how to install tic outdoor rock speakers (guidelines)
tic “tfs” terra-forms® simulated stone speakers outdoor rock speakers
Below you will find the basic installation guidelines for our TIC TFS0, TFS1, TFS2, TFS3 & TFS4 Terra-Forms® series of outdoor rock speakers. While all installations and even landscape settings are a little different in requirements and layout, the following installation guidelines have served, with little modification for the successful installation of hundreds of thousands of TIC outdoor stone speaker products world wide.
Terra-Forms® simulated outdoor stone speakers, TFS0, TFS1, TFS2, TFS3 & TFS4, are mounted either on the surface or preferably sinking them slightly by an inch or more, model dependent, into the garden surface. Keeping the grill a few inches above ground is most important here. Slightly sinking the unit stabilizes the enclosure and often produces a cleaner more vibrant sound quality. The design and finish color blend perfectly with any landscape or garden setting. They can be potted for indoor or patio applications.
The following instruction guidelines apply to all TIC Terra-Forms® generally. Where any special consideration should be made a Note: will be made. Also see our Pro series of Terra-Forms® outdoor rock speakers.
how to install outdoor rock speakers
1. Carefully unpack the speaker components. Compare contents of boxes to the exploded parts diagram or parts list enclosed.
2. Read all the instructions before proceeding on with the connection of your exterior audio speakers to insure trouble free performance of your outdoor rock speaker system.
tic outdoor rock speaker placement & optimization
We all desire the best sound when placing our exterior speakers and while all TIC speakers may be quite powerful, you must decide where the best listening area will be. Try to angle the speakers broadcast range to play on a 45º angle to the preferred listening position. Contrary to popular belief and many installs we've seen,, speakers do not play better when aimed at each other from across the listening area but rather when placed at an oblique angle to cover the listening area. See our Outdoor Rock Speakers introduction page for more details...
3. Plan the location of the TIC outdoor rock speakers by making a simple sketch and estimating the length of the TIC speaker cable required, access to the amplifier to be used and the effective area of speaker operation; the latter being about a twenty to fifty foot broadcast area, model dependent. It is desirable not to leave "dead zones" between the outdoor rock speakers broadcast coverage.
4. Check your layout plan/ sketch for obstacles: Sidewalks, driveways, water, trees, bushes or garden fences, existing sprinkler paths or piping, architectural features and other obstacles that will interfere with, later obscuring or final laying of the wire and placement of the TIC outdoor rock speakers.
5. Before digging holes, drilling holes or mounting brackets for the TIC outdoor speakers or the wires, lay out the units and the wires per your sketch/ diagram. Recheck your drawing for any obstacles.
6. Review your point of entry into the house, garage or out building containing the power source to ensure the best point for entry. A crawl space, window or garage wall may provide the best entry point. If necessary, drill a hole only slightly larger than the wires used and use a good caulk or silicone to seal the hole around the site when the installation of your new TIC outdoor rock speakers is complete.
CAUTION!
Be careful not to drill in an area where house wiring is installed or piping and sprinklers may be present. Metal casements or window frames should also be avoided. This could cause structural damage or worse, a safety problem!
7. Placing your outdoor rock speakers
- TIC Corporation always recommends you connect your new outdoor speakers to your amplification equipment in close proximity and check their correct operation before you begin their exterior installation. Later, this test will help point out any difficulties that occur in cable runs or connectivity issues. Please first note item “8.” below.
- Terra-Forms® outdoor rock speakers speakers pair may be positioned wherever convenient and best suited to their broadcast area. They do not need to be buried, merely a shallow cavity 2 - 3 in. deep, model size dependent. Repeat for all Terra-Forms® outdoor rock speakers to be installed. With TIC outdoor rock speakers you also have the option to semi-permanently mount them with their available base stake.
- Next, layout the speaker cord routes with string and small stakes to line up where to trench and keep this final length of string to measure and properly cut your cable if taking from a roll.. Dig a 4 to 6 inch deep trench along this line to each speaker. This can be best done in soft soil by using a flat spade. Insert the spade in ground at a 45º angle and push sod and dirt up leaving a narrow slit to lay the wire into. After spading all the trenches, lay the wire to insure adequate length for installation.
- Check the both ends of the wires for adequate length to hookup to a TIC volume control, TIC speaker selector and/ or amplifier/ receiver depending upon your particular installation configuration. Some extra length or "play" should be left in the cable for adjustments.
- Recheck the connections and hook up the system to check for full functioning, following connection instructions for your system. Should everything operate properly, close up trenches and carefully fill around the speakers. Place excess dirt around flower beds or trees as is appropriate, secure your cable run and tidy the final installation.
8. Connecting your TIC Outdoor Rock Speakers to your sound system
CAUTION! Refer to your amplifier/ receiver system manual for the manufacturers proper connection procedures. These take precedence over any connection instructions expressed or implied here. Select a minimum initial output. Check out the balance control next on the indoor and TIC outdoor rock speakers. Carefully raise the volume control in small steps to insure distortion free output. Overloading with a distorted signal can seriously damage your new TIC outdoor rock speakers.
CAUTION! Be very careful not to reverse polarity on your new TIC rock speakers; + to + and - to - only, when connecting your speakers. Follow the color coding on your TIC speaker wires which is usually Red for positive and Black for ground/ common. Incorrect polarity connection of your TIC exterior rock speakers will result in poor sound reproduction and potentially damage your audio system, TIC outside rock speakers and any sound equipment.
please relax and enjoy your installation of another quality tic outdoor rock speaker product!
playing your tic exterior and interior speakers together
In the event that you play your indoor and outdoor speakers simultaneously with the same receiver - amplifier, you may sometimes experience higher volume levels with your indoor speakers. The are many reasons for this;
- Most TIC exterior speaker models are a full 8Ω (Ohms) impedance while many indoor home theatre, bookshelf or wall speakers sold today are the lesser 4Ω – 6Ω only.
- Most interior speakers radiate in one direction only (mono–directional). TIC omni speakers and their famous OmniSpeakers® for instance, are designed to radiate in a full 360° (omni–directional) broadcast area.
- Area sound concentration is much higher in an interior environment with interior walls than an exterior environment without them.
- No reflection or sound promotion in an exterior environment. In fact, exterior ambient acoustics plays a large part in absorbing and therefore reducing the exterior sound levels of all outdoor speakers and broadcast equipment.
- The waterproof materials used in the TIC outdoor speaker components, cones and the resistance in long exterior outdoor speaker cable runs lowers the frequency level received by all exterior speakers.
tic terra-forms® outdoor rock speaker notes
Outdoor Rock Speaker Security: While many installers simply use a "U" bolt hammered into the ground around the sunken outdoor speaker cable leading up into the TFS outdoor speaker stone and this is an acceptable form of security, some may prefer to use the TIC SPSS rock speaker security stake which screw fastens to the base of the TFS series rock speakers.
Blowup of the Terra-Forms® rock speaker cable plug assembly used in every TFS series outdoor rock speaker
winterizing your outdoor rock speaker system
TIC outdoor OmniSpeakers® are the standard specification used in most Theme Parks, Leisure and Amusement Centers World Wide. A trick they recommended to us many years ago; in addition to the TIC outdoor speakers weatherproof properties, the system can be best protected from snow and ice, where appropriate, by securing a plastic bag over the unit until the spring thaw.
playing your outdoor rock speakers with accessories
(TIC Corporation Award Winning outdoor speaker OmniSpeakers® used by example below)
your tic outside speakers with a volume control
your tic outside speakers with a switch box
your tic outside speakers with a volume control & switch box
tic outdoor speaker preventative maintenance
Bi-annual or yearly maintenance of your outdoor speakers is always recommended. How often you actually do this is use dependent.
If you have an outdoor speaker TIC OmniSpeaker® GS3 - GS50, you should first remove any garden debris or particulate matter from around the base of the protruding outdoor speaker housing and grill. Carefully check the black foam ring (TIC part # GS FF) that acts as a protective filter for the interior components. If it is not occluded or degraded, if it is please remove any waste and replace as necessary.
It may be necessary to remove the lid off your outdoor OmniSpeaker® for careful inspection. This may be done by removing the three screws which are exposed once you stretch and remove the black foam filter whcih is supposed to be covering the metal impact speaker grill. These three screws fasten the aluminum impact screen and lid assembly to the base housing and then lift off. Upon removing the grill & lid assembly, look down upon the speaker and carefully remove any bugs, debris or sandy particles that have gotten inside and are lying upon the speaker. These small objects if not removed can cause crackling sounds or distortion as they are bounced around on the speaker cone during play. This will affect the sound reproduction of the unit.
When you are satisfied and the unit is clean carefully replace the components in reverse order.
Your TIC outdoor OmniSpeakers® and TIC outdoor rock speakers in general actually require very little in the way of maintenance, however any preventative maintenance is always preferable to none.
We at TIC Corporation, like all our customers, wish you many years of enjoyment from your new outdoor speakers!
Contact
Please Contact us at TIC Corporation where we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
TIC Corporation will in no way be held responsible for the improper, misuse or unsecured installation of its products. Any and all damage, injury or liability arising from the installation or use of TIC products is the sole responsibility of the original purchaser and final installers.
TIC cannot be held responsible for typographical errors contained within company literature or this website. Pricing and availability subject to change without notice, when placing an order the customer accepts and agrees to all TIC general terms and conditions. Note on pictures shown; all pictures shown for web purposes are low resolution. All TIC products shown are expected to improve or exceed their visual characteristics as shown.