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Old 11-17-2018, 04:56 PM   #1
jrhoads23
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Thinking of adding outdoor speakers to Outback 23RS - Possible? Am I nuts?

We got our 2008 Outback 23RS this summer and love it. The one thing it doesn't have that our previous camper had are outdoor speakers. I believe this was an option for this model/year and mine was obviously not built with them from the factory. I really like the idea of having the stereo inside tuned to a radio station and having it playing outside when we are all hanging out.

I think I know the answer to this but is it a total pain to add outdoor speakers when they were never there from the factory? It would obviously require cutting holes for them but the real PITA is going to be running wires to my stereo inside. Has anyone done this before? I don't suppose that by some miracle Keystone ran wires for speakers even when that option wasn't selected?

If my suspicions are correct and it isn't realistic to add them are there any other options? Does anyone make a bluetooth adapter that would accept an input from my stereos speaker wires or RCA output and broadcast it so I could connect to one of those portable JBL bluetooth speakers outside?

I apologize if this has been asked before - I couldn't find anything - everything seemed to deal with replacing the stock outdoor speakers. Or if this is the wrong forum.
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:05 PM   #2
66joej
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You could consider surface mount speakers. Then all you have is the small holes for the wire and the attaching screws. I think most factory speakers are mounted this way. JMO
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:08 PM   #3
jrhoads23
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You could consider surface mount speakers. Then all you have is the small holes for the wire and the attaching screws. I think most factory speakers are mounted this way. JMO
But I still have the problem routing the wires to my stereo, correct? That is the bigger problem in my mind
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:10 PM   #4
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Should not be a problem to get the unit out of the wall. I believe there is a connection for the outside speakers if it was an option. Does it have the A B C speaker switch?
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:18 PM   #5
jrhoads23
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According to their 2008 brochure, there was an "Outdoor Camp Theater" option which had outdoor speakers (mine does not have that option). I am guessing those wires are NOT run in mine, correct?

(Page 4 of this PDF)
https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/08_Outback_THTT.pdf
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:23 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by jrhoads23 View Post
We got our 2008 Outback 23RS this summer and love it. The one thing it doesn't have that our previous camper had are outdoor speakers. I believe this was an option for this model/year and mine was obviously not built with them from the factory. I really like the idea of having the stereo inside tuned to a radio station and having it playing outside when we are all hanging out.

I think I know the answer to this but is it a total pain to add outdoor speakers when they were never there from the factory? It would obviously require cutting holes for them but the real PITA is going to be running wires to my stereo inside. Has anyone done this before? I don't suppose that by some miracle Keystone ran wires for speakers even when that option wasn't selected?

If my suspicions are correct and it isn't realistic to add them are there any other options? Does anyone make a bluetooth adapter that would accept an input from my stereos speaker wires or RCA output and broadcast it so I could connect to one of those portable JBL bluetooth speakers outside?

I apologize if this has been asked before - I couldn't find anything - everything seemed to deal with replacing the stock outdoor speakers. Or if this is the wrong forum.

My thought is....you ARE using those speakers in places where there are no other folks??? Right? I have outside speakers that have never been used simply because I will not use them with anyone within hearing range around; in the mountains/remote areas when you are the only one around, use the speakers. If anyone is within 2-300 yards of you, you need to be courteous. I upgraded my interior speakers....don't worry about outside.
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Old 11-17-2018, 05:46 PM   #7
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My thought is....you ARE using those speakers in places where there are no other folks??? Right? I have outside speakers that have never been used simply because I will not use them with anyone within hearing range around; in the mountains/remote areas when you are the only one around, use the speakers. If anyone is within 2-300 yards of you, you need to be courteous. I upgraded my interior speakers....don't worry about outside.
Haha... we go to party campsites where everyone is rocking... We don't want to be the odd ducks. LOL
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Old 11-17-2018, 07:01 PM   #8
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Haha... we go to party campsites where everyone is rocking... We don't want to be the odd ducks. LOL

Cool. As long as the "party campsites" are ALL composed of those that like "rocking"....and not any collateral damage regular folks....
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Old 11-17-2018, 07:06 PM   #9
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Surface mount is a misnomer in the RV industry. When you see that tall black cover, it’s just that..a cover. The speakers are still mounted in a shallow hole with the speaker wires routed up through the styrofoam, into the ceiling and over to the radio.

Getting the wires from the radio to the sidewall is probably the easy part. Getting them down the sidewall is going to be a task. Could you change out the radio for one with Bluetooth? That way you could put the speakers where ever.
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Old 11-17-2018, 07:49 PM   #10
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If your current radio has a "headphone plug" have you considered a "headphone Bluetooth adapter and a good set of Bluetooth speakers? While it might cost a bit more than a cheap set of speakers to screw onto the side of your trailer, I'm guessing the manhours and skinned knuckles installing and routing the speaker wires would more than pay for the Bluetooth system.
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Old 11-17-2018, 08:44 PM   #11
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My kids got me a really nice blue tooth speaker (Riva Turbo), I ripped my 1100+ CD collection and put it on a thumb drive that I plug into a tablet and connect to the speaker.

It sounds a million times better than the outside speakers + stereo in the camper and you can move it to wherever you need it. It plays as loud or soft as you want and will definitely rock the camp site, if required.

I have not used the outside speakers since I received it.

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Old 11-18-2018, 09:40 AM   #12
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My kids got me a really nice blue tooth speaker (Riva Turbo), I ripped my 1100+ CD collection and put it on a thumb drive that I plug into a tablet and connect to the speaker.

It sounds a million times better than the outside speakers + stereo in the camper and you can move it to wherever you need it. It plays as loud or soft as you want and will definitely rock the camp site, if required.

I have not used the outside speakers since I received it.

-Brian
Yeah the more and more I look into it this sounds like the better option. I may rig up a $40 Bluetooth transmitter to my stereo and play it on some Bluetooth speakers outside
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Old 11-18-2018, 11:17 AM   #13
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My thought is....you ARE using those speakers in places where there are no other folks??? Right? I have outside speakers that have never been used simply because I will not use them with anyone within hearing range around; in the mountains/remote areas when you are the only one around, use the speakers. If anyone is within 2-300 yards of you, you need to be courteous. I upgraded my interior speakers....don't worry about outside.
I feel exactly the same way! The outside speakers & outside tv's are 2 options I wish they had never made available.
The OP may be courteous to fellow campers, but 95% of the ones I've been unfortunate enough to park next to were NOT & their taste & mine in music were not even remotely the same. The later 8n the day/night it got the louder their so called music gets.
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Old 11-21-2018, 11:56 AM   #14
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Blue tooth speaker and Spotify or radio.com on your phone. If you are a SiriusXm subscriber you can use their app also. Way better than the trailer system.
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