The Growing Demand for Outdoor Audio
More and more residential integrations include outdoor spaces — zones that need their own audio solutions
May 1
The Growing Demand for Outdoor Audio

Some of the challenges of outdoor audio in residential integrations are pretty obvious. First among them is climate: You’ll need speakers and cabling that can handle blazing, direct sun, bitter cold, and everything in between. Other issues aren’t quite as visible. Outdoor spaces are “rooms without walls,” zones that don’t have the same finite footprints as their indoor counterparts. Sound can dissipate quickly when it’s broadcast outside — just ask any engineer in the pro audio realm who’s had to mix a live music festival. Speaker placement and proper signal processing are vital to an installation’s success.

Learning to meet those challenges, however, can provide an integrator with some big benefits. Demand for these systems runs in the billions of dollars overall, and the segment’s seen steady growth, especially as the hardware that makes these installations possible continues to improve. Naturally, that’s especially true in regions that allow for outdoor activities year-round — regions that also boast a preponderance of high-end homes.

“Here in sunny San Diego, California, I’d say roughly 95% of our home integrations have some kind of outdoor audio component,” says Ryan Lipkovicius, CEO of the firm Audio Impact. Lipkovicius notes that his clients’ approach to these spaces has changed: “It’s more than just a zone. The installation of audio by the pool, the patio, and the outdoor grill often becomes an individual, focused project of its own.” That includes more than just speakers and in-ground subwoofers or outdoor surround sound systems to support all-weather displays. Stronger outdoor Wi-Fi® wireless technology solutions and more exterior cameras are also in demand — along with energy solutions for audio and other devices. “We’re seeing requests for greater numbers of dedicated circuits and power conditioning units for these amps to thrive,” he notes. “The budgets for these spaces have definitely increased. They’re a priority now — clients want to devote significant resources to these spaces as they gain more and more attention.”

Outdoor entertaining isn’t just a sunbelt phenomenon, however — demand for pool and patio spaces has been growing everywhere. After all, those who live in “four seasons” regions want to take full advantage of those zones whenever possible, and outdoor heating solutions can stretch that window.

French Riviera, Mediterranean
Long Island, NY
Colorado Springs, CO

Built for Any Weather

Crestron’s solutions are uniquely positioned to handle just these kinds of audio installations — after all, they were developed for some of the toughest conditions one could conjure. Ekin Binal, who’s now director of core technology and strategic partnerships at Crestron, was a driving force behind the development of the DM NAX® Audio-over-IP technology line of products. As Binal began researching the needs of each department within the company, he soon began a conversation with Daniel Kerkhof, director of Crestron Marine. As we mentioned previously on the Crestron blog, Binal posed this question to his colleague:

“Hey, I hear that you do something with large yachts — what would I need to have as functionalities in my new solution for you to be able to use it on board?" Kerkhof came back with a long list, and Binal began to realize that different subsets of that list would also come in handy for the other verticals.  

Binal needed to develop solutions that could handle every possible weather condition with components that could withstand all manner of additional threats, from seawater to constant motion. The audio had to function as well outdoors as it did in staterooms, and the sheer scale of some of these projects was its own challenge. “Superyachts need audio coverage throughout the whole vessel, and it’s not unusual to have well over 100 zones of audio with over 300 speakers,” Binal recalls.

Getting the Sound Just Right

Crestron components include features that can help tune the audio to any space, as Binal noted in another post on our blog:

“We can ensure optimal sound quality by specifying the right products for the right spaces. For instance, it’s typical to rely on a highly configurable digital signal processor (DSP) to help tune a given space.” Those DSPs are built into Crestron amps, so extra components aren’t needed for multi-band equalization to maximize audio performance. The audio they deliver is lossless, with low latency and high accuracy, which ensures what’s called “phase coherence.” Simply put, it makes music and movie dialogue crystal clear across the entire spectrum of sound.

Of course, a critical component of the audio chain is the device that sends the music to your ears: the speaker, and that includes a line of products that Crestron has been focusing on. Crestron's Landscape Speakers and In-Ground Subwoofers can deliver unparalleled fidelity and options (including paintable models) that can integrate into any design. Durable and weather-resistant, they provide lasting performance and value, and it’s simple to pair our speakers with Crestron remotes, touch screens, or mobile devices for control at your clients' fingertips. And to help meet rising demand for these products, Crestron is rolling out a special promotion for 2025 called “The Crestron Summer of Sound.”

Crestron Summer of Sound Offers

To help your clients hear what they might be missing, Crestron is offering a landscape audio demo package, which includes a pair of OD6T speakers (ULTIMATE OD6T-BRZ-T-EACH), an IGS12 subwoofer (ULTIMATE IGS12T-BRZ-T-EACH), and a DM NAX® amplifier (DM-NAX-8ZSA). Simply connect to power via an aux cable and your phone, and you have the perfect client demo to showcase the power of Crestron outdoor audio. (Contact your RSM for this promo.)

We’re also offering a discount on our primed, ready-to-paint outdoor speakers. Build a new system or upgrade an existing one with 25% off all Ultimate Primed Landscape Speakers (ULTIMATE OD6T-PRIMED-EACH) and IGS12 Ultimate Subs (ULTIMATE IGS12T-BRZ-T-EACH). (Use promo code Sound25.)

We’re also offering a special webinar on the subject. Join us for the Summer of Sound: The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Audio on June 4 at 11:00 AM EDT (U.S. and Canada). We’ll cover everything from immersive landscape speakers and subwoofers to surface-mounted audio and seamless Crestron Home® OS control. Our experts will share pro tips on speaker layouts, winterizing the gear, and even designing the best outdoor DJ station for next-level parties. Whether you're setting the vibe for a backyard BBQ or creating a full-on entertainment oasis, this is one you won’t want to miss.

 

Our expert presenters for this webinar include the aforementioned Ekin Binal, Delix Alex (director of product management, AV solutions), Dustin Plumb (senior product manager, AV solutions), and Georgio Galaris, manager of residential marketing). Find more info and register here.

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