CE Pro recently reported 23 percent yearly growth in the custom installation market, with the typical outdoor audio project in 2016 coming in at just over $6,900. Just two months after Control4 acquired Triad Speakers, the two manufacturers help to fuel the surging outdoor audio market with their first collaborative product launch: Triad's Garden Array Outdoor Audio system.
Paul Williams, vice president of product management, Control4, says the growing trend of custom installation professionals performing outdoor installations spurred the development of the new Triad product line.
“Traditional outdoor speakers are often mounted on the eaves of the house to direct music into the yard, patio, deck or pool,” says Williams. “To fill the space with music you have to turn it up, making music too loud for those near the speakers—and even for the neighbors. The Triad Garden Array speakers are designed to be spread throughout the yard and enjoyed without needing to crank them up.”
Control4 and Triad explain that today's homeowners want the same entertainment outdoors that they have grown accustomed to indoors. Through the Garden Array speakers, homeowners can listen to and control their music libraries, including playlists and other content, at high volumes and instantly mute that content all from their backyards without annoying their neighbors.
Related: Control4 Purchases Triad Speakers for $9.6M
“Traditional outdoor speakers under eaves have to be played loud … it's hard to use that space to entertain,” says Williams, adding that the Garden Array line was designed to discreetly integrate into outdoor spaces without users having to blast the music to hear it across the yard.
“The Garden Array was throughtfully designed to complement discerning architectural landscapes without compromising sound quality,” says Williams. “Meeting the growing appetite for audio entertainment among homeowners, the Garden Array expands the Triad family from home theater, family room and multiroom solutions to outdoor spaces with an innovative product family that brings the high-performance heritage of Triad throughout the property.”
Features and Specs
Triad says the GA4 SAT speakers include a proprietary 4.5-inch Ultra-Broad Dispersion Driver (UBD), which makes it possible to focus sound onto the intended listening area. Through the implementation of the UBD transducer, the Garden Array speakers produce a broad 150-degree dispersion pattern.
Williams notes that because of the GA4 SAT's wide dispersion capabilities, integrators can set up systems that utilize less speakers, while maintaining smooth and even coverage throughout the listening space.
Supporting the GA4 SAT's sonic attributes is its companion Triad GA10 Subwoofer. The subwoofer is designed to produce deep bass regardless of whether it is installed freestanding or concealed underground. Enabling the subwoofer's installation as an in-ground solution, Triad offers an optional underground kit that is only visible as an above-ground mushroom port.
When not installed in-ground, Control4 and Triad say integrators can place the sub on porches, decks and other similar locations. Powering the subwoofer's downward firing 10-inch woofer is Triad's RackAmp 300 dedicated amplifier.
Built to withstand the elements, the Garden Array speakers feature all-weather enclosures that stand up to extreme heat and cold conditions. The speakers' sealed enclosures protect the speakers from dust, bugs, dirt and other elements. Control4 and Triad point out the GA4 SAT's low-profile design is shaped to resemble landscape lighting to aid its integration into flower beds and gardens.
Control4 and Triad say the Garden Array system is scalable in residential and commercial environments. The product line meets a broad use of applications through its 70-volt, 100-volt 8-ohm options, and included 18-inch mounting stakes that integrators can trim to size. The GA4 SAT mounts to a variety of surfaces, including walls, trees and the mounting stakes via spherical mounting knuckles, silicone wire nuts and standard 3/4-inch conduit
GA4 SAT Speaker: MSRP $300 each
GA10 Subwoofer: MSRP $1,000
GA10 Subwoofer Underground Kit: MSRP $300
GA10 Subwoofer Foot Kit: MSRP $40
Control4 and Triad also offer GA4 SAT eight speaker bundles.
