Bring Your Music Outdoors

So it appears as if the rain has subsided as we begin to visit our front and backyards for the first time in quite sometime. What we notice as we begin the arduous task of digging and planting is the need for some outdoor music. Not only does it keep us in the mood while we work, it helps to keep that mood well beyond that point for our guests at parties.

To create a beautiful sound environment one needs to have clear, evenly distributed music. Having too much sound concentrated out of too few speakers makes for an unbalanced system. The area that is given too much attention ends up playing too loud and makes for an uncomfortable area to be around. Distributing the speakers with a well-planned design along with speakers that are mission-specific balances out the environment. Some speakers are to be installed in trees to lift the music and direct it downwards. Some speakers are disguised as planters so the music emanates 360 degrees around itself all the while being able to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of your new freshly planted flowers. We’re all familiar with speakers that are disguised as rocks and boulders but did you know they make subwoofers too? This helps to reinforce bass in open environments.  

To create a beautiful backyard one needs to make it beautiful for everyone including your neighbors. Making it beautiful for your neighbors means not bringing attention, at least not to the sound levels. This has nothing to do with whether they enjoy Jimmy Hendricks or Iron Maiden as much as you might. This has only to do with designing your outdoor acoustic environment so that it serves you as best as possible without spilling over to your unyielding neighbor. Again, specific mission-specific speakers along with a well-laid plan will provide music where you want it to be.  

Keeping sound low to the ground allows a fence to do more than provide visual privacy, it also helps to block sound from transferring over. Speakers placed high in the eves are usually higher than the fence line and allow music to pass over. Rock speakers do well for this purpose. Small to modest sized areas work great with rock speakers. But placing speakers low does not provide good casting out characteristics for speakers that need to sound out over a distance like in field. Boxed, weather resistant speakers do best for this application. Placing these under a home’s eves but not tucked too high best serves to cast out music.  

The exterior wall helps to reflect sound. Tucking the speaker high to the eve/roof line utilizes the eve to block high and mid frequencies to the neighbors but does nothing to reduce bass levels. If you’re trying to service the area near the base of the walls and you can’t find a rock speaker to perfectly match your décor then this placement will work perfect for your application.  

To create a beautiful music backyard it needs to last. Do you or a friend have an outdoor music system that has lost its vibrant, clear sound? Does it sound muddled? Chances are rust or corrosion has gotten to the system. Moisture can travel over the copper wires several feet. It usually does not get in through the burial grade jacketing. If it gets in at the connectors it can travel between the wire and jacketing six feet or more. Proper weather resistant connectors and junction boxes would have solved this. Either way a solid, well thought out Outdoor acoustic plan always helps to keep your budget in check and build value into the plan.

For more information contact HI-DEF Audio Video, 1610 Monterey Road, San Jose, (408) 887-4479; store hours are Monday-Saturday, 9-6, closed Sunday.