Outdoor Music: Ordinary vs. Extraordinary
Posted by Eileen Komanecky on Fri, May 28, 2010 @ 11:20 AM
Now that the weather is warm, most of us want to take advantage of enjoying our outdoor spaces as much as possible. There's nothing like hanging out with your friends and family at a cookout on a beautiful day, or just relaxing in your hammock with a good book and a glass of wine. And for many of us, adding great music is the finishing touch that makes it complete.
You may be thinking about installing speakers in your backyard. But before you run out (or hop online) to pick out speakers to add to your system, you may want to think about whether you are willing to settle for ordinary or you want to create something extraordinary.
Not all outdoor speakers/speaker systems are created equal.
You probably already know that, but it bears repeating. Creating excellent sound outdoors is more challenging than indoors. There are no walls to contain the sound, and you are often trying to cover a larger area than you are dealing with in your home.
What happens in outdoor spaces that are not properly 
designed is that you end up with very uneven sound. Depending on where exactly you are, it's either too loud or too soft. You want it to be just right. This "Goldilocks Syndrome" I just alluded to is the opposite of "the Disney Effect" that was mentioned in a previous blog by simpleHome's Mike Hoey. He discussed an extensive music system he designed and installed for owners of a large estate who love to entertain outdoors and wanted a great sound system. By employing the Disney approach, Mike was able to provide the homeowners with a system they absolutely love and surpassed their expectations.
The bottom line is that outdoor sound is best enjoyed when it is distributed though many individual speakers at a relatively low volume so that it sounds good no matter where you are. It requires a good design, the right equipment and installation by an experienced professional. But when it's done right, you'll know it the second you hear it. It will sound fantastic and will create an outdoor vacation oasis in your own backyard. Now that's extraordinary!