Powered speakers

[AllAmericanJock]

Can anyone tell me of some good speakers to use, I did some research and found that the speakers have to be powered unless I'm going to use a stereo receiver, if I understand it correctly. The speakers will be installed on a covered porch. Price not sure maybe nothing over 150.00. Any suggestions would be great appreciated. 

[75redman]

I use a ION Bluetooth speaker along witj my transmitter.  Spealer is only pit out on weekends.  Can find deals on Amazon.

Edited October 18, 2020 by 75redman
Spelling

[TheDucks]

How loud does it need to be?  You could use any old Computer speaker pair that has the 3.5mm plug.  Should be a few at thrifts as people think they need to replace everything because the got a new desktop.

Just avoid the ones with a really small wall wort (phone charger size), no power.

[GRG]

I second the use of a decent set of computer speakers.  I would say don't worry about looking for ones with a sub.  Left And right channels should do just fine.  Unless you are out on a acreage or farm, you wont really be able to turn them up to loud without annoying your neighbors, with more than blinky lights and increased traffic!

 

[ItsMeBobO]

I suggest a boom box with an external jack.    Portable    made to be heard outside.  Plugs into wall.       Later when you are ready for a transmitter you can skip the long 3.5mm jack and tune the box to your FM station. 

[Orville]

I salvaged an old Creative Labs Bass Speaker that came with 2 Satellite speakers to sit on your desktop, but I purchased some outdoor {NON-POWERED} speakers, removed the Bass Speaker from the main control box that houses the electronics {amplifier} which plugs directly into a 115V AC outlet, used a 3.5mm stereo jack that fir the amp on the box and the other end of the wires were pushed into the speakers by their thumb contact connections.  I use this speaker amp inside my house and run the wires out to the speakers, this control box also has an external volume control on a long cord, so it makes it convenient to place the amp box anywhere and still have easy access to the volume knob for sound leveling.    I also use an FM Transmitter and a receiver for speakers at other locations around my house{usually at the rear of the house and/or under my handicap ramp area}.  

Just what I used by looking around in my computer and electronic junk boxes.    And for those items that may get used outdoors in some kind of enclosure, if there are any holes or areas that allow any water or critters to get in gets filled in with Flex products, like Flex Tape, Flex Seal or Flex Paste for weatherproofing and water proofing.

So if you have any old spare speakers or computer stuff lying around like I do, you can usually find a way to use it with some of the existing stuff you may have,   If not, a small, good amplifier would be needed to drive the speakers if the computer output doesn't have enough power to do it {and they usually don't}.

Since I'll be using an G4 MP3 Director this year, my set up is used directly from my MP3 Director audio output using an Audio Stereo Y Adapter cable, one side of the Y cable to the Amplifier then to the speakers,the other side of the Y cable to my FM Transmitter's Audio/MP3 in jack.  It's the same setup for a computer instead of an MP3 Director using the same type runs to/from the Y cable.

Just how I do it.  However, I do agree with the others, if the speakers have a very small adapter, they aren't going to be very powerful and may not sound as good as you'd prefer them too.  The larger the adapter {I look for 12V 1AMP output types myself, although 9V can work} the better the speakers sound and work.

 

[dgrant]

I use an amplifier with outdoor rock speakers. Frankly, the quality is a lot better than computer speakers, but to be fair, not all computer speakers are bad. Many are very nice indeed. These rock speakers can sit outside and they are wired for 70V operation but I just run them straight from the amp. The signal gets to the amp via the RF transmitter which also provides for signal to the cars watching the show. Just a matter of adjusting the output to the transmitter and the output from the transmitter, to get a nice clean signal/sound. I got these speakers from Amazon years ago and have been using them since day 1 of my shows. Still work great.

[mwilson6192]

This is a more expensive option than perhaps most will want ($150 from Amazon), but I purchased this outdoor speaker 3 years ago. It has made it through 3 winter seasons. It is made specifically for outdoor usage so it is waterproof, has its own internal power (AC 120v required), but it is *powerful* and sounds great without any distortion. I have lots of volume to play with (viewed at 30 feet at about a 1/4 total volume). This could easily handle much greater distances and much higher volume.

I mounted the speaker via the included speaker bracket which comes with this speaker kit on a 1-1/2" PVC length of pipe buried in the ground (no concrete --- just placed in the ground about 12-inches down). It was powered by my G3-MP3 Director and played the music really well with excellent fidelity.

I intend to get a second one of these speakers when my show expands. The speaker design has a built-in daisy chain capability using standard 3.5mm cable/jacks. 

Excellent all weather self contained speaker system that is mountable to any surface. It can also sit on a flat surface if so desired. 

Yorkville C120P 5-inch Powered Install Speaker

[k6ccc]

I installed four outdoor speakers in my yard (OK, it's a lousy picture).

These are similar to the ones used in the landscaping at Disneyland.  Sitting on a shelf I built in my bedroom closet are two 75 watt per channel amplifiers:

There is conduit from the amps to each of the speakers.  The thing to the right of the amps is a timer switch that powers up the amps when I want the yard to make sound.  I can also manually control that timer switch from an app on my phone or Alexa.  Audio for the amps is routed from the show PC in the garage to a sound mixer in my family room, and then to the amps for the yard speakers and also to the FM transmitter.  Note that if you are running the audio cables very far, you need to do it properly.  If you simply buy or build a 200 foot cable with a 1/8 phone plug on each end, you will get lots of noise.  If you have a need to run a long distance between the amp or FM transmitter and the show computer or director, ask me how to make it work right (this is where my broadcast engineering experience comes into play).

 

[tscheifler]

I use the FM transmitter and an Ecoxgear waterproof boombox. Has worked great for many years in rain and snow. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by tscheifler

[Speedster]

On 10/19/2020 at 12:17 PM, mwilson6192 said:

This is a more expensive option than perhaps most will want ($150 from Amazon), but I purchased this outdoor speaker 3 years ago. It has made it through 3 winter seasons. It is made specifically for outdoor usage so it is waterproof, has its own internal power (AC 120v required), but it is *powerful* and sounds great without any distortion. I have lots of volume to play with (viewed at 30 feet at about a 1/4 total volume). This could easily handle much greater distances and much higher volume.

I mounted the speaker via the included speaker bracket which comes with this speaker kit on a 1-1/2" PVC length of pipe buried in the ground (no concrete --- just placed in the ground about 12-inches down). It was powered by my G3-MP3 Director and played the music really well with excellent fidelity.

I intend to get a second one of these speakers when my show expands. The speaker design has a built-in daisy chain capability using standard 3.5mm cable/jacks. 

Excellent all weather self contained speaker system that is mountable to any surface. It can also sit on a flat surface if so desired. 

Yorkville C120P 5-inch Powered Install Speaker

Been using this same speaker for the past 3 yrs and highly recommend it.  The first year I used it I just had it sitting on top of some landscaping bricks, then these past 2 yrs I used the included speaker bracket to mount it to the side of our front porch.  Definitely worth the $150 price tag IMO. 

https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/189757-yorkville-c120p-100w-weather-resistant-powered-speaker-with-5-woofer

[dibblejr]

On 10/25/2020 at 11:28 PM, tscheifler said:

I use the FM transmitter and an Ecoxgear waterproof boombox. Has worked great for many years in rain and snow. 

Yes, this speaker works well in the family pool. However its not very loud and its not audible at my 300' yard where I would have to place it. However I dont get walkers since our homes are spaced out. The only walkers I get is Halloween night but to keep people from the yard I sit out by the street and pass out treats.

JR

[jtomason]

I have two outdoor speakers mounted under the porch eaves and permanently wired in through the window going to an old Radio Shack amp.   The show computer is an input to that amp.  Works great, and can be used when we just want music outside as we are working on the yard, etc.  

 

[jfuller8400]

I have 4 of these that I put out in my yard:

Amazon.com: Dual Electronics LU43PB 3-Way High Performance Outdoor Indoor Speakers with Powerful Bass | Effortless Mounting Swivel Brackets | All Weather Resistance | Expansive Stereo Sound Coverage | Sold in Pairs: Home Audio & Theater

6 years of rain/snow/wind/sun and they still look and sound as good as new.

[o2btom]

Kind of depends. For me personally, I use Powered PA speakers, but I used to run sound. I use these year round for various things- Movie nights at the pool for example. My truck has 120v inverter that will run it as well, the kids love it for birthday parades when I hook a mic up to it...It is a little more than $150, but if you can use it for a bunch of other things...your call.

Harbinger VARI V2312 12" 2,000W Powered Speaker with Bluetooth Black | Guitar Center