Lifestyle
Sound Systems For The Pool Area
Now that summer has arrived, you’re probably considering how to make the most of your time outside while the sun is shining and the weather is still pleasant. Why not surround your pool area with an outdoor sound system that will rock the house? This is your opporunity to take pool gatherings to the next level, or spend some time alone in a pool float listening to your favorite music. If you’re like me and you like using your pool to exercise, a good playlist can also help you stay motivated throughout a high-intensity swim training.
It takes a little forethought to set up your outdoor system; keep reading for pointers on how to get started setting up your pool area with the right sound system.
Choosing The Right Outdoor Audio System
The first thing you should think about when considering a pool sound system is how you’ll power your outdoor speakers. Many homeowners opt to add additional poolside speakers onto their existing outdoor sound system if they already have a multi-channel AV receiver or matrix for whole-house audio or a home theater.
This type of home audio setup will requie wiring in a new set of speakers. Unless you are intimately familiar with your home audio setup, we recommend hiring a professional that is best suited for the job such as AV company or firm that specializes in home theaters. Underground wiring from the pool area to your home can be safely routed by a skilled installer that knows what they are doing.
The future of pool are sound systems is still wired.
A wired sound system gives you immense capacity and granular control over your entire sound system set-up. It is also going to provide way better performance than your typical inexpensive Bluetooth speaker. In most backyards, there will be typically be three or four speakers connected to an amplifier. Because they do not rely on batteries, wired speaker solutions are incredibly dependable. A typical wired home audio system that is meant for outdoor use will last for a long time and outperform nearly any wireless system in terms of sound quality and depth.
A good budget friendly wirless sound system option
Wireless sound systems are still a great option. One device that can take your outdoor sound system to the next level around the pool area is the Sonos Amp. The Sonos Amp is a wireless music player with an integrated amplifier, allowing it to play loud music outside. It can accommodate two sets of speakers, which may be sufficient for a simple arrangement around the pool and lounge area. Speaker wire can be used to connect any type of outdoor speaker to a Sonos Amp.
Homeowners love the Sonos amp for their pool area because it can play audio from a variety of sources, including streaming services, CDs, MP3s, music libraries, and vinyl records, with both power options.
Speaker Options For The Pool Area
To ensure that everyone hears the same high-quality audio from beginning to end, at least 1 or 2 sets of speakers should be placed evenly around your pool and lounging area. For a barely-there appearance in your outdoor location, some firms now sell speakers that seem like rocks or mix in with plants and the surrounding landscape features.
Don’t be alarmed by the proximity of the speakers to the water. Outdoor speakers are now built to withstand the outdoors all year. They’re dust, grime, sand, salt, heat, and cold resistant, as well as waterproof. If wired correctly by a professional audio installation company, your outdoor audio system should provide years of maintenance free enjoyment.
Recommended Speaker Options For Your Pool & Patio Area
Sonance Patio Series 4.1 Speaker System
One of our favorite outdoor speaker packages comes from Sonance who make audio systems specifically designed for outdoor applications.
The Sonance Patio Series 4.1 Speaker System includes 4 satellite speakers and one in-ground subwoofer all powered from a single Sonance DSP amplifier.(AMP INCLUDED)
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Rockustics 2-Way Outdoor Weatherproof Speakers
Rockustics is a leading name in outdoor audio and hits a home run with this 4 pack of 6.25″ 2-way Outdoor Landscape Speakers that are ideal for the pool and patio area.
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Bose 251 Environmental Outdoor Speakers
When discussing the leaders in outdoor audio, Bose leads the top of the list of respected manufacturers. The 251 speakers deliver unmatched sound quality at a value.
Set them up by the pool, by your patio or anywhere an extra set of durable speakers is needed
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Blending In With The Surroundings
Many manufacturers provide users speaker design options in addition to the ability to modify and design the sound from their speakers. This new series of speakers is designed to blend in with your poolside aesthetic and surrounds. Speakers, as well as plants, lights, and other objects, can be buried in a variety of rocks. As a result, the audio system will never detract from the appearance of your backyard pool.
Recommended Speaker Systems That Blend In With Your Landscape
JBL 2 Way Coaxial Landscape Speaker
JBL has been a leader in outdoor audio for decades. One of our favorite speaker systems that blends seamlessly into your outdoor landscape are their 2 way landscape speakers. Aside from pumping out amazing sound, the highly weather-resistant speakers are really high quality.
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Bose Freespace 360-P II In-Ground Loud Speakers
For truly immersive sound that envelops your entire backyard, there is no substitution for the superb sound quality the Bose Freespace delivers. Bose is a best-in-class product that does not disappoint.
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TIC is a new brand on our radar with their high quality mini-directional in-ground speakers.
We enjoy the blue tooth capability that enables you to stream up to 300 feet away. Perfect for the pool & patio area.
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Create an Outdoor Home Theater for the Pool Area
For many home owners considering adding an outdoor home audio system, they are looking for somethign that provides a range of sound options to allow them to customize the listening experience in various segments of the outdoor environment. A qualified AV expert can configure your pool area so that your sound system dampens specific quadrants and raises the volume in others. One option that homeowners prefer is the ability to create ambient background music for parties and conversations going in one area of the property while allowing for different music or movies going on in another.
Access & Control Your Music Library With Ease
You can access and manage your music sources and volume with a smartphone app, iPad, or waterproof universal remote if you’re utilizing your existing home AV system to connect poolside speakers. If you have a Sonos Amp, you can use the Sonos app to control all of your music.
Many homeowners often wonder why their WiFi reception is so spotty around the pool area. Adding on a wireless speaker system can impair connectivity even further and impact your sound system quality and connectivity.
Integrating with your network connection is the final component of any great outdoor audio system. The router in your home is unlikely to reach far enough outside to provide reliable wireless connectivity.
A professional outdoor audio installation company can set up a wireless access point or a Wi-Fi extension so you may listen to all of your music streaming sources without interruption while relaxing by the pool. Your AV installer can assist you in designing and installing an outdoor sound system that is tailored to your needs.
I have those Sonance Patio speakers and they are excellent! Great sound but does take some installation effort and we wound up hiring a professional for that. Would definitely recommend them though.
We have the bose speaker system recommended in this article and absolutely love them. I’ve heard great things about Sonance though from Marcus Packer (another columnist for Pool Magazine), he owns that particular system and swears by it.
We bought Klipsch outdoor speakers and they work fantastic. For the money we spent on them, we are very happy with the sound quality. I did not want big gigantic speakers all over my beautiful lawn. The rock speakers are tasteful and blend in nicely with our landscaping. Very low distortion and extremely loud speaker system.
I can certainly understand that Ashley. Glad you agree they are a solid choice, thanks for weighing in.