Music is everywhere.
And if you are a music lover, every moment you live outside has to come with melody. When you're out in the wild, throwing a party by the pool, even gardening.
That's when you need the best high end outdoor speakers. The gadget should deliver excellent sound quality, withstand the weather, and boom your event with tunes.
If that's what you need, discover the best options on the market with me.
Here are the best high end outdoor speakers you can buy in 2024:
- Best Overall (Wired Speakers): Polk Audio Atrium 4, Outdoor Speakers with Powerful Bass
- Best In-Ground Speaker (Wired Speakers): Bose Free Space 51 Outdoor In-Ground Speakers (Green)
- Best For Pool (Wired Speakers): Bose 251 Wall Mount Outdoor Environmental Speakers
- Best Overall (Wireless Speakers): Sonos Move - Battery-powered Smart Speaker
- Best For Backyard (Wireless Speakers): Soundcore Trance Bluetooth Speaker
- Best For Patio (Wireless Speakers): Denon HEOS 7 Premium Wireless Speaker
| 6 Best High End Outdoor Speakers | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Polk Audio Atrium 4, Outdoor Speakers with Powerful Bass
| |
Best In-Ground Speaker | Bose Free Space 51 Outdoor In-Ground Speakers (Green)
| |
Best For Pool | Bose 251 Wall Mount Outdoor Environmental Speakers
| |
Best Overall | Sonos Move - Battery-powered Smart Speaker
| |
Best For Backyard | Soundcore Trance Bluetooth Speaker
| |
Best For Patio | Denon HEOS 7 Premium Wireless Speaker
| |
Wired Speakers
Best Overall (Wired Speakers): Polk Audio Atrium 4, Outdoor Speakers with Powerful Bass
- Super clear sound
- Great bass
- Large dispersion of sound
- Easy-to-use lock-in brackets
- Super solid build
- Not very deep bass
- Most parts are plastic
After evaluating all aspects, Atrium 4 meets my demands utterly. As I know, the unit passes military standards for outdoor use. The baffle design is able to cover a large space, thus making it perfect for your backyard.
It's a mountable unit vertically or horizontally. However, I recommend placing the unit portrait on the ground; the hanging landscape works better on eaves.
The unit has a solid build with two locking brackets on both sides to lock the handles in place. When you loosen the locks, you can see it clicks into many positions.
The Atrium 4 features 4.5-inch drivers and .75 tweeters for a surprising bass output in such a compact design.
Built for outdoor use, this rough speaker tolerates all conditions (not extreme). Meaning it lives through heavy rains, splashing, cold, even frost and heat (not fire.)
| Polk Audio Atrium 4, Outdoor Speakers with Powerful Bass Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | N/A |
Sensitivity | 75Hz-25kHz |
Nominal Impedance | 8 ohms |
Peak Power | 80W |
Highlight features | Military-grade build All-weather durability Broad sound coverage Speed-lock mounting brackets |
This pair of speakers is tough for outdoor and the sound it generates is above average.
Best In-Ground Speaker (Wired Speakers): Bose Free Space 51 Outdoor In-Ground Speakers (Green)
- Innovative radial design
- 360-degree dispersion of sound
- Withstand extreme conditions
- Tolerate 350 pounds of pressure
- Easy to disguise
- Nothing to be found
If you have good ears, Bose is the brand that won't fail you. And in case of an in-ground speaker, this Free Space is a big run for your money.
You will bury this unit into the earth to a certain level. A small portion of it protrudes into the garden space. It radiates the sound 360 degrees to cover a large area.
However, it's ok if you want to install the speaker as a landscape unit or patio speaker. That won't change the quality of the sound.
Because the unit is designed for outdoor use, it features a rugged design that can withstand high temp and rigorous salt fog conditions.
Besides, the speaker is quite versatile to put in its placement. You can put it around the pool or BBQ yard. You can even allow the vegetation of your garden to grow around and over the unit.
| Bose Free Space 51 Outdoor In-Ground Speakers (Green) Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | N/A |
Sensitivity | N/A |
Nominal Impedance | N/A |
Peak Power | 100W |
Highlight features | Environmental tested to withstand elements and weather Designed for a secure installation Deliver deep and rich sound |
The Bose Free Space can be the best in-ground speaker, but it can also be the best on-ground one if you want.
Best For Pool (Wired Speakers): Bose 251 Wall Mount Outdoor Environmental Speakers
- Good price point
- Nice bass and treble
- Loud in high volume
- Tough against weather
- Not a handsome design
Pool is full of splashing and drops. How to prevent such an environment from damaging your speaker. This Bose 251 has all the features you need.
These are wall-mountable speakers that deliver clear sound and cover pretty much all of your deck.
The most important thing is it's able to withstand water and splashes from the pool. So, feel free to have kids messing with water.
Even if you live in an area with a high amount of rainfall, these speakers show no concern in any bad weather.
And though wireless, the speakers break the bias of bad sound quality. Even fastidious ears have to compliment the sound from this Bose 251. It sounds good from the bass to treble.
| Bose 251 Wall Mount Outdoor Environmental Speakers Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | N/A |
Sensitivity | 2.5" full-range drivers and a 5.25" woofer |
Nominal Impedance | N/A |
Peak Power | N/A |
Highlight features | Rugged design withstands pool splashes and heavy rain Loud sound Weather-resistant brackets |
This pair of speakers deliver top-notch sound even in bad weather conditions, let alone pools.
Wireless Speakers
Best Overall (Wireless Speakers): Sonos Move - Battery-powered Smart Speaker
- Heavy-duty drop-proof made
- Connect to a larger range wirelessly
- Convenient carry handle
- Long-lasting battery
- Bulky
- Pricey
This may look a bit large for a portable speaker. But it's a truly heavy-duty speaker which you can carry around your home from room to room, to outdoors and anywhere.
This Sonos unit has a built-in Wifi extender, which technically means that you have a greater wireless range than your phone.
But in case you are away from home, you can connect the speaker to a smart device using the bluetooth button to stream music.
It's got a handy carry handle for you to bring it around more easily in the back. Just be aware that it's not a small speaker.
On top of the unit is the control panel that features touch controls for the play/pause, and the volume up and down.
What's best about this speaker is it's made from drop-proof material. But as with anything that costs less than 3 kilograms, I wouldn't be keen on throwing or abusing the unit.
| Sonos Move - Battery-powered Smart Speaker Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | 10 hours |
Sensitivity | 50-60 Hz |
Nominal Impedance | N/A |
Peak Power | 240V |
Highlight features | Heavy-duty design Stream on both wifi and bluetooth Voice control Battery lasts up to 10 hours |
It's hard for a speaker that lasts in both lifespan and battery life to skip this Sonos speaker.
Best For Backyard (Wireless Speakers): Soundcore Trance Bluetooth Speaker
- High waterproof rating
- Deliver thumping beats and rousing melodies
- Portable
- Vivid light show
- A bit bulky
- The bass is not punchy enough
The first I want to mention is the size of this speaker. It may look somehow bulky, but very portable. It weighs around 10 pounds, which you can carry with not much effort.
Its housing is made out of plastic, but there is some rubber on the bottom and the top. In the front, there is a metal grille that covers the 5.25-inch woofer and tweeter.
Around the tweeter, there are LED lights that will bump to the music. The greatest part is you can custom the light show using an application right on your phone.
That makes the whole unit safe under the destruction of weather and elements in the backyard.
This speaker features 80 watts of audio power. It produces loud and clear sound, great enough to serve your ears.
If you happen to drop the unit to the pool or the tide comes up and wets the speaker, there is nothing to worry about.
| Soundcore Trance Bluetooth Speaker Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | 18 hours |
Sensitivity | N/A |
Nominal Impedance | N/A |
Peak Power | 80W |
Highlight features | 101dB thumping sound Fully waterproof IPX7 Soundcore app for customizing light show |
I love to bring this speaker to any party in the backyard to shake the atmosphere.
Best For Patio (Wireless Speakers): Denon HEOS 7 Premium Wireless Speaker
- Great bass
- Great connectivity
- Support multiple music streaming services
- Cover large space
- You need time to get familiar with the app
- Tricky to set up at first
Denon, though, has been doing high-end audio for decades. This HEOS 7 sounds excellent, especially when using it for your patio.
Compared with HEOS 3 and 5, this 7 version has a nice trim piece on the top. What I picked from experiencing the sound is the good bass, thanks to higher max output. This speaker also has a little bit better stereo separation.
The HEOS 7 puts out big sound for a big space, making it ideal for areas like your patio, kitchen, or large room. It features 7 drivers, including a subwoofer and passive radiators for deep and rich bass.
The real magic happens with the app where all the controls and setups happen. It kind of controls everything, supports Spotify, Amazon Alexa, and tunes in a few other streaming radio stations.
| Denon HEOS 7 Premium Wireless Speaker Specifications | |
|---|---|
Playtime | N/A |
Sensitivity | N/A |
Nominal Impedance | N/A |
Peak Power | 240V |
Highlight features | Sleek design 7 drivers Produce a massive amount of bass Control via an application |
The bass of this speaker is the one feature that convinces in every aspect. It doesn't produce dumb sound even in an open area like on your patio.
How To Choose The Best High End Outdoor Speakers?
Outdoor speakers let you enjoy your music outside on your patio, the pool deck, or the garden; pretty anywhere.
They are designed to stand up to weather, as well as the acoustical challenges of playing music outside. In fact, they provide much better sound than a boom, or from cranking up your main system and opening the window.
In this buying guide, you will learn the key things to choose your backyard's right speakers.
Construction
Speakers with a rugged construction are made of tough material, tougher than those used in your house.
That means they can stand up to everything from freezing rain on a cold winter morning to the beating sun on a summer afternoon.
Most of the units I know are plastic, majorly ABS plastic, which is light and durable. That kind of material makes up the outer shell, giving the speakers a rugged housing to endure elements.
Types of speakers
Choosing the type depending on the space of your house and its aesthetics.
The most popular type is wall-mountable speakers. They typically come in pairs and provide stereo sound. Most of them include adjustable brackets. So, you can aim them towards your listening area.
If space is an issue, you might opt for an outdoor speaker that plays both channels of a stereo signal at the same time. These speakers offer inputs for both the left and right. Also, they are great for small and awkward spaces.
You can find outdoor speakers that mount to the side of your house, or planter, or speakers designed to disguise.
If you choose stereo-input speakers, you can still add more than one speaker to provide enough sound coverage throughout your yard.
Resistance
- Weatherproof: They can be placed anywhere, fully exposed to the elements.
- Weather-resistant: They need a little protection, probably under the eaves, for example.
Both types are ok to stand outdoors, but I recommend you placing in a protected location when you can to make them last longer.
Bass
Maintaining good bass is one of the biggest challenges in wide-open spaces. That said, you want to choose speakers with plenty of low-end oomph, ones that can get down to 60Hz, even lower.
If your speakers don't go that low, consider adding an outdoor subwoofer to gain good full-range sound.
Which Brands Make The Best High End Outdoor Speakers?
Bose
Bose is a leader in the industry that produces high-end speakers that balance aesthetics, durability, and sound quality in all their products. The one goal Bose pursues is making better and better sound with innovation and passion from the heart.
Sonos
Known as a pioneer of wireless sound, Sonos provides sound solutions to a wide range of users. You'll find Sonos's speakers jam-packed advanced technology to deliver the best listening experience to all ears. With the vision to help music lovers to enjoy their tunes in the utmost quality right in their homes, Sonos drives their concentration to provide a wireless sound system with patented technology for quality-only sound.
FAQs
Wired vs. wireless outdoor speakers?
When it comes to a wired sound system, the first interference is lines. Cabled speakers also allow you to maximize your sound system and expand it with audiophile hardware.
On the other hand, a wireless system eliminates the need for strings. However, it sacrifices sound quality. Besides, the system works dependently on the Wifi stream. That means when an outage of the network happens, it will cut off your music section. A wireless sound system also costs more than cabled ones.
Do outdoor speakers use much electricity?
Speakers use power to push sound to the air. The louder you play, the more juice (watt) it requires to run the process.
In audio, the lower the frequency, the more power the speakers will consume. This is also where your power goes to.
You can use this equation to calculate the relationship between power’s current power and the increment of power.
P = V x I = I^2 x R = V^2/R
Source: https://www.quora.com/Do-speakers-use-more-electricity-when-the-volume-is-turned-up
Are all outdoor speakers waterproof?
I haven't seen any outdoor speaker that doesn't have any level of weather resistance. Most of them are designed to withstand weather elements. Some are waterproof, which can stand up to rain and snow. The weatherproof ones can tolerate hot and cold.
Do expensive speakers sound better?
Sometimes, more expensive doesn't mean better. Likely, your money may go to the cost of marketing and brand. However, if you pay for higher-end equipment, you will get better performance for sure.
But it's a challenge to measure the quality of sound. Mostly, it depends on your ears and the intensity of the sound the speakers deliver.
How many watts do I need for outdoor speakers?
You will rely on your coverage to calculate the wattage needed for the speakers to function.
For example, for an area smaller than 300 square feet, it requires a pair of 60-watt speakers. Under 500 square feet, 80-100 watts should be sufficient.
And space larger than 600 and smaller than 800, your speakers have to work at 150 to 175 watts. Speakers of 250 watts are able to cover space of more than 1,000 square feet.
Source: https://www.outdoorspeakerdepot.com/outdoor-speakers-buyers-guide.html.
Conclusion
Hope with the information I provided, you'll be able to choose the best high end outdoor speakers.
If you are still unsure what to choose, I'm willing to help if you leave comments below. Let me hear about your problems.
And please share this article.
Thank you and see you.
