For some, outdoor AV provides a seasonal boon where spring through summer customers buy systems to help enjoy their yards even more. For those in warmer climates, it is a year-round business. Without a doubt, it is a growing source of revenue for custom installers, and manufacturers are doing their part to provide sturdy, high-quality components to entice even more people to perk up their patios.
Here is a brief look at some of the technology that is helping to make the outdoors great.
Coastal Source 3-Way Ellipse Bollards
The Coastal Source 3-way Ellipse Bollard is a in-/above-ground bi-amplified full-range speaker with an 8-inch subwoofer. It is designed for use in direct burial applications where directional sound is desired. It has a large driver area that allows it to be a full-range speaker. It features installation flexibility for above-ground or in-ground applications. The Bollard features materials and construction built to defy the elements. It is built to be part of a complete patented Coastal Source Plug+Play system or can be integrated into existing systems.
James Loudspeaker 159AT70 Biamped System
The James Loudspeaker 159AT70 biamped system is formulated to provide maximum coverage within a large area. The 159AT70 features eight 62AT70 satellite speakers, one 151ST70 subwoofer, one M1000 amplifier, and one CDi 2600 amplifier.
The 62AT70 landscape speakers feature a coaxially mounted 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter design over a proprietary high-excursion 6-inch woofer, with a built-in crossover network and 100W/70V transformers. These outdoor speakers maintain a frequency response of 70-20 kHz. The 62AT70 speakers are powered by a CDi 2600 amplifier providing 600 watts @ 70 V per channel and features built-in DSP for crossovers and equalization if required.
The 151ST70 landscape subwoofer features a proprietary high excursion 15-inch aluminum driver mounted within a fully sealed aluminum band-pass enclosure. Engineered for direct burial placement, you can install up to four of these subwoofers on a single run of 14/4 speaker wire when paired with James’s M1000 DSP amplifier.
KEF Ventura 6 Outdoor All-Weather Loudspeaker Pair
The Ventura 6 is the largest of the KEF Ventura outdoor speaker series and is designed for medium-to-large sized outdoor listening areas, or for those looking for more than mid-level background music. Weatherproof, IP65 certified, and salt spray tested, marine-quality Ventura Series outdoor models can operate even in extreme atmospheric conditions. Features include an operating temperature range of –40 to +158 F; aluminium grille and mounting bracket, ¼-inch-20 threaded inserts for mounting options; and stainless steel/brass hardware. Frequency range is 54 Hz–20 kHz.
Klipsch Landscape speakers
Klipsch Landscape speakers are designed to work in a residential backyard or in an outdoor 70 V or 100 V commercial application. The Klipsch Pro-650T-LS landscape satellite speaker includes a 6.5-inch IMG woofer, Tractrix horn-loaded 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter, and a 105-degree horizontal dispersion pattern. It also features all-weather durability.
MSE Audio Rockustics SquareRoot 6.5 Coaxial Planter Speaker
The Rockustics SquareRoot 6.5 is a two-way outdoor loudspeaker with a 17-inch x 17-inch wide planter designed to accommodate live plants and features weep holes to allow for drainage. Featuring a 6.5-inch polypropylene woofer and a 0.75-inch mylar dome tweeter, the SquareRoot 6.5 is designed to provide a full 360-degrees of omnidirectional audio coverage. The SquareRoot 6.5 boasts a 4-ohm impedance, 89 dB sensitivity at 2.83 W/1 M, and a frequency response of 65 Hz to 19 kHz (–10 dB). Constructed with rotation-molded, UV-stable polyethylene, the SquareRoot 6.5 is built to withstand rain, frost, snow and ice.
The Rockustics SquareRoot 6.5 features structural and acoustical similarities to the round OmniPlanters from Rockustics — just available in a new square shape. The SquareRoot 6.5 is available in Gray Granite and Terra Cotta. For use in commercial applications, the SquareRoot 6.5 can be paired with an optional 64-watt transformer.
SnapAV Episode Terrain Landscape System
SnapAV’s Episode Terrain includes four 4-inch satellite speakers and an 8-inch burial subwoofer, and is designed to work with a standard multi-channel or 2-channel amplifier. Terrain features a wire management system that allows installers to hammer the stake in the ground, then run and hide the wires within the stake. Once wiring is complete, they can use the quick connect system to attach the head of the speaker. This prevents wires from twisting and allows for easy access if they ever need to service the speaker.
Terrain satellite speakers are crafted with a high-strength ABS + Glass enclosure, polypropylene cone woofer, and aluminum dome tweeter. Episode Terrain begins as a 4.1 system, but can easily be expanded to fit larger outdoor environments. Dealers have the option to purchase two additional satellite speakers or an additional subwoofer, so they can build a custom solution with up to 3000-square-feet of coverage.
SpeakerCraft Terrazza Series Landscape Speaker System
Consisting of four SpeakerCraft Landscape Satellite Speakers and either a traditional in-ground subwoofer or an above-ground Hardscape subwoofer, the Terrazza Series Landscape multi-speaker solution allows dealers to create a 360-degree outdoor sound experience.
Designed for installations in which in-ground installation isn’t possible, the SpeakerCraft 8-inch Hardscape subwoofer features an ultra-waterproof rotational molded Polyethylene enclosure and a high-excursion 8-inch DVC woofer with rubber surround. Equipped with a 1m burial-rated speaker wire, silicone-filled wire nuts, a rust-resistant aluminum grille, and a key-way mounting to secure to the hardscape surface fastening points (with optional tent stakes), the subwoofer is both sturdy and secure.
For installations that allow for in-ground installation, the traditional 8-inch SpeakerCraft Burial subwoofer also leverages an ultra-waterproof rotational molded Polyethylene enclosure and a high-excursion 8-inch DVC woofer with rubber surround, and allows for 2nd order crossover on both channels.
Either the Hardscape subwoofer or Burial subwoofer comes paired with four Landscape Satellite Speakers to create a Terrazza Series Landscape System.
SunBriteTV Veranda Series Outdoor Televisions
SunBriteTV has re-engineered its Veranda Series of outdoor televisions to offer better image quality, expanded control and audio options, and a new sleeker design. The upgrades include full HDR support, a significantly brighter screen, IP control, and plug-and-play compatibility for SunBrite outdoor soundbars. Like the original Veranda series, the new line is weatherproof, comes with a premium direct-lit 4K UHD screen and is designed for permanent outdoor installation in full-shade areas.
Perhaps the most significant enhancement is the addition of HDR. With a brighter 400-nit screen, Veranda is now up to 50 percent brighter than many indoor televisions, and 30 percent brighter than its predecessor. SunBrite also offers complete IP control, making it easy to add Veranda to the rest of the system. Veranda’s built-in amplifier and plug-and-play compatibility simplifies the process of adding a SunBrite outdoor soundbar.
The new Veranda also has a sleeker, more contemporary look, with thinner bezels across all screen sizes and a smooth metallic-black finish. All Veranda Series TVs include a weatherproof media bay to house most popular streaming devices and support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, ensuring compatibility with 4K content sources.
Terra Packages LS 10
Part of the LuminSound series, the Terra Packages LS 10 is 10-inches tall and tapers from a maximum of 7 inches in diameter. The LS 10 contains a 5.25-inch ACAD coaxial driver in a totally weather-tight enclosure. The driver is mounted at a 35-degree uptilt to ensure proper sound coverage even though the LS 10 will most often be mounted at ground level. Available in Black or Green, the LS.10 will visually blend well within landscaping and in combination LS 32/LS 10 systems.
Installation is performed using the included stakes, while 70-volt and 8-ohm operation means easier integration into most types of distributed audio systems.
