Also known as “loudspeakers”, the current line of best outdoor speakers began back in 1877 with a patent by Ernst Siemens. The first mass use of outdoor speakers was seen in 1919, during the inaugural speech of president Woodrow Wilson. The outdoor speaker allowed people to hear is voice for up to a mile.
Today, outdoor speakers are common for public speeches are music festivals. But they're also common in homes and backyards. They are all-weather entertainment and relaxation appliances. They come in two versions: wired or wireless. When positioned well, outdoors speakers won't blast or disrupt your neighbor’s peace and privacy either. Rather, they'll allow you to listen to open-air music comfortably.
The difference between outdoor and indoor speakers is in the construction and materials. Outdoor speakers are built to withstand most weather conditions and built to project sound in the open. Indoor speakers are built for indoor applications with walls and closed spaces.
All of the speakers on our list are weatherproof. They provide excellent sound and are easy to set-up.
Here is a list of 2017's top rated and reviewed outdoor speakers to help you choose the best products for your backyard, patio or other outdoor stereo.
Best Outdoor Speakers | Top 7
| Our Rank | Outdoor Speaker | Power Handling (RMS) | Sensitivity (dB) | Frequency Response | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Yamaha NS-AW390 | 130 watts | 87 dB | 55 - 40k Hz | $$$ |
| 2. | OSD Audio AP670 | 120 watts | 90 dB | 44 - 22k Hz | $$ |
| 3. | Boston Acoustics Soundware XS Satellite | 100 watts | 87 dB | 150 - 20k Hz | $ |
| 4. | Acoustic Research Hatteras | 40 watts | n/a | 27 - 30k Hz | $$$$ |
| 5. | Bose 251 | 200 watts | n/a | 10 - 200k Hz | $$$$ |
| 6. | Klipsch AW-650 | 85 watts | 95 dB | 70 -20k Hz | $$$$ |
| 7. | Dayton Audio IO655 | 85 watts | 87 dB | 45 - 20k Hz | $ |
Best Outdoor Speakers | How We Tested
When reviewing outdoor speakers, we considered many features and aspects. Performance, price, wattage, size, user friendliness, and value for money are a few of the aspects we used to narrow down the best.
Arguably the most important of these factors is the all-weather performance. This requires one to ask questions:
- Is it water-resistant? Moisture will corrode grilles, electronics, and other speaker materials. Water resistant is a must.
- What materials were used to construct the speakers? Some outdoor speakers use polypropylene. Others invest in rust proofing, or even uses sealants.
- Will the speakers withstand all types of weathering? Humidity, salt, UV exposure, varying temperatures. These are all examples of weathering that can affect your speakers.
Also crucial is the speakers power handling, coverage and quality. Some outdoor speakers will perform better when used as pairs. Others will do a great job as a stand-alone unit.
You'll want to align your speakers with the type of music that you listen to. Some outdoor speakers are treble heavy. Treble is great for rock and other similar types of music, but not for pop. Other outdoor speakers have a deeper bass sound and are great for bass heavy music.
Price and value you money is also an incredibly important factor! No one likes to get home, install his or her speakers, only to feel buyer’s remorse.
In our review, we gave performance a higher priority than price. There were a few brands that provide an amazing audio experience at a reasonable price.
