The Case for In-Ground Installation

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The NEAR® IG series look and sound great when used as free-standing on-ground speakers that can be camouflaged among planters and pots. But we primarily designed them to be partially buried in the ground, affording superior sound performance, lower visibility and ultimate security.

When installed in-ground the earth itself now becomes a half-space domain for low frequency reinforcement and an infinite baffle extension for the midrange frequencies (Fig A). Beyond flatter response and increased output under 30Hz, subjectively the bass of an in-ground speaker is dramatically “tighter” and  better defined compared to free-standing speakers. 

Many conscientious loudspeaker designers measure loudspeakers by placing the baffle (front face) flush with the ground to minimize reflections.  By eliminating the effects of the enclosure and adjacent surfaces, in-ground measurement provides the most revealing view of the true performance of the speaker.  Well, now we have a full range outdoor system installed in the ground that mimics this very ideal.
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Fig. A - Frequency response of in-ground (blue) vs. on-ground (green) installation of NEAR IG8 loudspeaker. Note the overall flatter response of in-ground, especially between 100 and 500Hz.
PictureMolded "ribs" stiffen the IG enclosures
The IG series enclosures are designed with ribbing and arcs to offer a solid and durable cabinet, but there’s nothing like infinitely increasing the enclosure wall thickness by burying it. Packing soil around an already rigid enclosure further dampens enclosure wall resonances to zero.  By completely eliminating enclosure resonance the performance of the NEAR drivers comes to the forefront. Details in the music that you can hear on high-end indoor speakers, but not on typical outdoor speakers, can be clearly heard and not veiled by enclosure or driver resonances.  
The bass impact of in-ground installed NEAR® speakers is clear, precise and detailed. Midrange, particularly the lower-mid region that carries the “body” of vocals, is rich, smooth and highly articulate. Imagine being able to understand the lyrics even at low volume levels.  Well now you can with NEAR.