Anyone who wants to plan a sports event or outdoor game on a baseball field should know about the importance of a quality sound system. Not everyone might make the connection between outdoor speakers and baseball, but a lot of college and high school programs expect it for their audiences. Baseball fields also come in handy for hosting special events such as team parties, opening days, closing days, prize distributions, and so on.
School baseball programs and youth baseball leagues may want to consider investing in their own outdoor speakers for their events. This will make the overall experience much better for everyone involved, since the announcements and updates will be loud and clear. Plus, this addition will avoid the hassle of renting or borrowing; it may also draw more people to the events than before.
To get the best possible outdoor speaker for your baseball field, you need to know what to look for. It’s not easy for everyone to get the right set of portable outdoor speakers right away, especially if they’ve never tried it before. This is exactly what we mean to address here; below is a discussion of what to consider before making your final choice.
Sound Quality
Of course, one of the first things we consider when buying any kind of speaker is the sound quality they produce. The speakers for outdoor events in baseball fields will need to project both the human voice and music quite frequently, for people who might be sitting at a fair distance. You want to make sure that sound is as clear and loud as possible, so no one feels left out or confused during the event.
Key Factors to Consider
Here are some of the major factors that influence the sound quality of an outdoor speaker system:
Frequency Response: This is measured in Hertz and shows us how frequently the speaker converts input signal frequencies. The preferable range for speakers is between 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which is also the human audio frequency range and anything in this range is called a ‘full-range response’.
Maximum SPL: This indicates the speaker’s level of loudness a speaker can achieve before it starts producing some distortion or sounding bad. High maximum SPLs of around 90 dB are the best option for use in baseball fields (DJ’s usually use 100-130 dB speakers).
Amplifier and Speaker Power (or Wattage): A lot of manufacturers may not be clear about the speaker wattage–it may be in RMS or peak value. RMS values refer to continuous long-duration levels, while the peak values refer to short-duration levels. You want to look for a peak value that is higher than the RMS value. For instance, a 400W RMS / 800W peak speaker is better than one with specs like 300W RMS/ 600W peak.
How to Evaluate Sound Quality?
Researching the best specification ranges for outdoor speakers can go a long way in determining whether our choice will have good sound quality. In addition to this, you can also try out the following methods:
- Look at how far the sound will reach according to the manufacturer
- Listen to a sound clip on the speaker and determine whether the output is clear and distinct
- Look carefully at the weight of the speakers; if they seem too light, they probably won’t perform that well
- If you’re buying them from a physical store, try lifting the speakers and also look closely at the material they’re made out of
- Check out the plastic content of each speaker and be wary of those with a lot of plastic
- If you don’t have any way of listening to the speakers in person, check out the user reviews and feedback for the product before ordering. These comments can be very helpful in showing you just how the experience is in real life
Portability and Durability
Since we’re talking about outdoor speakers, it’s also important that they are portable. It can be quite hard to get an electric outlet in the middle of a baseball field, not to mention the hazards of all those electric wires. With a portable speaker, the setup and transport will be much easier. Plus, you can change the setup more easily in case it’s not right the first time. It’s also imperative that the speakers are durable, as they’re going to be exposed to air, humidity, moisture, and several other elements outdoors.
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Factors Affecting Durability and Portability
Here’s what you should be looking for to determine whether your new outdoor speakers are easily portable and decently durable:
- Weight: A speaker shouldn’t be too light, else this signals that it’s not that durable. However, something that’s too heavy will compromise the convenience and portability, so you have to strike the right balance between both
- Construction material: As mentioned above, the construction materials should be of high quality and ideally not made totally out of plastic
- Design: The more compact a speaker is, the more portable it will be; this will also make it easier to place the speaker on a stand so it doesn’t get wet from the ground
- Features: A speaker for outdoor events in baseball fields should have water-resistant features such as waterproof casings. Other useful features may include wheels, a handle
- Size: If you have ready access to a Jeep, truck, or van, the size of a speaker may not matter much. However, if you might have to take the speaker out to the field in a regular car, it may be more difficult to manage if it’s a large speaker
Battery Life
Batteries are the primary power source for portable outdoor speakers. This is mainly why it’s imperative to choose a model that assures a long battery life. Here are some factors that can help us determine battery life before we settle on any one set of speakers:
- Battery capacity mAh
- Intended power consumption (mainly depends on the loudness)
- Charge time
- Power-saving features, such as auto-turnoff
You can also further evaluate the probable battery life of an outdoor speaker by taking the following precautions:
- Shortlist some likely options, then compare their specifications and battery capacity
- Read all the relevant customer reviews for your favorite choices; you can use filters and other tools to find the reviews that talk about using the speakers in baseball fields for outdoor events
- Check the owner’s manual for proper directions to evaluate the speakers’ battery life. If they’re not included, you may have to contact the manufacturers directly
Connectivity
Portable outdoor speakers have different connectivity options, including Aux-in, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and external card. Wired is always a more dependable and reliable option than wireless. There’s nothing worse than having a speaker disconnect in the middle of an important game.
When buying a portable outdoor speaker, one needs to evaluate the connectivity options and performance of different models. In order to make the best choice, look for reviews that talk about a model’s compatibility with other devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and so on. You also want to check the specifications for Bluetooth pairing, and other connectivity options. Reliably connectivity is even more important if you want to use services like Spotify or iTunes, which are some of the major technology milestones in the music industry.
Price and Value
Portable outdoor speakers will probably have a heavy price tag, especially if you’re looking to buy a quality model that will last a long time. Before pressing the order button, make sure to consider all of the benefits, features, and warranties of each speaker in your list.
Take out a couple of hours and list the features you’re looking for, along with your intended budget and other requirements. Then, check out the models that fall within those categories. Compare the prices, warranties, and any other factors that might help a certain model stand out.
Remember, you will have to shell out a decent amount in order to get a decent model for your outdoor events. However, the investment will be worth it if you get a durable, high-decibel, and long-lasting speaker.
Conclusion
Finding a portable speaker for your baseball field might present a bit of a challenge. A bit of research goes a long way, especially if you’re willing to stretch your budget a little. Be clear on your specific needs and know what you’re looking for. Although it’s good to have wireless connectivity options like Bluetooth, nothing beats the dependability of a wired connection.