How to install outdoor speakers

Want to dance at an outdoor barbecue party? You may find it not easy to install outdoor speakers, but as long as you do it yourself, you will find that this is much easier than it looks. It takes about an afternoon to install the speakers yourself, but you can save on the cost of hiring an electrician. So get started, you can enjoy the exciting music right away, but beware of neighbors' complaints.

How to install outdoor speakers

install equipment
1. Install the player indoors. Most outdoor speakers use existing indoor players. Because the players are sensitive electronic devices, they are generally placed indoors. The multi-channel player allows you to play different music indoors and outdoors.

2. Install a volume control box outdoors. But you need to place it in a sheltered place. You need to use a speaker cable to connect the player and the volume control box, and then connect the volume control box to the speaker. Most volume control boxes can be easily installed on outdoor walls.

You can use multiple volume control boxes to control multiple pairs of speakers. So you can set different volume in different areas.
3. If you want to install multiple pairs of speakers, you can install a multi-channel amplifier. The newly added speakers will increase the chances of the player being overloaded. You can install an amplifier next to the player, and then lead out the speaker cable from the amplifier.
 
4. Prepare speaker cables that meet the performance requirements. If the distance is less than 24 meters, you can use a 16-gauge cable; if the distance is greater than 24 meters, you need to use a 14 or 12-gauge cable. If you do not use cables that meet the performance requirements, the sound quality of the speakers will be affected. Because the longer the distance, the more severe the attenuation of the signal.

A cable with four wires can connect two pairs of speakers, so you can avoid using too many cables.
Outdoor speaker cables that comply with CL2 and CL3 standards are compliant with the American In-Wall Standard, so you can pass them through the wall without worrying about affecting other electronic equipment or increasing the risk of fire. This type of cable can also withstand harsh conditions such as wind and rain, so it is suitable for outdoor installation.
You can reserve 10-15% of the length of the cable to bypass obstacles and keep the cable slack. Because if the cable is pulled too tightly, the wire may be deformed, which will affect the sound quality.
5. Connect the speaker cable from the player to the outdoor area. Drill a hole at the bottom of the wall to allow the speaker cable to pass through from the room to the outdoors. Then, you need to seal the hole with silicone to keep the room insulated. Connect the speaker cable to the volume control box, and then connect the second cable from the control box to the speaker.

Do not use the window or door frame to pass the speaker wire. Because this may deform the wires and affect the sound effect.
Some new speakers can be connected wirelessly and controlled by Bluetooth devices. If you install the speakers wirelessly, there is no need to consider the cable. You need to make sure that the player supports Bluetooth speakers and place the speakers closer to the player. In the absence of obstacles, the Bluetooth transmission distance is up to 45 meters. The wall between the player and the speakers will shorten the effective transmission distance.
Install and fix the speakers

1. Place the speaker in a sheltered place. Although most outdoor speakers can cope with harsh conditions such as wind and rain, if you provide some protection when using the speakers, their service life will be greatly extended. Therefore, try to place the speakers under the eaves or terraces, so as to reduce the damage to the speakers in bad weather.

2. Place the speakers separately. There must be at least 2.5-3 meters between the two speakers. If the distance between the speakers is too close, their sounds will interfere with each other, resulting in poor sound effects. If the distance between the speakers is too far, it will be difficult for the audience to hear the sound of the two speakers at the same time, and thus cannot experience the stereo sound effect.

3. Extra sound channels. A pair of speakers can play two channels: left channel and right channel. These two channels together can form a stereo effect. When you want to install more than one pair of speakers, you need additional left and right channels to ensure the stereo effect. If you want to install a larger number of speakers, you need to pay more attention to this issue.

If you install speakers along a wall, the additional left and right channels need to be installed on both sides of the wall.
If you install speakers around the terrace, please install two left-channel speakers at two opposite corners, and two right-channel speakers at the other two opposite corners.
4. Audition before fixing the speakers. First, make sure that the sound effect and range of the speakers meet the requirements, and then fix the speakers. Audition before installation can not only save a lot of time, but also reduce various problems encountered when using the system for the first time.

Prioritize multiple sets of speakers instead of increasing the speaker volume. If you can’t hear music wherever you need it, give priority to adding a pair of speakers instead of turning the volume to the maximum.
5. Fix the speaker to a high position, but don't fix it in a high position. Installing speakers at high places allows the sound to travel farther, allowing fewer speakers to cover a larger range. However, if you place the speakers at 3 meters or higher, much of the bass part of the sound will not be audible. Therefore, please try to place the speakers 2.5-3 meters away from the ground.

6. Tilt the speaker down to promote sound transmission. This will provide the audience with a better listening experience and reduce the impact on neighbors. Most brackets allow the speaker to be installed in an inclined manner, and many brackets also have a rotating shaft to install the speaker at any angle you want.

7. Install and fix according to the manual. Different brackets have different installation and fixing methods, but you generally need to drill holes in a fixed position. So you need to prepare a drill that can penetrate masonry.

Only fix the speaker on wood or masonry. Do not fix it on a wooden or aluminum board, as this may loosen the speaker. This will also cause vibration, which will cause the sound quality to decrease, and even cause the speaker to fall.
Use an outdoor stand. The outdoor speaker stand is specially designed for inclement weather. Ordinary brackets will rust or become no longer strong when used outdoors.
8. Use banana plugs to connect speakers. Banana connectors are much stronger than direct wire connections, so they are more suitable for outdoor speakers. The socket on the back of the speaker and the player can be directly connected to the banana interface.

You need to peel off the insulation at the end of the speaker cable to install the banana jack. Each speaker cable has two wires, red and black. You can separate the two wires to facilitate connection. The end of the wire needs to be stripped to a length of approximately 2 cm.
After the wire is stripped, loosen the screw at the end of the banana socket, and then insert the bare wire into the end of the socket. After the wire is inserted, tighten the screw. Repeat the above steps to connect another bare wire.
Speaker troubleshooting
1. Read the technical specifications of speakers and players. The sound of speakers can sometimes be distorted or blurred, and there are many reasons for this. One of the most common reasons is a mismatched device. You can check whether the ohm value of the speaker supported by the power amplifier or the player matches your current speaker; you can also check whether the speaker supports the voltage value output by the power amplifier. You need to read the device documentation to ensure that all devices match each other.

2. Check the connection. If you accidentally connect the positive and negative poles of the speaker cable, you may not hear any sound. So you need to check the connection carefully to make sure that the black wire is plugged into the black socket and the red wire is plugged into the red socket.

If the speakers are too far apart and you do not use cables with sufficient performance, the sound of the speakers may be distorted. You can move the speakers closer to the player, and then use a shorter cable, or use a cable with better performance to connect.
A short-circuit of the speaker cable can cause very serious damage. Therefore, you need to make sure that the exposed red and black wires do not touch each other.
3. Check for physical damage. Check whether the speakers are physically damaged. The sound of damaged speakers is very unpleasant, so please make sure that the woofer of the speakers is not damaged. If you find physical damage, replace the speakers.
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