Outdoor Audio and Video Built for Michigan
Music that fills the yard and stays on your property, TVs that shrug off winter, and movie nights under the stars. Designed as part of the house, not bolted onto it.
You spent real money on the yard, so the sound out there should match it, and everything we install is rated to live outside year round, through full sun and through February.
Outside is just a bigger room, so we zone it like one
Inside, nobody runs one speaker for the whole house. Outside should not work that way either. We design a yard as separate zones, each with its own speakers, its own volume and its own source, and this Brighton backyard is the clearest example we have.
The point is that they run independently. The kids at the pool can have their music while the adults at the fire have theirs, and neither one is fighting the other. Hit one button and the whole yard plays the same thing for a party.
Zoning is also how you solve the neighbor problem. Blasting one pair of speakers loud enough to reach the far end of the yard is what pushes sound onto the next property. More speakers at lower volume, placed where people actually sit, keeps it on yours.
The Outdoor Audio Guide
The five speaker types and when each one is right, how zones are laid out, what weatherproofing actually means in Michigan, and how projects get scoped from a stereo pair up through full multi-zone. Written for homeowners planning a patio, pool or full backyard build.
Get the guideWhat we install outside
Every piece rated for Michigan weather and controlled from the same system as the house.
Landscape audio
James Loudspeaker, SonanceMany small speakers low in the beds, close to where people sit, so every seat hears the same level. The opposite of two loud speakers on the back of the house. Placed with the landscape plan, wired underground.
In-ground subwoofers
James LoudspeakerBuried in the bed with only a small port at grade. This is the bass that makes landscape audio sound like a system instead of a garden of tweeters. One per zone, set before the hardscape goes in.
On-wall speakers
Monitor Audio, James LoudspeakerFor covered porches, lanais and anywhere the seating is fixed. Weatherproof cabinets aimed at the seats, marine coated, built to stay mounted through a Michigan winter.
Outdoor TVs
SunBriteTV, Samsung The TerraceSealed, anti-glare and rated for direct sun and sub-zero cold. An indoor television under a covered patio fails within a season. Full shade, partial sun and full sun models are all different, and the wrong one washes out by two in the afternoon.
Outdoor WiFi
AraknisEvery outdoor system rides the network. A hardwired outdoor access point means the pool deck streams as well as the kitchen does. One conduit run before the concrete saves the whole project later.
Landscape lighting
FX LuminairePath, bed and uplighting on the same system as the audio, so the yard comes on as one scene at sunset instead of four separate timers.
Also from The Sound Vision: Smart Home Automation Home Theater Media Rooms Whole-House Audio Lighting Design Smart Lighting Control Motorized Shades Security and Surveillance WiFi and Networking
One system, inside and out
Outdoor zones join the same Control4 or Crestron system as the house, so a party scene can send music to the yard while the kitchen keeps its own, and everything lives on one app. Nobody gets a second remote for outside.
The cheapest day to run the wire is before the patio is poured, which is why we would rather be on the plan than on the punch list. The season is short here, and systems planned over the winter are playing by Memorial Day.
From the air
Two finished backyards shot by drone. Speakers, subwoofers and outdoor televisions are in both of these and you will have trouble finding them, which is the point.
How a project runs
Dream it
Tell us the vision: music zones, backyard movies, pool parties, or quiet mornings on the patio. We listen and walk the property.
Design it
We divide the yard into audio and video zones, firepit, pool, kitchen, dock, and specify speakers, subwoofers, displays, wire paths and power for each.
Deliver it
Our team handles installation, testing and handoff, coordinated with your landscaper or pool builder so nothing gets dug up twice.
Enjoy it
Everything on the same app and keypads as the house, serviced by the same team, ready every spring.
Proof, not promises
Published outdoor projects built for Michigan.
Outdoor Audio and Video Questions From Metro Detroit Homeowners
How much does an outdoor audio and video system cost in Metro Detroit?
Single-zone covered patio audio systems start around $3,500 to $7,500. Full backyard audio with landscape satellites, an in-ground subwoofer, and dedicated amplification typically runs $10,000 to $25,000. Complete outdoor living systems with multiple zones, an outdoor TV, FX Luminaire landscape lighting, and full Control4 or Crestron integration range from $30,000 to $75,000 or more for large properties. The Sound Vision provides a detailed proposal after a site visit because outdoor pricing depends heavily on property size, hardscape, and wiring path.
What is the difference between an outdoor TV and a regular TV?
Outdoor-rated televisions like SunBriteTV and Samsung The Terrace have sealed enclosures that protect against humidity and rain, screens engineered to stay readable in direct sunlight, and operating temperature ranges that handle Michigan winters as well as Michigan summers. A standard indoor television installed outdoors will fail within one season due to humidity infiltration, temperature cycling, and UV damage to internal components. The Sound Vision only installs purpose-built outdoor displays. Indoor TVs are not specified for outdoor use even under a covered patio.
When should outdoor audio and video be planned in a new construction or landscape project?
Before hardscape is poured. Outdoor audio and video has a one-time installation window during construction. Underground conduit, speaker wiring, in-ground subwoofer placement, and outdoor access point wiring all need to be in the ground before concrete, pavers, planting, or landscape features lock the property in. The Sound Vision joins landscape architecture and pool construction meetings during the planning phase. A thirty-minute consultation before the hardscape goes down can save tens of thousands of dollars in retrofit costs later.
Can outdoor speakers and TVs survive Michigan winters?
Yes, when properly specified. The Sound Vision installs outdoor speakers and electronics rated for Michigan temperature ranges, including freeze-thaw cycles and snow load. Outdoor TVs from SunBriteTV and Samsung The Terrace are rated for the climate. Outdoor speakers from brands like James Loudspeaker, Triad, and Paradigm include weatherized models built for Michigan winters. Standard indoor or warm-climate-only equipment is not installed because it fails within one season. Equipment selection for the climate is part of every design.
How does outdoor audio integrate with my Control4 or Crestron system?
Outdoor zones integrate directly into the same Control4 or Crestron system that controls indoor audio, lighting, shades, and climate. A single scene can bring up the patio music, activate the FX Luminaire landscape lighting, and dim the back of the house all at once. Outdoor speakers and amplifiers are wired into the main rack inside the house. Control happens through the same keypads, touchscreens, and app as everything else. No separate outdoor app is required.
Do you work with landscape architects and pool builders?
Yes. The Sound Vision regularly collaborates with landscape architects, pool builders, and hardscape contractors on outdoor AV projects across Metro Detroit. The most effective approach is to be involved before the landscape plan is finalized so speaker locations, conduit runs, lighting positions, and outdoor TV mounting points are incorporated into the original design rather than worked around afterward. TSV provides the trade with a specification their crews can execute cleanly.
Ready to transform the backyard?
Walk us through the yard, or send a plan. We will tell you what it wants and when to build it so it is playing by summer.
(248) 804-8011Monday to Friday, 9 to 6. Based in Franklin, Michigan.
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