Think about walking around the pool and outdoor dining areas of a luxury resort. The music is always with you, and the volume is at a reasonable level. Therefore, designing an optimum outdoor sound system requires more thought than just placing a few speakers around your backyard. The proper design begins with a clear understanding of the project plans and optimal use of the space.
The example system was based on a recently completed system where the areas of this backyard were previously designed with a large built-in pool, pool house, basketball court and a fire pit area. One side of the pool was opened to a flat grassy area with no ground cover or landscaping. The other side provided a short retaining wall and a planting area that went the length of the pool. The satellite speakers were placed in the plantings. A direct burial subterranean subwoofer was planted in the beds to provide a complete outdoor audio system. The pool house had a pair of speakers carefully located in the pergola to extend the sound around the pool or to provide local sound for when the pool was not in use. The basketball/tennis court had a similar system installed. A direct burial subwoofer was planted near the court fence and speakers were applied along the perimeter of the fence surrounding the basketball/tennis court. The fire pit was a much smaller, more intimate space, so a pair of full-range speakers that looked like landscape light fixtures were used.
This property required an extensive amount of underground conduit to be installed in the backyard. Conduit for electrical, pool, security, CCTV and music all had to be integrated into the property. Our plans called for 2” conduit to be run from the AV headend room in the main house out to the respective areas. The 2” conduits terminated in medium sized direct burial enclosures placed near plantings so they were not visible to most people. The enclosures allowed the 2” conduit to be broken down into smaller flexible conduits or direct burial wires and out to the speakers. The 2” conduits were installed by the site electrician and coordinated with the builder.The music system was controlled from a control panel in the pool house and from any control panel in the main house. The sound was balanced via the matrix audio preamplifier that was used as part of the main house music system.
Control of the audio system will be designed around easy-to-use touch panels and wireless controls. The wireless tablet has allowed EDG to design more robust systems because of their user acceptance.
Outdoor is one of the most desirable AV systems for the home. This design allows you to experience a fantastic visual and audio experience while enjoying the great outdoors. Our outdoor theater designs incorporate a large panel-type Outdoor TV that drops down from the ceiling, is fixed on a wall, or pops up out of a piece of furniture.
Speakers are strategically placed for the best performance while still catering to the aesthetic characteristics of the space. Speakers can be placed in the ceiling so they are safe from the elements. Subwoofers can be placed in the ceiling as well. Equipment shall be located in a pull-out rack of equipment or in a remote location.
