We spoke with Cunningham and several other audio experts and researched options from the biggest names in audio to find the best speakers based on several parameters, including ease of installation, durability, and overall sound quality. Based on our research, our top pick is the Polk Atrium 4, a stylish speaker pair that offers excellent sound quality, placement flexibility, and weatherproofing. Here are the best outdoor speakers. We went with the white pair to match a clean, modern deck setup, and because you can mount the speakers vertically or horizontally, they’ll fit whatever nook you’ve got set aside for them. They also have Polk’s All-Weather Performance protection, including military-grade protection against salt fog, moisture, and corrosion, and a thick aluminum grill to ensure they last a while. The white color means that you might have to take extra precautions to reduce some cosmetic wear and tear as time goes on. Also, because these aren’t powered speakers (they’re passive), you’ll have to wire them to an amplifier. But for the price and style, these are an appealing option. Though these speakers require permanent mounting, you can position this unit horizontally or vertically for solid versatility and a nice setup. Based on the list price, this speaker pair is a bit pricey, but you can find them at a reasonable sale price most days of the week. Overall, the KHO-7 is an excellent pick if you’re on a budget or don’t want your outdoor sound system to sound on a budget. As for sound quality, Bose has put in what they’re calling an “architectural speaker array,” which means that the speakers inside the enclosure use that enclosure’s airflow to enhance the sound. You also get a powerful bass port to help the lower, bassier sounds in your music project all the way across the yard. However, the speakers are passive and require permanent mounting, so you’ll need to wire them into an existing amplifier system. But once you set everything up, they’ll sit like a piece of art, not just a utility. But don’t let the portability fool you. While the sound quality can’t match permanently installed speakers, this little speaker really bumps with two 20-watt channels of power and plenty of bass support on deck. At more than 5 pounds and measuring almost a foot long, it isn’t the most portable Bluetooth speaker around. But with IPX7 water resistance (to splashing and submersion up to 3 feet) and around 15 hours of playtime on a single charge, it will go the distance in most conditions. The S1 Pro is portable enough to toss into the back of your car for traveling to parties or gatherings, but with only one main speaker cone, there is a lack of stereo sound. Also, it isn’t the loudest speaker on the list because of the size, and it’s quite pricey. But in terms of overall versatility, it’s quite impressive. The massive metal enclosure provides a ton of durability, including splash and shock resistance, but it’s fairly heavy and bulky, so make sure you’ve got someone strong to tote it to your destination. It also offers nearly 40 hours of battery life so you won’t have to continuously recharge. While the SOUNDBOKS 3 comes with a premium price tag, it’s packed with features. If you want the loudest volume you can get in a portable design and app control over sound modes, this robust speaker could be worth the splurge. There are only 5 watts of power per speaker, so they certainly aren’t the loudest or fullest options on this list, but you’ll get up to 30 hours on a single charge or 10 hours of play time at top volume. If a more discreet aesthetic is your priority, at a passing glance, these speakers appear more like decorative ornaments than functional speakers. You can beam music and other content via the Sonos app, enabling one-touch playlist control and high-quality Sonos sound. The speakers are sleek and all-white, with a UV-, dustproof, and weather-resistant enclosure so you can mount them and wire them into a Sonos Amp system without fear of degradation over time. While this speaker pair isn’t the most affordable option, because they provide full-bodied sound akin to the rest of your Sonos speaker set, they’ll fit right into your whole-home audio system. If you want something more standalone, without the need to run wires and cabling, consider a powered speaker, perhaps with Bluetooth functionality. “In the end [where you mount a speaker] should be in a place that aesthetically makes the most sense for the owner and/or in some cases the most convenient way to get speaker wire to the outdoor speaker,” adds Cunningham.
Connectivity
Once you’ve determined whether you want a powered speaker or not, it’s important to consider how you will feed music to that speaker. Passive speakers nearly always use standard plus/minus speaker cables fed to an amplifier. On the other hand, powered speakers offer more inputs, such as Bluetooth, 3.5-millimeter auxiliary, or even live instrument inputs via XLR or quarter-inch cables.
Durability
When you’re considering a speaker meant to live outdoors, durability is an important factor. Ensuring that the speaker has some degree of weather resistance will be crucial for speakers left outdoors indefinitely. “Many good-sounding speaker elements like carbon and aluminum are inherently weather-resistant,” says Frank Sterns, president of Polk Audio and Definitive Technology. So many speaker manufacturers harness these weather-resistant materials to ensure your speakers sound good for a long time.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Jason Schneider has been a tech writer, musician, and audio enthusiast for decades. For this article, he considered both portable Bluetooth party speakers and permanently-installed outdoor enclosures—with an eye on the right balance between quality and price. When researching, he dug into the installation process and made sure to consider the design and purpose of the speakers. He also sought the expertise of Stephen Hempton, Principal Product Manager and Casey Clemens, Director and Installation Expert at Sonos; Doug Cunningham, Vice President of Product and Experience at Bose; and Frank Sterns, President of Polk Audio and Definitive Technology. Most average users will have no issue leaving their speakers out in inclement weather, but it’s best to install them properly and put them under eaves or overhangs for longer life.
