Genelec for outdoor/no walls scenario? (15m range, 120degree spread, small crowd)

[pmrogers-aus]

Hi All, I am contemplating Genelec for our pool cabana area. Yes, it is a complete mis-alignment of tool for the job, but I have an established love of Genelec, using 8341s + 7360 in my studio, and 8020D's + 7050C in my garage car and woodworking project space. After trying a couple of 'high end' B&O and B&W bluetooth speaker options, followed by JBL and Electro Voice PA options, none of these hold a candle (for my taste) to Genelec SQ. I briefly moved the 8020s+7050 out to the pool area and found them to be significantly better on overall quality than any of the other systems I've tried, if a bit constrained on SPL at 7m+ listening distance.

My current thinking is that I don't need SAM since there are basically no walls or ceiling, only pool decking and water surface to worry about, so I am leaning toward old school 8050's + a 7070 sub. Regarding SPL, we rarely have more than 20 people in the space, and the 8020s were already 'this close' to providing enough SPL so I'm hoping that +3 to +6dB headroom will be enough.

Bottom line, I'd welcome input on the best way to get maximum quality sound for this space, assuming that I can adequately weather protect indoor/studio-only speakers, and that something on the order of 100dB at 1m is adequate SPL. For a last bit of context the Genelecs would be mounted at about 2m height firing slightly down to an average listener distance of 5m, and the PA systems I've previously tried out were JBL PRX One's and EV Evolve 50M's.

Thanks in advance for any input.

-Paul

 

[bachatero]

The Genelecs or Neumann equivalent (KH 150/310/420) should work just fine, but also consider that rain causes humidity which could spell trouble for any "studio" speaker you put outside. That's why something more "durable" like an EV ETX might be a better option. I don't actually know if their electronics are that much better though. Are you able to adequately manage humidity?

For comparison, I have a similar situation where I need high quality in big space (gym in a warehouse) and I ended up with some EV ZLX speakers and an EV ETX subwoofer. However, I'm considering upgrading to ETX for everything or doing something similar to you and using Genelec/Neumann/etc once I get the funds necessary.

 

[DVDdoug]

I wouldn't be concerned about anything other than "mounting" (and weather).

I wouldn't leave them out year-round, unless you are really using them everyday, and otherwise I'd try to keep them out of the "environment" when they're not being used. Maybe bring them out on the weekends, or leave them out for the summer.

When you're having a party, usually people want to socialize and they may not want to be constantly blasted with 100dB music! You might need an area for loud music and an area where it can be heard in the background.

 

[pmrogers-aus]

@bachatero and @DVDdoug, thanks so much for the feedback.

Unfortunately, there is zero humidity control. We're in Central Texas, so humidity is pretty much terrible, if not quite as bad as worst-case scenarios like FL or Louisiana.

On the plus side, and for a bit more context, the 8020's+7050 that we currently have in the garage workspace were 100% outdoors in the pool pergola at our last house for over 2 years, with the only protection being the pergola roof and the embarrassingly 'Beverley hillbillies' utilization of 1gal Ziplock bags as covers when we weren't using the pool. Those speakers never had an issue, including multiple storm incidents where we forgot to deploy the ziplock baggy covers.

This makes me possibly a bit inappropriately complacent about protecting the Genelecs from weather. I do think/hope that the all-aluminum bodies of the Genelecs are contributing to their robustness as compared to any of the wood body speakers like EV's higher offerings where they make a point of citing wood as a feature.

To be clear, I don't mean to hate on EV. My absolute favorite PA sound to date is an 8' x 12' sound wall from EV in a small musical setting where the SQ was so good that I was fooled into thinking I was hearing a direct live piano trio when in fact they were 100% behind the sound wall.

 

[RobL]

I have Genelec 8361’s (and also Evolve 50m’s lol). In my pool area I have PSB CS1000 outdoor speakers, which I love. If you have to have Genelec speakers outside, I believe Genelec are fine with the 4430A’s being used outside in a covered area. They are POE speakers, which might simplify installation as well.

 

[ban25]

I would not take a risk on studio speakers, especially outdoors if you intend to leave them there. Particularly for active speakers with lots of electronics in a non IP-rated enclosure. Humidity will lead to corrosion and that will lead to failure.

FWIW, I have had KEF Ventura 6 out on my pool deck for almost 3 years now and they are still going strong. They are IP65 rated and designed for this application.