need help with outdoor system

Try a Sonos

I have only seen these in the store, but they are an interesting option. We have stereo speakers by out hot tube, run from the main system indoors. But we actually run a mono signal to them because it is hard to get them to "image" correctly for everyone in the hot tube. This Brookstone unit is omni directional which is nice outdoors. It is not sophisticated sound, but seems like an interesting option. Just plug in your iPad to its dock and go. It can run on AC power or batteries. And it is very portable, so you move it to the deck when not in the hot tube or wherever else you might want to use it. It is wireless which is good, but also means you may get occasional static, but it seems like a very simple and versatile solution.

Brookstone Wireless Speaker and Dock

I was in precisely the same boat last year, so I'll share my experience.

Sonos is a great solution (I have 10 zones in my home), but it doesn't necessarily address your issue. Sonos doesn't make an outdoor product - I wish they did! You could install a zone player in a protected area near the tub and attach the outdoor speakers of your choice - if you have a suitable protected area with AC power near the hot tub.

Or, you could carry one of the integrated (built-in speakers) zone players out with you like a boom box. Either way, you run zone 2 of the AVR into a Sonos zone player or bridge and let Sonos relay the signal wirelessly to the outdoor Sonos unit. If you have a music library on a hard drive on your home wifi, you can control the selection of music from your iPad (via the Sonos app) as you desire.

Another solution is Soundcast - a portable wireless system made for outdoor use. This large speaker has much better bass than any integrated Sonos unit, but it isn't designed to live outdoors year round, so you gotta schlep it like a boom box.

I ended up building a box with AC outlet to house a Sonos Zone player and added a pair of Niles outdoor speakers. It's an expensive route because of the build/electrical requirements, but it is the most elegant solution I could find.

Good Luck.

Marty

A solution like martykl used is great. I have ceiling mounted speakers running from an AV receiver in the house with the music coming from a Sonos device.

The easy, less expensive, no holes in walls or ceiling solution is to just carry a Sonos speaker out there when you want music.

Enjoy your new hot tub!

Thanks guys, and to clarify, I am not expecting to get audiophile quality sound on my outdoor deck, I don't think that would be realistic considering my budget for this, which has not been established yet but is probably under $1000. What I really want is the ability to select music from my iPad. I use Jriver and Jremote downstairs in my listening room, running Jplay off of a laptop into my Vlink and DLIII Dac. Schlepping an iPod dock out there is not what I want to do, we're always getting in the hot tub in the middle of a snow storm. That's kind of the Colorado way to do it. Weather resistant speakers would be better...