How To Wire Outdoor Speakers

Outdoor speakers let you enjoy premium sound just about anywhere, whether on a patio or deck, by the pool or hot tub or somewhere in your yard. At Outdoor Speaker Depot, we offer everything you need to set up your outdoor speakers, including the best variety of outdoor speakers around as well as the high-quality cable made for the outdoors. All of the products we carry will bring you audiophile-quality sound at non-audiophile prices. 

Wiring outdoor speakers is not a particularly difficult process. It has many similarities to wiring indoor speakers. Any DIYer should be able to wire outdoor speakers fairly easily and quickly.

Those who fail to plan to fail, the saying goes, and the first thing you should do when wiring your outdoor speakers is to plan carefully. When deciding where your cables will go, remember not to place them too close to electric lines, because the noise from the power lines can disrupt audio quality. 

Decide exactly where you want to place each of your speakers outdoors for the best sound, looks, and convenience. Then measure the distance from your amp to each speaker. When measuring, don’t forget to add extra length for going around corners and obstructions. It’s better to overestimate a bit rather than underestimate how much cable you’ll need for the job. You don’t want to be caught short, and it’s simple to cut off any excess cable after you have run it out to a speaker. On the other hand, if your cable’s too short, you’ll have to start over.

If you have to run your wires a long way, you may need to dig a trench for your wires to keep them protected and out of the way. Make sure to purchase wires that can stand up to underground use. Some people prefer to encase underground wires in PVC pipes. These pipes can help protect the wires not only from the elements but also from someone accidentally cutting them with a shovel or other tool. You have a few options for connecting the speaker wires to the amp inside your home. The easiest way is to run the wires through the corner of an open window. Or you can drill a hole through the wall, which will require that you be handy with a power drill. Take care that you don’t damage electric wires in the wall or the wall material itself.

Once the wires are inside the home, run them down the wall to the baseboard and then hide them under the carpet or tack them to the baseboard till they meet the amp, where you attach them. Attach the other ends of the wires to the speakers, making sure at each end to hook the proper wires to the proper terminals. The right speaker goes to the right speaker connection on the amp, and the left speaker to the left speaker connection. Now you’re ready to relax and listen to your favorite music outside.