Choosing the Best Loudspeaker Materials for Your Outdoor System

When using loudspeakers outdoors, it's essential that they are built to withstand the environmental elements they'll be exposed to, such as moisture, temperature fluctuations, and UV radiation. Additionally, you want them to look appealing and deliver high-quality sound. Designing a loudspeaker system that meets all these requirements demands foresight and expertise.

Begin by considering what your loudspeakers need to accomplish and where they'll be located. Will they be part of a drive-thru system or kiosk that primarily handles voice frequencies? An alarm system that must always be operational? Will they be playing background music at an outdoor venue or theme park? Or will they be at a waterpark, constantly getting wet, or exposed to extreme temperatures in an automotive application?

Selecting the correct materials for the loudspeaker enclosure comes after ensuring the driver—the internal components of a loudspeaker—is engineered correctly to provide the acoustic characteristics you need. Materials must be chosen not only for their acoustic properties but also for their durability in specific environmental conditions.

Outdoor loudspeaker systems typically need to produce higher volumes than indoor systems because they compete with ambient noise and may be positioned farther from the intended audience. There are two main ways to make a loudspeaker louder. The first is by increasing the amplifier's power output. However, this is an expensive solution and could damage the loudspeaker over time if it exceeds the loudspeaker's power handling capabilities. The second and more effective way is to increase a loudspeaker's volume by enhancing its sensitivity.

Understanding Loudspeaker Sensitivity

Loudspeaker sensitivity measures the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) produced when a certain amount of power is applied, expressed in decibels (dB). SPL quantifies the loudness of sound, so a more sensitive loudspeaker will produce a higher volume from the same input power.

Speaker sensitivity is commonly measured by determining how many decibels of SPL a loudspeaker generates at a distance of one meter when driven with one watt of power. This standardized measurement allows for easy comparison between different loudspeakers' efficiencies.

Improving a loudspeaker's sensitivity involves altering its design and the materials used in its construction. Using lighter components for the loudspeaker's moving parts—such as the cone and voice coil—can increase sensitivity because less mass requires less force to move, resulting in greater sound output. However, lighter materials may increase production costs or affect the long-term durability of the loudspeaker. Achieving the optimal balance between sensitivity, price, and durability requires precise engineering and thorough testing of the loudspeaker components.

Working with a company that can design, test, and manufacture your outdoor loudspeaker system under one roof offers significant advantages. MISCO, for example, utilizes state-of-the-art design and measurement tools to optimize loudspeaker performance while ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.

Protecting Outdoor Loudspeakers from Environmental Damage

Once the loudspeaker has been perfected with precisely the right components, it's time to protect it from the outside world. The grille and the loudspeaker enclosure are responsible for this.

The grille covers the front of the loudspeaker, safeguarding the cone, surround, and dust cap. Anything placed in front of the cone will influence the sound in some way. A light fabric grille may be sufficient for indoor loudspeakers to keep dust off. However, for outdoor loudspeakers—where weather, human interaction, and other unpredictable forces come into play—you will likely need metal or plastic grilles. In some instances, such as mass transit applications, using two metal grilles with different hole patterns layered over each other can prevent contact with the loudspeaker, offering additional protection against vandalism.

Designing the grille involves a significant amount of science. Factors like thickness, hole size, and the number of holes impact the loudspeaker's acoustic performance. Testing the loudspeaker with the grille in place is essential to ensure you achieve the desired sound quality.

Plastic is another good grille material option if you're considering a mass-produced product like a Bluetooth outdoor loudspeaker. It can be designed and manufactured to integrate seamlessly with the entire enclosure of your loudspeaker system.

Loudspeaker enthusiasts often prefer wood for an enclosure due to its excellent damping qualities. A wooden enclosure can effectively deaden vibrational sound waves, ensuring that you hear only the sound from the loudspeaker without additional coloration from the cabinet material. Materials like thin metals can ring, adding unintended high-frequency content. However, for outdoor conditions, wood is not the best option. Metals such as aluminum or stainless steel and plastics are more durable and better suited to withstand environmental challenges.

Matching Loudspeakers to Specific Outdoor Applications

Designing loudspeakers is a complex task. Every component and material type contributes to the characteristic of the sound produced. When you walk down the sound system aisle at your local box store, you'll find that two different systems designed for the same application rarely sound identical. That's why most companies partner with expert loudspeaker engineers when looking for the right loudspeaker for their situation.

MISCO has 75 years of experience offering this type of service. Our team can design, prototype, test, and manufacture a loudspeaker for precisely your unique application. By doing everything at our Minnesota facility, we have complete control over the loudspeaker production process and guarantee the quality of each loudspeaker with our thorough end-of-line testing.

We also have an extensive catalog of off-the-shelf solutions that a team member can help you review to ensure you receive the best product without paying for a custom design.

Do you have more questions about picking the right loudspeaker materials for an outdoor system? Contact us today.