Whether you’re hosting an outdoor party or simply enjoy listening to your favorite playlist while weeding the garden, an outdoor speaker can make all the difference. But what are the best options available?
A wired outdoor speaker system typically has left and right speakers in a stereo setup. It uses four-conductor wire to transmit audio signals.
Features
Aside from battery life and design, the most important feature is how it connects to your music. Most outdoor speakers work with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, letting you stream high-quality audio and even create multi-room sound systems indoors and out. Others have analog connections, which give you better audio fidelity.
A few speakers have extras like RGB lighting and jacks for microphones and guitars, making them full-blown party machines. Sonos’ Move is a tough pill to swallow at $399, but it offers first-class audio in an elegant, refined package and supports voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant.
The majority of outdoor players are portable, allowing you to place them in various places around your yard. But some, such as the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom, are larger and designed for permanent installation in your patio or backyard. They have bigger drivers and play louder, with 270-degree sound that can fill your whole backyard. Some also have a concealed rubber handle that makes them easier to carry.
Design
Outdoor speakers are designed to be semi-permanent fixtures in your backyard, blending into landscaping. Many of them are even built to look like landscape lights.
They also tend to be large enough to fill a yard with clear, crisp sound. These are usually Wi-Fi or Bluetooth speaker models that can be synced up for a multi-room audio system. They can be controlled via a smartphone app, so you don’t have to run inside the house for music.
Permanent outdoor speakers are also an option, but they can be expensive and difficult to install. They require an analog connection to an indoor receiver or amp and can be unsightly, unless you opt for in-wall or in-ceiling options that hide in plain sight.
A new breed of portable wireless speakers is gaining popularity, however. These can easily fill a backyard with music and are rugged enough to hold up to a light rainstorm. They’re also typically much cheaper to purchase and operate than permanent wired solutions.
Battery life
Whether you’re listening to podcasts while weeding the garden or cranking up a playlist for a backyard party, an outdoor speaker can be a great companion. But there are so many options that it can be difficult to decide what kind of speaker you need.
One important thing to keep in mind is that most speakers are rated with a maximum runtime (usually referred to as “up to” x number of hours) at a relatively quiet setting. If you listen to music at a higher volume, that runtime will be cut dramatically.
If you’re in the market for a new portable Bluetooth speaker, consider the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It’s a rugged waterproof speaker that provides up to 14 hours of play at moderate volume levels. It’s also incredibly compact and comes in several different color options. You can find it for around $100 or less online. If you’re looking for something with a little more bass, check out the Marshall Rhythm series.
Sound quality
There are certain aspects of a speaker that don’t matter so much when you’re using it indoors, such as how loud it can get without distortion. But if you want to use it outdoors, those factors become crucial.
Some portable speakers like the UE Megaboom 3 and the Soundcore 3 are able to offer a booming sound in a small, attractive package. However, they aren’t great for a backyard party because they can only play at a very limited volume.
Larger models, such as the UE Ultraboom 360, are designed for parties and boast impressive audio fidelity. They are able to fill a room with a crisp, high-quality sound and have jacks for a guitar and microphone so that you can sing along to your favorite tunes. The Addon T3 is another excellent example of a good-quality outdoor speaker, offering crisp treble and midrange frequencies as well as punchy bass. These are the types of speakers that can really make your outdoor space feel like its own living room.