Thoughts/advice on setting up OUTDOOR audio What do YOU do?

[lithnights]

I have my current home theatre setup in my family room which I use for movies and music. I have a 1015 receiver, R, L, C, and 2 surround speakers, sub, etc. I want to have music for my deck.. which is directly accessible from my family room.

Thus my question is, how do most people set up outdoor audio?
Do they..

1) Just run some speaker wire from SPEAKER B connection on their receiver through the wall and outside to outdoor speakers, switch receiver to SPEAKER B when they are outside and just use their existing system?

2) Buy a separate receiver, cd player, and sub and keep it weatherproofed outside during the nice weather months then bring it in in the winter? (I live in Philadelphia, where winters can get pretty cold and summers pretty hot.)

3) Just buy a cheapy boombox which they bring in and out depending on the weather?

4) Other setups?

I don't need great sound outside like I have inside, but my current little boombox I have outside just doesn't cut it.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Reorx]

I think it depends on your budget.
I have seen 1-3 done.

#4 Other setup:
Personally, I'd use the zone 2 speaker outputs on your receiver, buy a 2 channel amp, and some weather proof speakers.

I am in the process of doing this in my master bathroom.

I've seen some weather proof speaker recomendations in the loudspeaker section. You can do a search and find them pretty quickly.

Reorx

 

[eirepaul]

I do something similar to your Item 1). However, I have a Denon 3805 which has separate assignable amps for channels 6 and 7. In the summer, I assign those amps to Zone 2 (my covered deck) and run a 5-channel set up in my listening room. In the winter, I assign those amps back to channels 6 and 7 in the living room and bring my Paradigm Micros inside. It works great because I can have different sources going in each zone at the same time.

What is a 1015? Does it have assignable amps?

 

[lithnights]

I do something similar to your Item 1). However, I have a Denon 3805 which has separate assignable amps for channels 6 and 7. In the summer, I assign those amps to Zone 2 (my covered deck) and run a 5-channel set up in my listening room. In the winter, I assign those amps back to channels 6 and 7 in the living room and bring my Paradigm Micros inside. It works great because I can have different sources going in each zone at the same time.

What is a 1015? Does it have assignable amps?

Pioneer 1015 receiver. Not sure about assignable amps. I just got it weeks ago.. I will look

So how do you control the volume, cd etc. when sitting outside?

I'm not familiar with amps and what they do. I guess I'll have to do some research before bombarding you all with questions.

 

[Reorx]

I took it as a Pioneer VSX-1015TX
Link

Amplifier : one that amplifies; specifically : an electronic device (as in a computer or sound-reproducing system) for amplifying voltage, current, or power.

Zone 2 on receivers are mostly sending just the signal. So a amp is needed to boost it, and provide the power to drive the speakers. There is more to it then that, but I'm keeping it simple.

 

[lithnights]

I took it as a Pioneer VSX-1015TX
Link

Amplifier : one that amplifies; specifically : an electronic device (as in a computer or sound-reproducing system) for amplifying voltage, current, or power.

Zone 2 on receivers are mostly sending just the signal. So a amp is needed to boost it, and provide the power to drive the speakers. There is more to it then that, but I'm keeping it simple.

OK, that makes sense. Thus I would still be controlling volume, the tuner, the input selection (CD or radio) etc. from my receiver?

 

[Reorx]

Yes.
From looking at the back of your receiver. It looks like you do not have any pre-outs. Your back surround is also your B in your A/B. With that being said, it looks like initially, you won't need a amp.

So, you could easily do option #1.
But whatever plays inside, will be what's playing outside.

 

[lithnights]

Yes.
From looking at the back of your receiver. It looks like you do not have any pre-outs. Your back surround is also your B in your A/B. With that being said, it looks like initially, you won't need a amp.

So, you could easily do option #1.
But whatever plays inside, will be what's playing outside.

I thought that one could just select SPEAKERS A or SPEAKERS B on the receiver and that is where the sound would come out of?

I don't have any back surround speakers.

 

[Hanse18]

I took it as a Pioneer VSX-1015TX
Link

Amplifier : one that amplifies; specifically : an electronic device (as in a computer or sound-reproducing system) for amplifying voltage, current, or power.

Zone 2 on receivers are mostly sending just the signal. So a amp is needed to boost it, and provide the power to drive the speakers. There is more to it then that, but I'm keeping it simple.

I have never seen a receiver that supports zone 2 but only has preouts for said zone and no assignable amps. I'm not saying you're wrong, but even my pioneer VSX-453 (at least 10 years old i beieve) has a zone 2 with amps. All 50 watts of it or whatever. My point being that unless he has 7.1, and the outdoor speakers aren't rated at like 86 db, he shouldn't need a seperate amp unless he needs to provide music for the entire neighborhood.

I (sadly) have some outdoor bose speakers (hey, i got an entire lifestyle 25 system for free, so leave me alone) mounted directly above a hot tub, in minnesota, and I leave them out all year long. 2 years and still going strong, and I can hear the speakers from the bottom of a gorge, full of trees, that is about 150 yeards from the speakers, and they are running off of my pioneer vsx-453, with almost no wattage. So philly weather shouldn't be a problem, unless your speakers would reside in worse conditions than mine. I don't recommend the bose speakers though, better ones can be found for less money.

Many new receivers have the capability to accept 2 different audio inputs, so u could be playing different stuff on zone b than in zone a. Can't comment on your particular receiver, but the feature is starting to filter down into some of the cheaper receivers I believe.

 

[Reorx]

Hanse18,
See the later post. I corrected myself, after looking into things more deeply.
A seperate amp won't be needed unless the outdoor speakers are very inefficient.

lithnights,
Yes your right

one could just select SPEAKERS A or SPEAKERS B on the receiver and that is where the sound would come out of

.
I worded my response funny.

I don't have any back surround speakers.

I was talking about on the back of your receiver. The binding posts are labeled 'Surround Back / B'.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have my current home theatre setup in my family room which I use for movies and music. I have a 1015 receiver, R, L, C, and 2 surround speakers, sub, etc. I want to have music for my deck.. which is directly accessible from my family room.

Thus my question is, how do most people set up outdoor audio?
Do they..

1) Just run some speaker wire from SPEAKER B connection on their receiver through the wall and outside to outdoor speakers, switch receiver to SPEAKER B when they are outside and just use their existing system?

2) Buy a separate receiver, cd player, and sub and keep it weatherproofed outside during the nice weather months then bring it in in the winter? (I live in Philadelphia, where winters can get pretty cold and summers pretty hot.)

3) Just buy a cheapy boombox which they bring in and out depending on the weather?

4) Other setups?

I don't need great sound outside like I have inside, but my current little boombox I have outside just doesn't cut it.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

There are several solutions to your enigma
You could run speaker wires from speaker B, or a zone 2 capable receiver, use an outdoor speaker up under the soffit area.
Or, you can certainly buy an inexpensive boombox with a CD player and you are set with no remodeling, and it can be used elsewhere as well
I would think your habits on outdoor usage would have an impact. If you are constantly out there and want music, perhaps a fixed speaker/s set up to the receiver is a good solution. Infrequent outdoor usage, I would go for the boombox solution, no remodel, no headaches.