Planning a Backyard Sound System

An outdoor speaker in a mulched planting bed faces a fire pit terrace with four empty chairs at dusk.

Several planning decisions come before any equipment is chosen. The guide explains each one, from the number of zones and the wire routes to room for adding speakers later.

Outdoor Speaker Placement for Even Coverage

Outdoor speaker placement with three dark satellite speakers along a planting border facing a lawn at dusk.

Spreading several speakers across the yard keeps the music even at a moderate volume. This guide covers how many a yard needs, how far apart to space them, and how slopes and hedges shift their positions.

The In-Ground Subwoofer in an Outdoor Sound System

The round cap of an in-ground subwoofer rests low in a lawn at dusk beside a lit bed of hostas and shrubs

Satellite speakers carry vocals and detail, but the low frequencies that give outdoor music its depth come from a subwoofer installed in the ground. The Blue Hour Lighting team shares how a buried subwoofer works and why one can serve a whole yard.