Creating An Outdoor Soundscape At Your Place
Summer is nearly here; well it was a few days back. So, it’s time to lift the lid off the BBQ and clean the mold off, get the outdoor furniture out and clean the deck from its long few months of winter hibernation.
All the hard work is done, sit back and take a look around. If you’ve got a nice backyard, a beautiful deck, or a stunning bach, then creating an effective outdoor soundscape can maximize what you can do with that space. You could take any old speaker outside and get the music going, but most outdoor spaces aren’t speaker-friendly, and most speakers aren’t outdoor-friendly. Like most people, you can take that wireless speaker outside and plonk it on the table. Hey presto outdoor sounds… umm ok, maybe not.
Making an investment into the some of the best outdoor speakers makes a lot of sense, especially in New Zealand as we live outside so much over summer.
Using our extensive knowledge and some market insights, we have listed some key points to consider. These highlight 6 key features you should consider from an outdoor soundscape that is built to give you access to your music (or movies) in your backyard or on your deck or at the bach.
#1. CAN IT WITHSTAND THE ELEMENTS – NEW ZEALAND’S OUTDOORS ARE HARSH PLACES
Outdoor speakers are designed to withstand what the weather can throw at them, that’s why they are called outdoor speakers. Although no speaker is completely weatherproof, many can handle a light rain shower, or some temperature extremes and while being placed in a spot that provides a great sound.
That way you can have music and sound in your backyard all year long, making your space more enjoyable.
#2. THEY CUT THROUGH THE WEATHER – WE HAVE 5 SEASONS IN ONE DAY SOMETIMES
Have you ever tried to listen to a favourite song outside on a small wireless speaker while the wind is blowing from the SW? You could stand and few feet away from your speaker and struggle to sing along with the melody if you were using a standard speaker. Worst part is, you are singing along with the melody on ZM, but the neighbours are only hearing you… screeching cats anyone?
Outdoor speakers that are installed correctly to minimise this affect, are designed to cut through the gusts of wind that blow, background sounds that could interfere with the music, and limit the echo that tends to occur when using a speaker outside.
#3. THEY CAN WORK WITH YOUR LANDSCAPING – CREATE A SOUNDSCAPE
A big indoor speaker that is used outside can look like an eyesore; it’s not made to be there. It makes a statement with its presence and that isn’t what every party or gathering needs.
The leading outdoor speakers today are designed to work with your landscaping design and be part of the design. They can be rocks, hang from the ceiling or canopy, subs placed underground amongst a garden are or any number of options that work with your space.
The modern outdoor speaker works with your space and the design of the area instead of forcing you to work around it.
#4. THEY INCORPORATE MODERN TECHNOLOGIES – DESIGNED FOR PURPOSE
The range of outdoor speakers and technologies is growing each day as the world’s leading brands recognise the importance of the outdoor space.
Outdoor speakers can be paired with Bluetooth devices, so you can have portable music play. While some speakers are designed to float and have an increased water-resistance so they can be used in a swimming pool. We even have a range designed to be placed in your pool, so you can hear music while swimming…wow!
They are subtle in design, convenient, durable, and still play a high-quality sound thanks to the incorporation of modern technologies developed by the outdoor speaker brands.
#5. THEY OFFER SIMPLICITY – BACKGROUND OR CONCERT, YOUR CHOICE
Instead of blasting your “inside” sound so you can hear it outside from in the lounge, the leading outdoor speakers give you simplicity, affordability and most importantly flexibility.
With the addition of multi-room sound management, you can now control the levels of sound through your house, and then onto the outdoor area, and it’s so simple.
The perfect placement for the outdoor speaker is so they are in the background of your space, waiting to be used whenever you want to have some music or sound available to you.
#6. CONNECT THEM TO MULTIPLE DEVICES – ADDING VISUAL CONTENT
Some of our clients go one step further and look to install a TV or projector to create an outdoor entertainment space. This is when the outdoor speakers become multi-functional and connect to projectors and other technologies that let you watch movies in your backyard. Perhaps use them to play video games outside on a big screen or via projection.
Whether wired or wireless, you can have a system designed that meets your needs rather effectively, but it is important to ensure you cover this off in your brief, even if it is a future idea so that any install is future-proofed.
SO TO SUM THIS ALL UP – WHAT DO YOU DO?
With the technology on hand these days, AV is becoming more and more entwined with IT and networks. Your broadband speed is becoming more and more important as we, the consumers of visual or sound content, are streaming that content more and more.
So, when thinking of the outdoor space, it’s just as important as the internal spaces to really understand what you want from it and then work backwards to a technical solution with the support of an AV partner like Rapallo.
Don’t get caught up in all the technology. When you brief an AV agency, talk about how you envisage using the space, who will be there and what you will be doing. But the overriding factor in all this is whatever you do or get someone to install, it must be functional, easy to use and really work with your lifestyle and your outdoor space.
World-class audio and amazing convenience are waiting just for you. The time to invest in this technology is now.
Source: Outdoor Sound / Q-Acoustics / Klipsch / Epson / Rapallo
