Adding an Outdoor Speaker to an Existing 5.1 System? (1 Viewer)

Browns7213 · Oct 4, 2014

Hi All,

I'm a total noob to HT set-ups and had Magnolia install a 5.1 set-up in my great room with 2 additional speakers in the basement for listening to music throughout the house. We have a very open floor plan so music can be heard everywhere in the house, except outside, with this set-up.

I would like to add an additional speaker outside both for music and for TV, I can see the plasma perfectly through the floor to ceiling windows while sitting on the patio, but need sound out there. Is there a way to add a powered speaker (Sonos or Bose) of some sort to get sound outside? My set-up is totally over my head and have no idea if this is possible or how to go about doing it and bringing Magnolia back is cost prohibitive. My system is listed below.

Anthem Statement 2 Preamp/processor
McIntosh MC207 7-Channel Amp
Control 4 System Running The Whole Set-Up

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

schan1269 · Oct 4, 2014

Control 4 has outdoor speakers.

Browns7213 · Oct 4, 2014

Thanks for the reply Sam. I am trying to avoid anything else Control 4 related as any changes require Magnolia to come out at an obscene hourly rate. I was hoping someone here could direct me to a solution that I could install on my own.

schan1269 · Oct 4, 2014

Wired?Wireless off your Zone 2 or 3?How is the current 2nd zone done now?

Browns7213 · Oct 4, 2014

Wireless would be my preference. I only have 2 Zones. Zone 2 is hard wired up through the walls into the amp and can be turned on via the C4 or via the Pre/pro.

schan1269 · Oct 4, 2014

Wireless options...why incorporate the current system at all?But any wireless speaker(that plugs into an outlet or rechargeable battery) will connect to zone 3.

Browns7213 · Oct 4, 2014

I agree that would be the best path, but I don't have a zone 3

schan1269 · Oct 4, 2014

Ok, so this is a D2, not the current D2V?

Browns7213 · Oct 4, 2014

schan1269 said:
Ok, so this is a D2, not the current D2V?

Correct.

schan1269 · Oct 4, 2014

1. Run the current zone 2 to a speaker switch.2. Run the unbalanced* output(main LR) to any analog wireless speaker system(there are literally tens of thousands to choose from)3. Run the main LR amp section to a speaker switch4. Bypass the Anthem entirely by using the analog output on the source itself to any one of the tens of thousands of wireless speakers.*Assuming you are using the balanced already.

Browns7213 · Oct 5, 2014

schan1269 said:
1. Run the current zone 2 to a speaker switch.2. Run the unbalanced* output(main LR) to any analog wireless speaker system(there are literally tens of thousands to choose from)3. Run the main LR amp section to a speaker switch4. Bypass the Anthem entirely by using the analog output on the source itself to any one of the tens of thousands of wireless speakers.*Assuming you are using the balanced already.

Okay this sounds like a plan assuming I knew what you were talking about, Noob after all. You lost me after speaker switch.

What I got is that I meed a speaker switching device -any recommendations?

What Unbalanced Output? And whatever this is it would feed the outdoor speaker?

Take the balanced cables coming out of the amp into the Pre/Pro and plug them into the speaker switch?

If I bypass the Anthem will I still be able to watch/listen to TV in the house as well as outside?

Buy a wireless speaker- Thinking Bose or Sonos, but not important

schan1269 · Oct 5, 2014

Buy any 900mhz wireless speaker. Even Home Depot, Menards, Lowes and Do It Best sell them. Such as the ones that look like rocks, lanterns or even flower pots.If I bought $10,000 in pre-pro/amp. I'd read the owners manual. Specifically on hookups. If I found RCA (unbalanced) instead of XLR (balanced), I would call the Worst Buy Crapola department mismanager and call him everything but a human.That is me though.Do your sources have analog outs?

Browns7213 · Oct 5, 2014

My experience with Magnolia has not been a pleasant one. Most people have said I got oversold with the equipment they recommended/sold me. Getting them to complete the work took an act of a God. Had they told me that I would need one of their technicians to come out at a $100/hour anytime I make a change to my system because of the C4, I would have told them to shove it. But now I'm stuck with it and need to make the best of it. I greatly appreciate someone with your experience helping a noob like me work through this.PS: not sure the left me the manuals for the equipment.

schan1269 · Oct 5, 2014

The manuals for what you bought are available online from the respective manufacturers.You might try contacting another AV company to service the Control 4.

Browns7213 · Oct 11, 2014

schan1269 said:
The manuals for what you bought are available online from the respective manufacturers.You might try contacting another AV company to service the Control 4.

Sam,I realized I never thanked you for your suggestions and guidance, so a big Thank You!!

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

Adding an Outdoor Speaker to an Existing 5.1 System? (1 Viewer)

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

HTF Expert

Agent

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Similar Threads

Forum statistics