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Critique my outdoor system plan

Milt

Milt

Active Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
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184
I have a deck on my house.
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I prize the limited months I can relaxing outside and enjoy the killer weather.
Looking for simplicity while providing decent performance.
Config: All-in-one source, 2 speakers, powered sub.
Components: Onkyo Y-50, Ascilab C6B, SVS 3000\R sub.
Researched WiiM Ultra & Eversolo Play. Onkyo choice based on ability to drive C6Bs & sub capability.

I do have adequate wifi streaming capability with multiGb mesh network but prefer HD storage for playback in this application.
Good, bad, ugly? Don't care about overkill.
 
I'm sure the system is great, but does dew form overnight where you are?
 
I would consider covers for when you are not listening. I would be concerned with humidity cycles on wood cabinets.

The outdoor environment compared to a room needs more power and needs to move more air. It will benefit from "room correction EQ" plus additional subjective correction. You have the deck as a floor and usually the wall of the house as the room.

Dirac Live on the Onkyo may help with "room correction EQ" but I'm not familiar with that interface to do subjective tuning after that.

I would take your existing speakers out on the deck with the NIOSH sound level meter and measure the desired listening level at the listening position and at 1 meter. It is a good opportunity to study your noise floor different times of the day.

The 1 meter measurement can will tell you the sensitivity of the passive speaker required. Speakers with a horn for the tweeter will be much more efficient in DB at 1 meter and 1 Watt. If you want to experiment with a calibrated microphone and REW on your deck, this is an opportunity.

The Ascilab speakers are great, but may not support your desired listening level. Outdoor bass takes a lot of power which is why you see large subwoofers with their amplifier racks at outdoor events.
 
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I’ll echo all the other concerns about the environment and its impact on the equipment. I’d go with something built to stand up to moisture. Likely not what you’re after, but I have a pair of Sonos 5’s mounted under the roof of my gazebo. I’d love for them to be at ear level, but we have torrential rainstorms here with driving winds. They 5’s are spec’d for damp conditions, and with where I have them that works. I just want good sound outside, doesn’t have to be great, just good.
 
For outdoor systems, I either position speakers just above my back porch slab from the sunroom above. Some speakers work better than others for this so they project directly out of the narrow windows - currently using some KEF Q series. A week ago, I set up a summertime garage system that can project OUT to the yard from the left side door (other direction than the porch) with a cobbled group of components (Aiyima amp, some Bose 201 V speakers, and my WiiM Mini - that very impressively can pull WiFi from the upstairs router behind brick walls about 70' away from it!).

Both of these create nice outdoor sound and are completely shielded from the elements. And I can control either setup from iPhone with Spotify Connect.
 
In addition to the Sonos 5's I have a pair of Bose outdoor speakers that came with the house. I have them powered by a Sonos amp. They actually sound pretty goo. Those speakers are pointed towards the pool and fire pit. I can stream with Roon to both sets of speakers simultaneously. Works great.
 
No will not be leaving them outside overnight regardless of the forecast.
Lived here too long for that.
Basically 6ft from the deck sliders.
May take them to the front lawn as well.
I really like listening to music outdoors
 
MORE BARN!!!
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to me outdoor systems are like car systems. they just have to be good enough. and yours looks much better than 95 percentile.
 
It's certainly a good bang for the buck equipment list. If I lived inland and it were dry or covered, I might do it.
 
pablolie said:
to me outdoor systems are like car systems. they just have to be good enough. and yours looks much better than 95 percentile.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my approach as well. I have a pair of EV S40s on the deck under the eaves that I leave out all winter in Michigan. They're designed for outdoor use, and when I used to work in theatre they were flat enough to use in the presence of live mics without feedback. Don't expect thundering bass, but good enough and you can set and forget.

Think "picnic wine" - that $12 rose' will do just fine thankyouverymuch.
 
Promising suggestion for static install, not available til April 2027
 
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