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11-17-2018, 04:56 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Sullivan
Posts: 60
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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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11-17-2018, 05:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
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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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2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
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11-17-2018, 05:08 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Sullivan
Posts: 60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66joej
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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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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11-17-2018, 05:10 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
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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?
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
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11-17-2018, 05:18 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Sullivan
Posts: 60
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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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11-17-2018, 05:23 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,685
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrhoads23
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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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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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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11-17-2018, 05:46 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Sullivan
Posts: 60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
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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Haha... we go to party campsites where everyone is rocking... We don't want to be the odd ducks. LOL
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11-17-2018, 07:01 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,685
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrhoads23
Haha... we go to party campsites where everyone is rocking... We don't want to be the odd ducks. LOL
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Cool. As long as the "party campsites" are ALL composed of those that like "rocking"....and not any collateral damage regular folks....
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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11-17-2018, 07:06 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,337
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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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2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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11-17-2018, 07:49 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,995
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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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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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11-17-2018, 08:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,090
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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
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2014 Bullet Premier 22RBPR - let the camping commence!
2013 F150 Platinum - 5.0 - 3.55 ELD + towing package
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11-18-2018, 09:40 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Sullivan
Posts: 60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B-O-B'03
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
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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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11-18-2018, 11:17 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
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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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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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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11-21-2018, 11:56 AM
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#14
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Site Team | Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 3,878
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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.
__________________
Chip Bruce, RPh
Kansas City, MO
2016 Impact 312
2017 Silverado 3500HD SRW
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