Axiom Outside / "Weatherproof" Speakers?

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I've currently got the cheapo Radio Shack outside speakers (enough said). Apart from turning up my Amp and opening the doors, has Axiom ever looked at outside speakers?

Nathan, there was just a brief mention about two years ago that it was being considered, but apparently nothing came of it.

I seem to remember the official answer being that it would require too much give & take... and then Amie posted a picture of what they use when outside... two M80s plated together into an M160 at each position... which made me seriously consider marrying Noreen (or Alan?) at some point in the future so I'd have neat toys, too.

Bren R.

Mmmm I'd have to structurally reinforce the eaves, sound insulate the neighbours....All worthly ideas....

Hi jmone,

They're coming, and I've done listening tests on some prototypes, but I expect it will be early Spring, 07, before production models appear.

Watch the Axiom AudioFile monthly newsletter for formal announcements.

That's great to hear Alan, I'll be looking forward to the outside speakers also.

I do also hope they will be durable, we live a couple of blocks from the ocean and the salt air can be mighty tough on outside components.

Nice! I spent all summer trying to find some for my patio and I never could find any that I liked. I finally decided to wait and get two pair of Onix when they came out in 2007, but now I don't have to.

Will there be more than one sizing option like O2, O3, O22 or just a single size? Any ballparks on the price range or is it way too early?

Stymie

For the price range -- this is nothing but an educated guess -- I'd expect the outdoor speaker(s) to be priced similarly to the W series. Whether there will be more than one model of outdoor speaker is not something I'm willing to guess at.

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They're coming, and I've done listening tests on some prototypes, but I expect it will be early Spring, 07, before production models appear.

Oh, sure... make a liar out of me.

Looks like I missed this post while I was reading only the bottom three forums.

Sorry to spread false information - I seem to recall a post before that where Ian himself suggested they were a no-go.

My apologies.

Bren R.

This is great news. Any idea how the Full Metal Brackets would stand-up to the elements outside?

I've also wondered how easily the two halfs of the FMB come apart. (At the horizontal swivel point) If they did, it would be slick to move the speakers from one area to another.

Shawn I'm using the FMB's for a pair of Polk Audio speakers on our back patio that faces the ocean a block and a half away, thus far they are holding up extremely well. The FMB's are mounted to the concrete block using Tapcon screws and I used stainless screws on the speaker end, I did have to ream larger holes with a drill on the wall-side of the FMBs to accommodate the larger diameter of the Tapcan screws. The FMBs are cast or extruded aluminum, painted very well and can be adjusted to fit probably any application the speaker/wall requires.

Now they need to make an outdoor/inwall EP600...

>>Now they need to make an outdoor/inwall EP600...

Not required, except maybe for music. Outdoors you can use real explosives and get that extra touch of authenticity in the action films.

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Not required, except maybe for music. Outdoors you can use real explosives and get that extra touch of authenticity in the action films.

Is this going to be an option with an Axiom outdoor speaker 'package', or is it more of a DIY project?

Hey John - Did you go to that thing in Idaho where you shoot explosives?

Hey Tom--

I'm thinking of waiting until you buy 2 pairs and decide you don't need one!

Hope all is well with you!
Rich

No... I didn't register soon enough and it filled up. Besides, nobody I knew wanted to go and I didn't feel like driving to Idaho by myself, that would seem too much like a bad movie plot

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Shawn I'm using the FMB's for a pair of Polk Audio speakers on our back patio that faces the ocean a block and a half away, thus far they are holding up extremely well. The FMB's are mounted to the concrete block using Tapcon screws and I used stainless screws on the speaker end, I did have to ream larger holes with a drill on the wall-side of the FMBs to accommodate the larger diameter of the Tapcan screws. The FMBs are cast or extruded aluminum, painted very well and can be adjusted to fit probably any application the speaker/wall requires.

Thanks for the info, Rick! Good to know. Here in Ontario, the main problems are temperature extremes and humidity. No issues with sea salt.

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I seem to remember the official answer being that it would require too much give & take... and then Amie posted a picture of what they use when outside... two M80s plated together into an M160 at each position... which made me seriously consider marrying Noreen (or Alan?) at some point in the future so I'd have neat toys, too.

Bren R.

While searching for something else, I came across THIS which I believe you're referring too

That would be it.

Bren R.

Hey, things change. On my last visit to Axiom for a general meeting, I wasn't really surprised when Ian said he had a blind listening test set up because we do those every time I visit.

What surprised me was after the test when we opened the curtains (acoustically transparent) to find a pair of M3-sized enclosures of a black composite synthetic material, the prototypes of the outdoor M3s. They did really well in the listening comparisons, so it's a go-ahead for tooling and stuff. That takes some months.

Regards,

I'm thinking that Axiom doesn't quite do Apple level product announcement security...

Hey Alan, a pair of M3s coupled with a decent little sub made of synthetic composite material on the outside patio ... sounds like a winner to me!

What will the VaSSallo versions be - carved from single pieces of granite?

Ouch... I actually got a twinge of guilt using Joe's name in a sentence with a joke.

And of course, you guys say there will be no outdoor speakers... don't wait around for outdoor speakers... you even suggest other manufacturers' outdoor speakers. I wire my garage for 6x9s in enclosures and BAM! You come out with outdoor speakers. :P

Bren R.

Joe would have loved that joke. He was all about making it cooler!

Bren,

Of course, hand-carved from the Canadian shield, complete with lichen growing, for authenticity. Talk about an acoustically opaque enclosure! It's true, Joe would have found that funny.

Now that I think about it, what about Axiom outdoor speakers carved from soapstone by Inuit artisans? For the art market. . .

There's potential here.

Have you tested these speakers to -30 celcius yet?

For hot tubbing outside of course...

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Of course, hand-carved from the Canadian shield, complete with lichen growing, for authenticity. Talk about an acoustically opaque enclosure! It's true, Joe would have found that funny.

Well, if there's a big enough demand, maybe Axiom will use up enough rock to finally flatten out those pesky mountains in Alberta and BC... they obstruct my view of the Pacific. *turns west and shakes my fist... menacingly*

Bren R.

The mountains, and the damned curvature of the Earth.

"Curvature of the earth", Peter? You should go out and look for yourself rather than relying on these scientific theories. You'll see that the earth is flat. Just trust your eyes.