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BUYERS GUIDE: Outdoor AV

Indoor/outdoor speakers and weather-ready display screens take it outside. The products in our current survey can deliver their design specs wherever they are installed.

The FS12T-99 from Atlas is two-way, full-range loudspeaker system that incorporates a 12in. LF driver and 1in. exit HF compression driver concentrically mounted to a high-directivity waveguide. It provides 90-degree x 90-degree coverage and is tuned for optimal source reproduction. The unit is constructed using molded linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), creating a strong yet lightweight enclosure. The unit includes a stainless steel U-bracket and fly-points allowing for easy mounting. Input is via an integrated 70.7V transformer with low insertion loss and full frequency response with power taps up to 400-watts including an 4ohm bypass. The transformer is mounted under the rear cover for weather protection, and the finish is UV resistant.

Using the Articulated Array design, the Bose Panaray 402 Series IV installed sound reinforcement loudspeaker provides 120°x60° coverage and extended low bass. The full-range driver array eliminates the need for tweeters and crossovers, and the unit produces 119dB peak SPL. Ready for indoor or outdoor installation, the Panaray 402 Series IV is fitted with threaded inserts for easy installation. The system’s frequency response is 73Hz to 15kHz and the nominal impedance of the four 4.5in. full-range cone transducers is 8Ω.

Community Professional designed the WX-1500 15in. high performance two-way point source loudspeaker for outdoor direct exposure and permanent installation in all environments. Available in six rotatable horn patterns, the WX models have a large diaphragm 1.4in. exit high-frequency compression driver to produce big sound in a small enclosure. Internal components have Community’s proprietary Envirotech coating for improved weather-resistance. All of the WX models are available in black or white finish and mounting brackets are included.

The Crestron Saros SR6T two-way surface mount speaker has a 6.5in. woofer and hornloaded 1in. dome tweeter. With its built-in 60W multi-tap transformer, the Saros SR6T can be used with 70V and 100V distributed speaker systems. On an 8Ω system, it has a power handling capacity of 150W and frequency response (-10dB) of 70Hz to 18kHz. In addition to a wide variety of indoor applications, the weatherized construction allows it to be used for patios, pools, and outdoor entertainment venues. With its “QuickBall” mounting system, it can be mounted to any solid surface with a broad aiming selection.

Out-of-home advertising is adapting to the immediacy of today’s digital media as people are spending more time on-the-go. More people can be reached every day while they travel in vehicles, walk downtown, or across campus, or shop in city centers with Daktronics Digital Street Furniture.This street-level application provides a sleek, European-inspired design that emphasizes the message and not the medium. It can replace backlit, static, or scrolling displays, providing eye-level advertising that complements your existing architecture.

Designed for outdoor use, the Nocturne projection screen from Draper is available in a motorized version (Nocturne Series E) or as a crank operated model (Nocturne Series C). Both are equipped with a weather resistant solid aluminum head box that includes an installation hinge. They ship in sizes from 65in. to 133in. diagonal with standard cable guides and a weighted dowel. Among the surfaces that can be specified are Matte White, Contrast Grey, ClearSound Perf, ClearSound White Weave and ClearSound Grey Weave.

The EAW QX596i offers high output and broadband pattern control for a wide variety of installation scenarios with its four Phase Aligned 12in. LF cones, 2in. exit MF compression driver, and its 2in. exit HF compression driver. The three-way trapezoidal enclosure exhibits 55Hz-25kHz frequency response with power handling of 2000W at 2Ω and 1000W at 4Ω. Calculated maximum long term output is 136W on the LF components and 133W on the passive MF/HF section. The nominal coverage pattern is 90°x60°.

Designed for mains, fills, or monitors, the Electro-Voice ZX1 8in. two-way, full-range composite loudspeaker pairs a long-excursion weather treated EV8L woofer with a 1.25in. DH2005 titanium HF compression driver and rotatable 90°x50° horn produce 123dB maximum SPL.
The unit can handle 200W program and up to 800W peak power in its high-impact polypropylene enclosure. Available in black or white, the ZX1 includes a passive crossover with full-band overload protection and its (-3dB) frequency response is 60Hz to 20kHz.

The Control 28 high-output background/ foreground loudspeaker is the largest of JBL Professional’s Control Contractor Series indoor/outdoor loudspeakers with its 8in. polypropylene-coated woofer and 1in. Titanium-coated, horn-loaded tweeter. Paintable to match its surroundings, the Control 28 has a 16Hz to 16kHz (-10dB) frequency response, overload protection and 175W continuous power handling capacity. It connects with spring terminals and includes built-in InvisiBall mounting hardware. There is a variety of mounting hardware available for arranging multiple enclosures in wide dispersion arrays.

Lowell Manufacturing has the OS-100 Series 100W indoor/outdoor speaker for indoor or protected outdoor use. The system can operate on low impedance or on 25V, 70V, or 100V distributed sound systems. The OS-100 combines a 6.5in. mica-coated woofer, transformer, molded-plastic housing, weatherresistant terminal cover, fine mesh aluminum grille and adjustable U-bracket. In a black or white housing, the speaker system produces wide near field dispersion and frequency response of 97Hz to 20kHz ±6dB.

For high-power outdoor installations in which the speaker enclosure is sheltered from direct exposure to the elements, Martin Audio has the CDD-15WR Weatherized High Output Coaxial Differential Dispersion System. Housed in a UPM Formi composite enclosure, the unit h
as been tested to meet IP54 requirements while producing a frequency response of 55Hz to 18kHz ± 3dB. Handling 400W AES and 1600W peak power, it has a nominal 8Ω impedance and it can be purchased in black or white finish. The protective grille is zinc-plated mild steel with powder-coated finish and a weatherized backing.

The expanded line of fine pitch direct view LED displays from NEC Display Solutions of America offer 1.2mm to 6mm pixel pitch for indoor applications and 5.8mm to 12.0mm pixel pitch for outdoor applications, providing maximum flexibility in a variety of installations. The displays feature 24-bit color processing and an increased lifespan (to 100,000 hours). The front facing LED panels are easily upgradeable and designed for easy color calibration to ensure color uniformity, even if a panel is replaced. The LED panels also can be arranged in a curved concave/convex configuration and feature a high refresh rate to prevent flickering, making them suitable for digital signage applications in retail, broadcast, control centers, transportation, and more.

The OS7.5 high-performance indoor/outdoor loudspeaker from Niles Audio is a lowimpedance system that exhibits a 60Hz to 23kHz (±3dB) frequency response along with power handling from 5W to 150W and it exceeds military anticorrosion specifications (MIL-STD-883D). Its bass output is enhanced through the integrated woofer/baffle assembly and the 7in. interlaced carbon-fiber cone reduces low-frequency distortion. Midrange frequencies are disbursed over a wide area by the Dispersion Stabilizer. The highs are handled by a 1in. tri-laminate Teteron dome with fluid cooling.

Peerless-AVhas outdoor sound and video covered with the UV651 65in. UltraView Outdoor TV and its Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar. The UV651 is a 65in. diagonal weather resistant TV with full HD 1080p resolution and the ability to withstand temperature range from -24°F to 122°F. Its waterproof remote can control up to three devices and it has full-range internal speakers. Inputs include HDMI, VGA, composite, and USB (for images/text) and it features RS232 remote control and a clock/sleep timer. For bigger outdoor sound from the TV, Peerless-AV also has the IP65 rated, Bluetooth capable Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar offering 50Hz to 20kHz frequency response, built-in 180W Class D amplifier, and a 12-button IR remote control.

The Powersoft Deva is a complete infotainment, entertainment, and surveillance system. With integrated Bluetooth and GPRS technologies, Deva can broadcast powerful sound using playlists and customized settings. Add to this the ability to carry emergency messages to a wide area and relay surveillance video lit up with its internal LED. Inside it has a class D amplifier to drive the 8in. speaker to a maximum SPL of 115dB. The unit is solar recharged and network connected through its internal 100 Mbit/s Ethernet port with PoE.

QSC’s AcousticDesign Series consists of surface-mount, ceiling-mount, and pendant mount models, all of which are sonically consistent so that any combination of these speakers can be used in a single sound environment. The ceiling-mounted units have snap-fit magnetic grilles while the surface mounted speakers use the X-Mount Surface Mounting System. The pendant-mounted units can operate in 70/100V distributed speaker systems or in their 16Ω bypass mode. The Directivity Matched Transition (DMT) Waveguide provides a smooth transition from low to high frequencies and a more uniform dispersion.

For added punch over distance outside, RCF offers the HD 6045EN long-throw, multi-cell horn speaker, a fiberglass unit with 200W RMS power handling and internal transformers for 70V/100V distributed speaker systems. IP55 rated with a power selection of 50W, 25W, 12W, and 5W, the HD 6045EN uses its four 50W drivers to produce a frequency response of 200Hz to 10kHz and 133dB maximum SPL. The system has a 60° horizontal and 50° vertical coverage pattern and it connects on ceramic terminal blocks and includes a thermal switch.

Rockustics has the solution for landscape speakers that blend right into the outdoors with the XT-PowerRock, a two-way 8Ω speaker system with a 1.3in. tweeter and 8in. cone woofer. A transformer option allows it to operate on 25V/70.7V/100V distributed systems with an 8Ω bypass. The system handles up to 250W power and stands 17.75in. high with a weight of 48lbs. Available in brown, gray, or sandstone, it has an optional security bracket (RSB1).

The SnapAV Episode Landscape Series Satellite Speaker is designed to blend into the outdoor surroundings. Each one has a hidden tap switch to select between 70V or low impedance operation. Mountable in a variety of places, the 4in. and 6in. models feature a 3/4in. dome tweeter while the 8in. model has a titanium triple tweeter array. The Satellite Speaker can be used with any of the Landscape Series burial subwoofers for more bass punch.

For the video side, SnapAVis now shipping SunBriteTV Veranda and Signature Series outdoor TVs. The Veranda is a 4K model for a fully-shaded application such as a covered porch. The signature Series has been upgraded to 4K and now has a built-in HDBaseT receiver.

For music and announcements in restaurants, courtrooms, airports, and other public gathering places, the Q-8 loudspeaker from Soundsphere has a hemispherical coverage pattern and handles 100W RMS power. With 55Hz to 17kHz (±6dB) frequency response, the enclosure and reflector are fiberglass with gelcoat finish and include rust-resistant hardware. The Q-8 is available for either surface or hanging mounts, in both standard and custom colors. The system is coaxial using an 8in. woofer and 1in. dome tweeter.

The Soundtube XT-Spykeweatherproof speaker uses a sealed enclosure with a stainless steel grille to house its eight 3in. woofers and eight 1in. tweeters. Capable of wall, spike, and flown mounting, the system produces 150W RMS power with maximum SPL at 114dB. The 8Ω unit has a transformer option using a five-position rotary switch with transformer bypass for 25V/70.7V/100V applications and it is fitted with durable, weatherproof Neutrik speakON connectors. The QT-Spyke can be ordered in green, black, or white.

Speco Technologies designed the SP8AWXTW 8in. all-weather extreme indoor/ outdoor wall-mount speaker for high performance in all kinds of weather conditions. This model has a transformer with 100W, 50W, 25W, 12.5W, and 8Ω positions. It handles 100W RMS power with 120° conical dispersion. The 8in. polypropylene woofer and 1in. silk tweeter produce a frequency response of 50Hz to 120kHz and are protected by an aluminum grille. The enclosure is available in black or off-white.

The Noho ultra-compact, IP56 weatherproof, two-way full-range loudspeaker from Technomadhas a coaxially mounted 12in. custom cone LF driver and a 1in. horn-loaded compression driver to output 430W with 96dB SPL. It covers the area well with 120° horizontal and vertical dispersion while operating on 8Ω. With black as standard, the system is available in 14 colors. Options include wall mount, yoke mount, and a pole mount bracket along with an internal 300W 70V transformer.

TOA Electronics can hide the GS-302 Garden Speaker in plain sight where it covers the entire surrounding area with a frequency response of 100Hz to 8kHz and 30W power on a 100V system. The 12cm splash-proof cone is connected with a push-in terminal and the whole system is rated IPX4. The top cover and base are made of FRP resin in a dark gray semi-gloss paint. The speaker panel is ABS resin and the legs are aluminum.

 The VXS Series surface-mount speakers from Yamaha Commercial Audio can be used in ceiling- and surface-mount options, and they are available in black or white but can be painted to match any décor. The VXS Series features two models and four variations equipped with internal transformers to permit operation in distributed or low impedance systems. All IP35 rated, they can stand up to the outdoors. Also offered are the “VA” versions adding the EN54-24 voice alarm system standard compliance while retaining the outstanding sonic quality and ease of installation. The power rating is 150W with a frequency response of 62Hz to 20kHz and the cabinets are ABS in black or white.

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