as well as missing the other half of the audio data that is only coming from the speaker farthest from them. meanwhile, the listener who is directly in the middle, right in front of the TV has nothing but a smile on his face as he enjoys his entertainment.

The good:

Beautiful audio positioning. Close your eyes and watch the show. Having a home theater feeling in an outdoor environment is a quite sought after amenity these days in the home entertainment arena. Sitting in a hot tub, listening to the game and being able to actually tell which way they are running or watching a movie where you can hear the airplane fly from left to right is a very pleasant experience- and sure to impress your friends. Movie theaters spend hundreds of thousands of dollars researching how to provide accurate audio reproduction in their halls, and now technology gives us the chance to recreate that in our own back yard. Although it may be a challenge to get the speakers placed and adjusted to your listening area, once you do, the sweet spot is exactly that. Sweet.

In conclusion, outdoor listening is really a relative issue. Depending on what kind of listeners and sound field you are after, what is right for you will change accordingly. Ambiance is consistent and relatively easy. Stereoscopic takes some thinking but the payoff is sweet. It’s always good to consult a professional when undertaking any wiring project, and if you decide to take that route we are here to help. Audio and visual entertainment is our passion.

If you have seen any awesome setups around town, tell us about it. Or, if you have any questions about installing your own, post it here and see if any of your fellow homeowners have the same problems. Good luck!