How do I add outdoor speakers to my home audio system?

So you would like to add a pair of speakers to your outdoor patio or deck, but you don't want to break your wallet doing it. Good news, it's easy and inexpensive!

Using a selector box to add speakers is a cheap and easy way to expand your stereo's capabilities. A four channel selector box is a simple solutions to expand the number of speakers you can connect to your existing amplifier. Utilizing an impedance matching selector box like this one from Theater Solutions (TS4) will protect your amplifier for only $39.99 (msrp: $134.99) while allowing the wattage to be shared amongst additional speakers. The TS4 allows you to add up to four pairs of speakers to your current stereo system. Connect the selector box from the output of your receiver to the L/R positive/negative inputs on the selector box, with standard raw stereo wire.

It is important to know how many watts per channel your existing receiver/amplifier outputs at 8ohms. Find this information in the receivers manual,  if you don't know where the manual is, not to worry most manuals are available digitally on-line. Search for the manual by the model number of your amplifier / receiver with the additional word "manual" on your favorite search engine. If your amp only offers 50w per channel or less, then you need to consider upgrading your amp/receiver. Most home receivers and amplifiers produce 100w per channel at 8 ohms. Remember the selector box only splits the power between each zone that is engaged. So if you have two zones running, that is four speakers, with a 100w amplifier, each speaker is receiving approximately 25w. This doesn't sound like much, but home audio speakers these days are much more efficient and can perform beautifully on very little wattage.

Next, select a pair of outdoor speakers, that match the needs of your environment. This is an excellent product to take the warranty into consideration when you are making your purchasing decision. Make sure you select a sealed enclosure that has been tested to withstand harsh environmental stresses, like moisture, dust, temperature and direct sunlight.  Remember sound is directional and because outdoor audio usually does not have the benefit of walls and ceilings, the placement and angle of the speakers is critical. When deciding on the location of your new speakers, envision the area of your patio or deck that will receive the most use. In some situations it is the around the table and chairs, but for another it might be the pool. Be realistic about how far apart you install your speakers, again, sound will not travel as far outside as it will inside therefore you will need to install your speakers a little closer together.

Once you have selected your outdoor speakers, you will need an outdoor grade, 2 conductor speaker wire. The speaker wire can be purchased by the foot off the roll, but you will usually end up spending more, than if you purchase a standard 100ft or 500 ft roll (sell the remaining wire on Craigslist). Measure the distance of the "run", or how far from your amplifier to the speakers the speaker wire will travel, any run over 40ft. should use a thicker speaker wire, 14 gauge can be used for runs up to 70ft. A hundred foot roll of two conductor 14 gauge speaker wire will run you about $44.99. 

There are several ways to get the wire from your receiver to your speakers. The easiest scenario is running the speaker wire through an attic or crawl space, if that is not possible, the second easiest solution is using exterior conduit that you paint to match the house, or try running the wire under the base board or crown molding. Finally, there are cable fishing tools and tape available on the market to make the wire installation easier, I have included a couple of links to additional resources regarding snaking speaker wire.

Follow the instruction for mounting your speakers, outdoor speakers are quick and easy to mount, and are a great addition to any outdoor environment. Visit OnlyFactoryDirect.com for additional support in selecting and installing an outdoor speaker system.

Snaking Wire Suggestions:
Pirate 4x4 Forum
Yahoo! Answers

There Are Only Twelve! ESP Limited Finish LTD Guitars

Successful on-line audio store OnlyFactoryDirect.com announced their exclusive finish limited edition electric guitar from ESP guitars. ESP made only 12 guitars with the unique honey amber finish, but the guitar itself is from ESP’s popular LTD line of guitars that have a Les Paul appearance, but have received massive recognition for their versatile tones and quality parts.

ESP was founded by in Tokyo, Japan in 1975 as a high quality replacement parts provider. The parts were introduced to the US in 1983 and in ‘85 began designing and producing guitars for legendary rockers like Ronnie Woods (The Rolling Stones), Page Hamilton (Helmet), KISS members Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick. ESP is the fastest growing guitar company in the US the most popular of which is ESPs signature LTD Series with signature guitars for mega metal bands guitarists like Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth; just to name a few.

Organic in look and feel, the unique honey amber colored finish is reminiscent of Tiger’s Eye stone. The ESP EC256 offers up 24 frets - 3/4 scale and has 2 ESP coil-tapped humbuckers with a standard 3-way selector, when combined with the coil-tap selector pot the EC256 gives you a total of 6 tone settings rather than the standard LP 3. The mahogany neck features a U shape design with extra jumbo frets, nice pearl inlays, 3 control pots, 2 volumes and one tone/coil-tap select. The Grover-style machine heads are very sturdy and accurate. The EC-256 is easy to tune, and offers versatile tones.


The EC-256FM is $399.00 and is available now exclusively at OnlyFactoryDirect.com . OnlyFactoryDirect.com launched in 2007 offering speakers at factory direct prices, cutting out the middle man and committed to offering excellent customer service and free shipping anywhere in the continental United States. OnlyFactoryDirect.com carries a full line of professional audio speakers and pro audio equipment and is an Authorized ESP Dealer.

How to set up your Podium Pro Audio Speaker Stands

Scott our technician has recently received multiple calls with buyers struggling to properly set up their speaker stands. In response to this Scott made a video detailing the best way to set your speaker stands. Let's watch...

Crown XTi Series Review

  Whenever you think of professional grade power amps for large concert style PA systems, the name Crown immediately comes to mind, and for good reason. Crown has been making “tried and true” amplifiers since the late 50’s, which has established Crown as one of the leaders in audio electronics. Well a lot has changed in the past 60 years, especially in regards to music technology, but one thing has remained constant and that is Crown’s ability to harness new technologies to provide a quality power amp for just about any audio application big or small. Crown designs several different series of amps; each series usually incorporates 4 different models that offer various power levels but house the same great features. This way there is sure to be a Crown amplifier that fits your needs and budget.

  One of the newer series that offers this great versatility and some staple features that Crown is known for, is the XTi series. Available in a 1000, 2000, 4000, and a 6000 this particular line offers great functions like integrated DSP that allows you to quickly and easily configure crossovers, EQ, limiting and delay, along with tools like a pink noise generator, subharmonic synthesizer, and universal tracking switch-mode power supply, which reduces power draw and waste heat. And as the first line of Crown amps to use Icepak™ thermal modeling software, they are at the top of their class when it comes to thermal efficiency and lightweight portability.

Here is a breakdown of the key features that the Crown XTi series amp offers:

 

•Integrated speaker presets with LCD front panel display

• Accurate, uncolored sound with very low distortion for the best in music and voice reproduction

• Advanced protection circuitry guards against: shorted output, open circuits,  DC,  mis-matched loads, general overheating, high-frequency overloads and internal faults

• Extremely versatile, handling a wide range of speaker impedances and outputs

• Switch-mode universal power supply

• Speaker presets for crossover frequencies, EQ, limiting, and delay

• All products fill 2U rack spaces and weigh under 19 lb (24 lb for XTi 6000); weight sets a new standard in lightweight amps

• Speakon® and binding post outputs, XLR inputs and loop-thrus

• Comprehensive LED status per channel

  With features and functionality like these, the XTi series proves once again that Crown is king when it comes to making great quality amplifiers and sound reinforcement products. Check out the XTi series today to find one that fits your needs! OnlyFactoryDirect.com offers free shipping and a 30-day Money Back "No Hassle" Guarantee.

Support A Small Business Sale

Support A 
Small Business Sale

To show you our appreciation for supporting a small business like us, we made three very special offers just for you. Four days only starting Thanksgiving through midnight Cyber Monday.

Choose from three items for only $29.99

In Ceiling 5.25" Speakers

 

Theater Solutions Pair of In-Ceiling 5.25" TS50C Speakers are smaller affordable speakers for your whole house audio installation. Theater Solution's new TS50C line of in-ceiling speakers can handle 200 watts RMS per pair and 400 watts Max per pair. You don't need an expensive amplifier to power these speakers, they are highly efficient and don't let the price fool you. These in-ceiling speakers are constructed with a woven kevlar cone and a 6db crossover to deliver clear pleasing audio. These little guys deliver quality sound while staying soft on your pocket book. Theater Solutions in-ceiling 5.25" speakers, the perfect choice for your multi-room installation. 

 

 

Computer Speakers 2.1 System

New 2.1 Computer Multimedia Speaker System is compatible with PCs, Laptops, DVD players, Mp3 players, Televisions, and Gaming Consoles

• 200 Watts RMS System Power
• Built in USB memory device input and SD card Player
• Mobile and Modern Design
• Professionally designed built-in amplifier, subwoofer, and 2 satellite speakers

Sycho Sound Car Amplifier  

   

click image for user reviews 

This SY2K is a high performance two channel amplifier will rock your vehicle all day and all night long. 

• Sycho Sound SY2K 500 Watt Amplifier
• Dynamic Power 500 Watts Max
• Class A/B MOSFET Amplifier
• 50 Watts RMS x 2 channels at 4 ohms (bridged) and <1% THD+

 

 

Have an iPhone 4s - Here Is A Gadget You Need

Scott shares some great tips using his SendStation with his new iPhone 4s. Check it out!



Visit OnlyFactoryDirect.com to buy this item.

STELLAService Awards “EXCELLENT” Rating To OnlyFactoryDirect.com

OnlyFactoryDirect.com an on-line audio and speaker store receives recognition for providing top-rated customer service.

OnlyFactoryDirect.com, a leading supplier of home audio and pro audio speakers and accessories, has been awarded an EXCELLENT rating by STELLAService, a company dedicated to publishing objective, in-depth ratings on the customer service performance of online businesses. STELLAService assesses Internet retailers across three main areas: 1) online user experience; 2) shipping and returns; and 3) live customer support. STELLAServices reports that less than half of the thousands of companies they rate pass their meticulous rating  process.

OnlyFactoryDirect.com’s owner Mike Lewis comments, “I am so proud of our OnlyFactoryDirect team; from the day we launched OnlyFactoryDirect.com we focused our energy and efforts on customer service. We lead the way years ago with Free Shipping and our “No Hassle” return policy. We have made decisions at every turn based on how it will impact the customer experience, receiving an EXCELLENT rating from STELLAService, is a direct reflection of our commitment to our customers.”

John Ernsberger, Co-founder of STELLAService comments, “Everyone claims to have world-class customer service,” he continues, “through our comprehensive and objective evaluations of each site’s customer service performance; we’re able to cut through the noise and uncover which sites are truly delivering the best online customer experience. We are excited to highlight leading e-retailers when it comes to customer service while also providing online shoppers with direction to the best sites in each product category.”

Online electronics is one of the fastest growing categories for e-retailers. Forester Research predicts that online purchasing will grow to a staggering 250 Billion by 2014. One of the top product categories that represent more than 44% of those online sales are consumer electronics. Sasha Letourneau, Director of Sales & Marketing for OnlyFactoryDirect.com explains, “Research shows that people are more e-commerce savvy and surprisingly enough, customer satisfaction of online shopping has been rated much higher recently.” Forrester reports that 82% of those who end up buying online are satisfied vs. only 61% who walk in to a physical store during their purchasing cycle. “I believe most consumers are on a tighter budget and realize that brick and mortar stores have more overhead, so their prices are higher and frankly many times it’s difficult to find a human that is an authority on the item you are interested in.” She continues, “It is the perfect timing for a company like STELLAServices to help consumers navigate all the online retailers to find the best product at the best price, with the best customer service. We are very pleased to wear the seal of EXCELLENCE.”

About OnlyFactoryDirect.com

OnlyFactoryDirect.com is an online retailer of home audio and pro audio goods. OnlyFactoryDirect.com offers a 30-day “No Hassle” Guarantee and Free Shipping to the 48 continental states. They will send a pre-paid shipping label and offer you a full refund if you are not satisfied with your audio purchase. An audio technician is available M-F 8am-4pm PST or Chat Live online Tues-Sat.