The kids are home for the holidays, the lawn is mowed and neat, and your BBQ is fired up ready for endless outdoor parties. You are ready for summer! The warm weather gives us many reasons to spend time in the outdoors, whether it’s to enjoy quality time with family, settle down with a nice read, or chill on the swinging bed. So, why don’t you add your Sonos speakers into the mix as well? There’s nothing more relaxing than spending time outdoors as you listen to your favorite tunes.
Plenty of speakers can help you take your tunes outside, and they don’t even have to be specially designed for outdoor use. However, to enjoy quality sound in the outdoor, you have to set them up correctly. You can also check Portable Sound Pros for more ideal outdoor audio portable sound system.
Below is a quick guide to Sonos outdoor speakers that will help you achieve high-quality sound on your yard.
1.Choose a Suitable Location
Most speakers that are not specially manufactured for use outside may be affected by extreme weather conditions. The high temperatures and moisture from summer rains can damage your speakers and ruin your chances of enjoying high-quality sound. Therefore, the most critical step is to choose a suitable placement location. Don’t place speakers out in the open where they will succumb to the scorching heat and moisture. You can mount them on your roofed patio to protect them from the elements. If your patio isn’t roofed, invest in speaker covers or install an awning to keep out the moisture and the direct sunlight.
2.Mind the Distance
The distance between the speakers and the ground will affect the quality of sound projected. Ideally, the higher you mount the speakers, the further they will project the sound. However, the result will be thinning which will ultimately affect the quality. While you don’t want to have the speakers at ground level, avoid installing them very high. Aim to have the speakers below ten feet from the ground. Any distance beyond that may result in low-quality sound. Test the speakers as you install to hear at what level they produce the most balanced sound.
3.Point the Speakers Downwards
The positioning of your speakers plays a critical role in determining the sound quality. If the speakers are facing upwards, the sound will disperse into the atmosphere. As you mount your speakers, tilt them downwards a little so that they are facing the patio or yard. This positioning will promote better staging and focus, and improve the quality of the sound. You can test different tilted angles to determine the one that produces the best sound.
4.Test the Speakers
Outdoor spaces are designed differently, and this can affect the quality of sound produced by your Sonos speakers. You may have a large patio area, a pool, and a barbeque spot at one corner. If you want to enjoy your tunes from all these spots, you have to position your speakers differently from someone who only wants to hear the music from their patio. Therefore, before you drill holes into your patio wall, test the speakers first and ensure that you get quality sound from all your desired spots. Once this is done, you can proceed to install the speakers permanently.
5.Invest in an Amplifier
An amplifier is a must have if you want quality bass in your yard. When speakers are used outdoors, they project sound to an open space, which is different from the interior of the house. You need a device that will support the speakers and enhance their bass output in the outdoor area. Amplifiers power the outdoor sound speakers and improve their bass output and overall sound so that you can enjoy quality tunes like you would while inside the house. As you go shopping, ensure that you invest in a quality amplifier. A good rule of the thumb is to get an amplifier that can deliver power equal to twice the speaker’s program rating.
6.Balance the Volume
Striking the perfect balance between speakers and volume is key to achieving high-quality sound from your Sonos speakers. One mistake that many people make when using speakers in the yard is installing one or two speakers and turning up the volume. What this does is that it creates an annoying sound rather than a relaxing one. Anyone sitting near the speaker will find the noise unbearable. Instead of mounting one noisy speaker, install several speakers outside ad balance their volume. Three or four speakers with average sound will produce quality, balanced, and appealing sound.
Listen to your favorite tunes as you enjoy the outdoor weather is one of the beautiful pleasures of life. Follow these tips when installing your Sonos speakers to ensure that they produce a high-quality and balanced sound. It may take a while to find your sweet spot; therefore, test the speakers before installing them permanently. Also, remember to provide coverage from the elements, especially during hot afternoons and rainy days.