Take the Entertainment Outside with an Outdoor Speaker System
Enjoy the Fresh Air and Enhance Your Property’s Value
With all the time you’ve likely spent at home lately, the changes of scenery we might have taken for granted from activities like eating out or the movie theater seem like exciting things to look forward to again. The time will come soon.
In the meantime, staying at home can still be lots of fun, especially with the right upgrades. We don't mean to minimize the health crisis in the least, but all the time at home likely makes you notice things that can be improved. One area that we think adds both great fun factor and value is outdoor entertainment. With an outdoor speaker system, TVs, and smart control, you can turn your Chicago home patio, garden, or backyards into an entertainment oasis. Not only will it give you a much-needed change of pace from the indoors, but it will also add value to your property and the "wow" factor for entertaining.
Read on for some of our favorite outdoor entertainment upgrades.
SEE ALSO: Why Homebuilders and Designers Need an Integrator for Outdoor Projects
Outdoor Speakers
There’s nothing like music to set the mood. Whether you want energy for an outdoor workout or mellow tunes to relax and unwind in the fresh air, there’s an outdoor speaker for that. The options, in fact, are nearly endless, as almost every quality speaker manufacturer of note has an outdoor series. We are partial to a few brands that have long specialized in outdoor audio.
Sonance is a pioneer in architectural audio speakers and whole-home audio. One of their most versatile outdoor lines in the SonArray system. It is comprised of buried subwoofers and spike mounted satellite speakers that blend into the landscape but can blanket an area up to 2000 square feet with high-quality sound using one set of speakers (8 satellites and one subwoofer). The system is easily extensible for larger areas, too, by simply adding more sets.
If you like powerful, impactful sound outdoors, you might like the Coastal Source Bollard speakers. For example, the 12.0 Bollard is like a tower speaker for outdoors, packing a 10-inch subwoofer, six midrange drivers, and 12 ribbon speakers. It can handle 1000 watts of power and deliver high decibel sound up to 100 feet away! And while all the speakers we talk about here are weatherproof for outdoor use to resist heat, cold, sun, and rain, the robust Coastal Source system even has a proprietary connector system so that the underground cabling lasts for many years without shorting, rusting, or breaking.
James Loudspeaker is another longtime outdoor speaker manufacturer, and its speakers feature aircraft-grade aluminum housings and beautiful finishes for blending into landscapes while providing audiophile-worthy performance. How about a 21-inch buried subwoofer for earth-shaking bass outside? It's possible with James.
Outdoor TV
You don't have to settle for just sound outside. Today's outdoor TV models are incredibly versatile. Outdoor TVs from Séura stand up to the worst elements that Illinois weather can dish out, and can even be viewed in full sun. Outdoor TVs are a must as indoor TVs are not made for outside use. Indoor TVs could overheat on hot days outside, be infiltrated by bugs, and simply don't suffer getting wet!
If you have a pool, you can even place a Seura TV by it for outdoor movies or shows while floating in the pool. The Ultra Bright Series comes in 55, 65, or 86-inch models, and features both the brightness and special screen coatings that reduce glare to be viewable in full sunlight. Of course, they're great at night and can be installed in covered or uncovered areas.
Smart Control
No entertainment system is entertaining if it’s hard to use, indoors or out. We prefer systems like Savant to manage AV, and we can tie your indoor system to your outdoor one for things like whole-home audio and video. When sports return, you can have the game on all your TVs, indoors and out, and never miss a play. Similarly, you can have your favorite music all over, or you can listen to your favorites inside while the kids frolic outdoors with their tunes. A smart control system makes it easy.
Make the most of home with outdoor entertainment and maximize the return later, knowing that it's a valuable addition to the appeal of your property long term. Barrett’s Technology Solutions is open and can safely work with you to install your customized outdoor speakers and TV. Call us at (630) 898-2850 or contact us here to get started.
