Recently, we met with a client who asked, “What’s the best way to add music to my backyard?” First, we asked three pertinent questions: What is your current backyard layout? What would be the allowable placement or positioning of the speaker system? What is your ultimate goal for the quality and performance of the system? Once we had those answers, we were able to come up with three solutions—Good, Better and Best—for their particular space.
Good:
The first solution, and the most affordable, is the “All-Weather” outdoor speaker facing into the backyard space. These speakers start as low as $200 per pair and can go up from there. This is a simple, no-nonsense approach to adding sound on a small patio or under the eaves of a home.
Better:
A better solution is an outdoor “rock” style speaker. These speakers are typically placed in the back of the yard (along an exterior fence) facing toward the house. This solution aims the sound toward the house. This is a better placement because it not only allows for more direction of the sound, it is also less obtrusive to the neighbors in most cases.
Best:
The optimal solution is a dedicated outdoor speaker system. These systems range from 2.1 systems (two speakers and a dedicated subwoofer) to multiple speakers and multiple subwoofers, depending on the size and layout of the backyard. Ultimate backyard music systems utilize multiple speakers for the best coverage and incorporate subwoofers that can be either in-ground or xeriscape applications. More speakers equal better coverage with less volume, which also means the least intrusion for the neighbors if designed properly.
Speakers are ultimately what reproduce the sound and therefore are the most important part of the system. If budget is an issue, we would recommend that you spend your money on the speakers and sacrifice on amplification. If budget is not an issue, the rule of thumb is the more watts the better, especially when you want to fill the great outdoors with sound. With proper design and implementation, great outdoor sound can be found in a simple solution for anyone’s backyard.
