Need Advice on Selecting Outdoor Speakers for Dual-Patio Setup

[TheRealOC]

Evening all!

I'm currently at the final stages of our house build, and am just looking for some advice on selecting outdoors speakers. Our home is going to have two patios, each connected to the east-facing gable ends of two separate buildings (3D render attached).

I'm looking to install a pair of speakers (left and right) for each patio. We've already run the QED speaker cable, and here's the configurations we're working with. Each will have its own set of stereo speakers, with cables for each pair running back to a central location where I plan to have amplifiers in the future. You can see the cables sticking out over the double doors on the back patio, and over the picture window where the front patio will be.

Both patios are outdoors and exposed to the elements, though they may be partially covered in the future. The speakers would be used for casual listening, gatherings with friends etc, so I'm looking for speakers that provided clear, balanced down and hopefully blend well with the house. Also (not sure if this is relevant for speaker choice but...) each cable runs back to the A/V rack room individually so we could do a multi-zone audio setup for the two patios, but in practice, I think they are close enough together so that they'll probably always be used as a single zone.

Could anyone recommend speakers that would be suitable for this setup? Thanks in advance as always

 

[TLS Guy]

Evening all!

I'm currently at the final stages of our house build, and am just looking for some advice on selecting outdoors speakers. Our home is going to have two patios, each connected to the east-facing gable ends of two separate buildings (3D render attached).

View attachment 64060

I'm looking to install a pair of speakers (left and right) for each patio. We've already run the QED speaker cable, and here's the configurations we're working with. Each will have its own set of stereo speakers, with cables for each pair running back to a central location where I plan to have amplifiers in the future. You can see the cables sticking out over the double doors on the back patio, and over the picture window where the front patio will be.

View attachment 64061View attachment 64062

Both patios are outdoors and exposed to the elements, though they may be partially covered in the future. The speakers would be used for casual listening, gatherings with friends etc, so I'm looking for speakers that provided clear, balanced down and hopefully blend well with the house. Also (not sure if this is relevant for speaker choice but...) each cable runs back to the A/V rack room individually so we could do a multi-zone audio setup for the two patios, but in practice, I think they are close enough together so that they'll probably always be used as a single zone.

Could anyone recommend speakers that would be suitable for this setup? Thanks in advance as always

Very small ones so you don't annoy the neighbors next door. 2" speakers max!

 

[Eppie]

LOL.... I'm not a fan of noisy neighbours either but these are fully weather proof:
OSD Audio AP650

 

[lovinthehd]

Altho mine aren't in direct weather like yours would be (my eaves are closer to the speakers and much wider), mine have been in service for I think 9 years now? These sound good and are relatively inexpensive. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-IO655WT-6-1-2-2-Way-70V-Indoor-Outdoor-Speaker-310-014?quantity=1

 

[Eppie]

Altho mine aren't in direct weather like yours would be (my eaves are closer to the speakers and much wider), mine have been in service for I think 9 years now? These sound good and are relatively inexpensive. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-IO655WT-6-1-2-2-Way-70V-Indoor-Outdoor-Speaker-310-014?quantity=1

But those are 70V which require a distribution amplifier. From the original post I got the impression the op has just two pairs of outdoor speakers and will run them off of regular amps with the possibility of separate zones. If the op combines the 4 speakers into one zone then 70V could make sense to future proof for the addition of more speakers later.

 

[highfigh]

But those are 70V which require a distribution amplifier. From the original post I got the impression the op has just two pairs of outdoor speakers and will run them off of regular amps with the possibility of separate zones. If the op combines the 4 speakers into one zone then 70V could make sense to future proof for the addition of more speakers later.

Both speakers have a switch that allows 70V power taps and 8 Ohm operation.

In any case, I would set the distributed audio for mono operation, rather than stereo.

 

[lovinthehd]

But those are 70V which require a distribution amplifier. From the original post I got the impression the op has just two pairs of outdoor speakers and will run them off of regular amps with the possibility of separate zones. If the op combines the 4 speakers into one zone then 70V could make sense to future proof for the addition of more speakers later.

As the ad says "Works in 70V systems or as an 8 ohm speaker." Mine is actually an older version without the 70V option,. tho.

 

[Eppie]

As the ad says "Works in 70V systems or as an 8 ohm speaker." Mine is actually an older version without the 70V option,. tho.

Sorry, too busy at work to read the whole description. I need a holiday!

 

[lovinthehd]

Sorry, too busy at work to read the whole description. I need a holiday!

Work? Damn glad I haven't had to deal with that in ages (well, except the voluntary kind)

 

[highfigh]

But those are 70V which require a distribution amplifier. From the original post I got the impression the op has just two pairs of outdoor speakers and will run them off of regular amps with the possibility of separate zones. If the op combines the 4 speakers into one zone then 70V could make sense to future proof for the addition of more speakers later.

8 Ohm speakers in numbers higher than a couple of pairs require some way to distribute the signal too, in some way other than an impedance maintainer or selector switch. Those are fine for low power, but for better results in either case, a multi-channel amplifier should be used because even if the power amp is capable of 200W/ch, a 6 pair selector with/without volume controls can only deliver 200/6, or about 33W/ch, at best and it won't be that much because of losses in the selector as well as the fact that the amp can't survive being run at WOT at all times.

I have used Dayton amplifiers from Parts Express several times- they're basically the same as the other brands and they can be used in stereo, pairs of channels can be bridged, they have two sets of jacks labeled Bus1 and Bus 2 as well as a pair for each channel if different source material is sent to each pair, as its own zone. I have also used pairs of channels in bridge mode for outdoor speakers (with a volume control that can handle two pairs) and for subwoofers when the system has a dedicated subwoofer out, whether it's an AVR, stereo receiver (usually residential) or small PA system with equalizer that has this (fitness facility).

Even 70V systems have limitations- the amp isn't supposed to see the total power tap settings at more than 80% of the amp's output power because, after all, it's about the current causing excessive heat in the amplifier. A 100W 70V amp with 8 speakers? 10W per speaker, max.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

Altho mine aren't in direct weather like yours would be (my eaves are closer to the speakers and much wider), mine have been in service for I think 9 years now? These sound good and are relatively inexpensive. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-IO655WT-6-1-2-2-Way-70V-Indoor-Outdoor-Speaker-310-014?quantity=1

I have 2 pair of these too. However, I see they have DOUBLED!!! in price. I used to get them for $76 a pair. They do sound great too.