Enhance your outdoor space with a genuine, high-quality hi-fi system, and enjoy the same sensations in the garden as at home, without the acoustic constraints of a room. The powerful Focal OD SUB 12 in-ground subwoofer maximizes bass, and pairs perfectly with the Focal OD SAT 5 satellite speakers for a clear, even sound distribution, without detracting from the aesthetics of the garden. Around the patio, barbecue or pool, this Focal Littora outdoor hi-fi system (€2,490) far exceeds the performance of many large waterproof Bluetooth speakers, and does so with maximum discretion.
With the Littora OD SUB 12/SAT 5 kit, Focal offers a waterproof 2.1 hi-fi solution for an effective sound reproduction part of the garden: around the patio or by the pool. Last but not least, this passive system requires cabling all the way into the house in order to connect two amplifiers (one for the satellite speakers, the other for the subwoofer). So you’ll have to dig a few small trenches, but it’s worth it!
Included accessories
The Focal OD SUB 12′ bulky box contains two modules: the sealed subwoofer and its mushroom-shaped chimney. The satellite speaker’s packaging is a little more lavish, providing two types of bracket: one pair to fix the satellites in the ground, the other for wall mounting. You’ll need to provide the necessary cabling and underground ducts to connect the audio system to the amplifiers. Two audio amplifiers should be installed in the house or garage, provided they are protected from humidity.
For this review, we opted for the Focal 100 IWSUB8 Amplifier mono amp to power the subwoofer, while the satellites were amplified by the Sonos AMP WiFi/AirPlay model for easy music playback control from the garden. Add to this two wall-mounted sockets with speaker terminals, two flush-mounted boxes and two junction boxes to optimize the installation and ensure a perfect seal between inside and outside.
Presentation
The Focal Littora OD SUB 12/SAT 5 system is a 2.1 outdoor speaker set powered by amplifiers that should be placed within WiFi range. We chose a Sonos WiFi/AirPlay amplifier to easily control the music while sitting comfortably in a deckchair on the patio. If the WiFi signal is weak, you can extend it with a Netgear extension solution.
Focal Littora OD SUB 12
The Focal Littora OD SUB 12 subwoofer is powered here by the Focal 100 IWSUB8 Amplifier, which delivers 150 watts of power (Max 200W). The latter benefits from specific settings for an outdoor subwoofer. On the front, you’ll find the crossover frequency, phase and volume. A switch also enables the amp to be set to ON/OFF or Auto. The subwoofer is therefore a passive model, and sealed to ensure it is weatherproof. This outdoor subwoofer is equipped with a large, 12″ weather resistant driver that can handle up to 400 watts of power.
Its IP55 certification guarantees a weatherproof design down to -20° Celsius. Last but not least, it is quite large and will require a good deal of space to bury it (dimensions WxDxH: 380 x 920 x 560mm).
Focal OD SAT 5
The Focal OD SAT 5 outdoor speakers are smaller, with a 5″ coaxial driver. This means they can be used without the subwoofer, if desired. The low frequencies will inevitably be shortened, as these models only go down to 90Hz. Like the OD SUB 12, these satellites have an IP55 waterproof certification.
100-volt compatibility
Finally, this Focal Littora set is 100-volt compatible. You can therefore consider daisy-chaining several speakers or subwoofers together and connecting them to a 100-volt amplifier. Many hotels, vacation homes, gardens and businesses use this type of 100-volt configuration to provide sound for large spaces.
Key specifications
- Power: 100W (SAT 5) / 300W (SUB 12)
- 12″ driver (SUB 12)
- 5″ drivers (SAT 5)
- Waterproof: IP55 certification
- Frequency response: 40Hz to 28kHz
- 100-volt compatible
Installation
The main part of the installation involves digging trenches to run the ducts between the house and each of the speakers.
You’ll also need to dig a sizeable hole to house the subwoofer. To guarantee a watertight installation, we used a junction box for the connection between the fixed cabinet cable and the NorStone CL400 cable, which was connected to the amplifier.
Next, the installation inside the house required wall-mounting two sockets with terminals for the speaker cables. These wall-mounted speaker sockets are connected to every speaker cable running through the garden, well insulated from humidity thanks to the sheaths.
Finally, the two amplifiers located inside the house provided the power supply for the speakers and subwoofer. They were interconnected using a NorStone Arran RCA SUB cable, which transmits the LFE (Low Frequency Effect) signal from the Sonos amplifier to the Focal amplifier.
To complete the installation, we recommend hiding the speakers and subwoofer with some plants to maximize the discretion of this outdoor hi-fi system.
Listening impressions
Right from the start, we were impressed by the musical qualities of this outdoor 2.1 hi-fi system. The Focal OD SAT 5 speakers delivered a full sound with limited directivity. Indeed, the manufacturer speaks of 90° coverage, and this is what we found during this test, with optimal music perception over a wide area of the garden. We quickly adjusted the volume of the subwoofer amp to lower its level, which seemed excessive in its ability to deliver “contained” bass.
Once the few adjustments had been made, the musical qualities proved worthy of an excellent living room hi-fi system, minus the room’s acoustic constraints. The highs reached our ears without harshness, and the midrange perfectly reproduced the vocals. The bass can be extremely generous if you want it to be, but keep your neighbors in mind! The Focal mono subwoofer amp lets you fine-tune your sub to your own preferences and those of your neighbors. A very good point: even though we are particularly fond of 2.1 hi-fi systems, the satellite speakers can be used without a subwoofer, to reproduce pleasant background music.
Compared to…
Elipson Rain 8: These outdoor speakers are designed for wall mounting. It’s difficult to compare them, even though both systems are designed for outdoor use. The 7.8″ midbass driver on these Elipson models means they don’t need a subwoofer. Installation seems simpler, as these speakers are meant to be wall-mounted on the house.
B&W AM1: Like the Elipson Rain 8 models, these outdoor speakers are designed to be wall-mounted. Design and ease of assembly will benefit the B&W AM1, while music reproduction will clearly favor the Focal Littora system.
Conclusion
This Focal Littora outdoor hi-fi system will delight many music lovers and will undeniably impress guests with its excellent musical qualities. The subwoofer is powerful, while the satellites deliver excellent midrange and treble. With the cost of amplification and installation, you’ll inevitably end up with a hefty bill, but it’s well worth it if you want to enjoy great music on the patio, around the pool or in the garden!
We liked
- Having a real hi-fi system in the garden
- The subwoofer’s efficiency
- The satellite speakers’ spatial imaging
- The satellite speaker design
We would have liked
- More recommendations for waterproofing
- A more discreet cover for the subwoofer
- A more affordable price
