Whether you’re wanting to turn your garden into a fully-fledged entertainment area or simply want to bring some audio ambiance to your yard, you’ve come to the right place. With so many variants of outdoor speakers on the market, we’ve created this list to make it easy for you to find what it is you’re looking for, while also ensuring that the quality of the products makes them viable investments
Garden outdoor speakers come in all shapes and sizes, some intended for use on patios, while others are created with the intent to be used in your flower beds or around your pool. The type that will suit you best, is the one that is best catered to your intended usage.
To make the process even easier, you can select the type of outdoor audio you’re looking to achieve and I’ll show you the best products in that category.
Our Category Winners
Types of Garden Outdoor Speakers
Patio Speakers
Patio speakers are ideal if you’re looking to bring audio to the patio area of your home. Most often these speakers are used for creating an entertainment area and come with some extremely high-quality options. Patio outdoor speakers tend to be mounted to the eaves of your home. If you’re looking for something to cover your whole yard, these aren’t what you’re looking for. But if you want clear audio with impressive frequency response and easy setup around your patio area – this is what I’d recommend.
In-Ground Speakers
When discussing in-ground speakers through this article, I’ll be talking specifically about speakers that are placed under the ground, not just staked into the soil like some models of landscape speakers. In-ground speakers are typically omnidirectional speakers which can be placed under the ground (at least the majority of the speaker). There isn’t a lot of product or brand variation when it comes to in-ground speakers, but there are a few models which have become staples in this category.
Landscape Speakers
The term landscape speakers relate to garden outdoor speakers which blend into the environment/landscape of your garden. Unlike patio speakers, landscape speakers are placed in various areas of your garden, most often in flower beds, and are typically used to provide audio to a wider range of your garden than patio speakers are. Naturally, these garden speakers tend to be focused on weatherproofing and ensuring they can withstand the elements across various seasons. If you’re looking for a wider-encompassing audio option for your garden, this isn’t a bad place to start.
Poolside Speakers
If you’re looking to bring music to your poolside, you may not need anything too fancy. In many cases, a quality Bluetooth speaker can give you what you need. If you have a larger pool or want to increase the soundstage, you can always pair Bluetooth speakers together. I always recommend using a waterproof Bluetooth speaker when around the pool, just in case any accidents happen. There are even some floating Bluetooth speakers which are made to float in the pool with you, the audio quality in many cases won’t quite match a premium waterproof Bluetooth speaker, but they do remain an option.
The Best Outdoor Patio Speakers
Here are our top picks for outdoor patio speakers. I’ve selected patio speakers which have the best sound quality and overall offer the best value to the consumer.
Polk Audio Atrium 6
Power:
10W – 100W
Sensitivity:
90dB
Frequency Response:
50Hz – 27kHz
Dimensions (LxWxH):
8.8 x 7.8 x 11.8″
Also available from Walmart
Polk Audio has established itself as an affordable, yet quality home audio solution. The Atrium series has been a good representation of this with Polk now on the 6th iteration. The Atrium series is an outdoor speaker solution that despite being all-weather certified, is still recommended to be placed under some sort of cover. The eaves are the standard location for mounting these speakers and will ensure a longer lifespan of the product.
Despite the company’s advice to place these speakers undercover, they are in fact made and tested to withstand all kinds of weather, including salt, fog, extreme temperatures, and even heavy rain.
The Polk Atrium 6 offers audio quality that really cements its position as our top recommendation for patio outdoor speakers. They have a wide sound that remains clear and intact across volume levels. The mids sound clear and distinct while the highs are crisp and broad. The lows are really where the Atrium 6 shines through. It’s often hard to get a quality bass response from an outdoor speaker, but these absolutely nail it.
What we really like about the Atrium 6 audio quality is its ability to remain clear and distinct, even in the presence of a lot of background noise. Portable Bluetooth speakers for instance will often get lost in the surrounding sounds, but this isn’t a problem with the Atrium 6.
The design not only focuses on an aesthetic speaker but they are also designed to provide a wide dispersion of sound, which helps in filling your patio area with quality audio.
Read our full review on the Polk Atrium 6.
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Definitive Technology AW6500
Power:
10W – 200W
Sensitivity:
92dB
Frequency Response:
40Hz – 30kHz
Dimensions (LxWxH):
9.3×8.9×14.5″
Also available from Walmart
The AW6500 outdoor speaker from Definitive Technology comes in as our next recommended patio speaker. This powerful speaker boasts some truly impressive bass, and a price tag that is slightly higher priced than the Atrium 6 mentioned above. These speakers are sold as singles, so be sure to consider the area you’re looking to work with and ensure you have enough to provide the soundstage you are looking for.
When it comes to garden speakers, one of the biggest complaints from customers buying lower-cost speakers is the tendency for distortion when the speaker is pushed a bit too hard. The AW6500 does excellently when the volume is cranked up, it retains the same distinct, clear sound that one gets at lower volumes, but with even more of a driving bass. Overall, the sound quality on these speakers exceeds their price range – which explains why they have become such a popular choice among patio outdoor speakers.
If you prefer reading the numbers, these speakers sound even more appealing. An impressive 5×10″ bass radiator works with a 6.5″ mid/woofer and 1″ tweeter to cover frequency response in a manner not often found with speakers in this price range. This bass radiator inclusion really lets you get a good dose of lower frequencies, meaning this speaker can bump!
In addition to their quality audio, they also come fully sealed with a PolyStone exterior, matching the Atrium’s all-weather protection. However, as standard with most high-quality patio speakers, one is recommended not to mount these in the open and rather to mount them in an area where they are covered from direct exposure to the elements.
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Klipsch AW-650 Outdoor Speakers
Power:
85W – 350W
Sensitivity:
95dB
Frequency Response:
70Hz – 20kHz
Dimensions (LxWxH):
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
The Klipsch AW-650 is a tried and tested patio speaker solution that has been on the market for a number of years, while still remaining a popular choice today. Upon their release, the Klipsch AW-650 became extremely popular due to its powerful volume output as well as the impressive audio clarity it carries with it. These aren’t the cheapest speakers on the market, but if you’re looking for quality – they should be considered.
Despite the impressive audio that these speakers boast, they also manage to do so in a fairly small size. Their small size is another reason they’ve been so keenly adopted as patio speakers. They can fit easily under the eaves of most patio areas and are also relatively easy to install.
Not only does the AW-650 cover the audio well, but it is also a very durable and rugged speaker that can last for years when properly maintained. As with most high-quality patio speakers, these are passive and will require wiring through to your amp or receiver in order to work.
While the frequency response range doesn’t cover the lowest sub-bass frequencies (70Hz – 20kHz) – it’s almost tough to believe as it doesn’t fail to impress in the bass department at all. If you’re really wanting to bump things up in your garden though, you could consider running an independent sub-woofer to carry those lower frequencies, but this is by no means needed for the vast majority of listeners.
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Not feeling any of these products? I’ve got you. You can see our complete article on patio outdoor speakers here, where we cover more products, more about what to look for in patio speakers as well as a complete buyer’s guide.
The Best In-Ground Outdoor Speakers
In-ground speakers are limited in the number of options on the market but I’ve put together a list of our three top choices, including one mean sub-bass.
TIC GS3 Outdoor In-Ground Speaker
Power:
100W
Frequency Response:
45Hz-20kHz
Drivers:
8″ Woofer / 2″ Tweeter
Weight:
3.6lb
Also available from Walmart
TIC’s G38 In-Ground Speaker is one of the best in-ground speakers on the market, supporting up to 200W of power handling capabilities, this speaker can certainly pack a punch.
The sound quality here is quite impressive, particularly the bass response. I noticed the low-end had far more depth and character when the base of the speaker is buried beneath the surface of the ground. Audio is projected at all angles, so there is no need for any adjustments at all, and the remaining frequency spectrum sounds bright and clear.
The speaker’s enclosure is constructed from high-grade polypropylene that provides a decent measure of weather resistance. I would have liked to see this speaker available in a variety of colors, as it is only stocked in a shade of green, however, it can be painted to suit its surroundings.
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JBL Professional Control 85M
Power:
160W
Frequency Response:
55 Hz – 18 kHz
Drivers:
5.25″ Woofer / 0.75″ Tweeter
Weight:
12.1lb
Also available from Walmart
JBL explores other avenues with their 85M outdoor garden speaker, designed for permanent installations rather than portability.
The 85M consists of a 5 and ¼ inch driver and ¾ inch tweeter to deliver full-bodied audio over a spectrum of 55Hz to 18kHz- this covers most of our range of hearing and musical content aside from sub-bass energy and ultra-high-frequency information, which may not be audiophile-grade but for a garden-based speaker, should suffice. The 85M delivers sound in a 360-degree fashion and its 80W power handling abilities provide sufficient volume to be heard over additional noise such as conversation, wind, rain, or running water.
The unit itself is constructed from quality materials and holds a high level of weather resistance to relieve the stress of the speaker malfunctioning when positioned outside 24/7. This protection includes an isolated chamber for the internal wiring and multiple layers of colored polyethylene so the speaker won’t face discoloration when scratched or bumped.
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OSD XSUB12 Premium In-Ground Subwoofer
Power:
500W
Frequency Response:
20Hz-150Hz
Drivers:
12″ Subwoofer
Weight:
33.7lbs
OSD’s XSUB12 is a speaker designed to improve the bass response of your garden speaker system- simply bury the unit as directed and enhance low-end energy across your yard!
The XSUB is capable of handling a whopping 500 Watts of power to deliver bone-rattling bass throughout your garden, deck, or poolside flowerbed. It is rated IP66 weather-resistant, which protects the speaker from expected complications such as dirt, dust, and high-pressure water contact from heavy rain or nearby sprinklers.
The XSUB’s frequency replication abilities begin at 20Hz, our lower-most threshold of hearing, and runs all the way to 150Hz- a region that provides some of the warmer-sounding fat lower bass that crosses into lower midrange territory. The result is a full-bodied low-frequency response in your system, which the other full-range drivers aren’t capable of producing. It goes without saying that the XSUBs should be used alongside other speakers that cover the remaining frequency range, and not as standalone units.
The XSUB speaker comes in black, but the exposed section can be painted to better suit its environment.
The XSUB’s only downside in my opinion is their price, coming in at just under $400.00 they are not a quick solution to missing low end as it is quite a commitment (also remember a subwoofer amplifier will be needed)
If you’re happy to spend the money, you definitely won’t be disappointed with the performance of the XSUBs in tying your garden speaker system together.
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Not feeling any of these products? I’ve got you. You can see our complete article on in-ground outdoor speakers here, where we cover more products, more about what to look for with in-ground speakers as well as a complete buyer’s guide.
The Best Landscape Speakers
Landscape speakers come in a number of forms, everything from ornamental animal statues with speakers inside of them through to speakers made to look like rocks, and then of course the more traditional variations. I’ve picked a few of our favorites from across the board – maybe you’ll find one that stands out to you as being in line with your garden landscape. After all, the best landscape speaker for you is going to be the one that best fits into your garden aesthetic.
OSD Forza 6.5″ Garden Speaker
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
OSD’s Forza range of outdoor speakers comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and technical specifications to best suit your intended applications. The Forza speakers are great for indoor usage when mounted on walls or ceilings, however, we’ll be evaluating their capabilities as outdoor installations here.
The Forza 6 comprises a 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter to deliver 120-degree sound coverage in your garden, on your patio, or wherever else you see fit. The Forza speakers are capable of handling high output levels, and while they are sold as individual units, can be linked with several others to provide an overall louder and more immersive listening experience. As for frequency content, I noticed a distinct lack of low-end energy, but the Forza speakers still sounded alright- I just wouldn’t recommend them for reproducing bass-heavy music.
The Forza 6 Outdoor Speaker is rated IP66 weather-resistant. This spec protects the speaker from light rain/sprinklers, dust, and rust. Because of such rating, I would not advise using these in fully-exposed environments, but rather under partially covered decks or patios where heavy rain won’t come into contact with the speakers. The Forza 6 speakers also support two voltage options due to their onboard step-down transformed, allowing you to select either 70V or 100V operating voltages.
As for the placement of the Forza 6’s, they are incredibly versatile due to their adjustable nature, allowing for wall mounting, ceiling hanging, or ground planted configurations. I found the rotatable driver incredibly easy to adjust to provide optimal sound quality at all angles.
OSD’s Forza 6s may also be on the pricier side, however, their modular nature makes for painless customization and they are easy enough to install and operate, with all installation materials provided with the purchase.
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Klipsch AWR-650-SM Rock Speaker
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
Finding an outdoor speaker that looks attractive and complements its surroundings can sometimes be a difficult task. Klipsch has solved this issue with a speaker camouflaged as a rock, available in granite and sandstone finishes. The AWR-650-SM is constructed from durable UB-resistant plastic to protect it from extreme weather conditions.
This speaker consists of a 2-way speaker configuration- containing a woofer to handle low-end and a pair of tweeters for the highs. This combination delivers a clear and full-bodied sound. The Klipsch Rock can achieve a power handling figure of 200 Watts and provides surprisingly loud volume levels for a reasonably small speaker. A bass reflex port can be found on the unit which intensely improves the bass response of the speaker.
The Klipsch Rock is built as a stereo speaker housed in a single enclosure, however, should you prefer a greater stereo spread, an additional Klipsch Rock can be connected and each speaker can be wired for mono use. Overall, the sound quality here is pretty impressive considering the speaker’s configuration, while I miss a bit of the low-end rumble, there is enough lower-midrange warmth to make up for this, and the rest of the frequency range sounds crisp and well-defined.
The Klipsch Rock comes with a C-Style mounting bracket and is compatible with other styles, depending on your locational needs for the speaker. The front grille is also paintable to further match with the color scheme of its surroundings, and as mentioned, is available in two colors.
Overall, the Klipsch Rock is a well-built outdoor speaker that draws no attention to itself in your garden. While the Rock is one of the pricier garden speaker options, the sound quality, and durable build certainly warrant the price tag. A lifetime warranty is also included with the purchase.
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Dikaou LED Flame Speaker
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
Embracing a tiki-style aesthetic, Dikaou introduce a compact and lightweight outdoor speaker built for portability rather than a permanent installation. The Led Flame is quite literally mimicking a tiki torch in a woven enclosure; however, its control panel incorporates some modern designs.
The LED Flame is battery-powered and can produce between 7.5-8 hours of playtime on a single charge. The battery does charge pretty slowly though- up to 5 hours, which I felt to be quite annoying considering almost half of the speaker’s use will be during charge times. The LED light feature can however function for 20-24 hours.
The LED Flame utilizes Bluetooth 4.2 to provide a reasonable wireless range and connection strength, and its portability makes it a great adventure-friendly Bluetooth speaker, along with its atmospheric lighting to set the mood.
As for the sound quality of the LED Flame speaker, I noticed a serious low-end deficit. This didn’t surprise me, due to the size of the speaker, so I would recommend this for easy-listening music styles, rather than higher-energy bass-heavy tracks that will sound thin and empty. The speaker also struggles when volume levels are pushed, no matter what source signal is being fed to the speaker.
I feel that while this speaker looks great and definitely creates a nice atmosphere around the table, picnic or campsite- its poor battery life, weak sound reproduction capabilities, and inability to reach reasonable volumes make this a product aimed at low-budget consumers who are looking to bring some audio to their garden in an affordable way.
I would rather look at this as a portable LED light that has the ability to play music. It fits well in the theme of Halloween ambiance or perhaps the entrance to a kid’s party or small home event, but we do not recommend this as a primary garden speaker.
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Not feeling any of these products? While we don’t have a dedicated article on landscape speakers, we do have a full list of rock speakers that you could take a look at for more product options, reviews, and buyer’s guide information.
The Best Poolside Speakers
Poolside speaker options will depend on where your swimming pool is located. If you have one that is a bit of a distance from the home, I’d recommend a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, or even potentially some landscape speakers if your garden layout allows it. Otherwise, if you have a pool close to your home, perhaps out on a patio area – your options become much wider.
You can even choose to opt for an outdoor patio speaker if your pool is near a patio area where you could eaves mount it. I am a big fan of patio outdoor speakers when one isn’t venturing too far into the garden. The audio quality just seems to be a bit better, often with larger drivers and wider product scope than some of the other categories.
On the other end of the spectrum, floating pool speakers come in at a very budget-friendly price range and are a popular choice if you’re simply looking for a quick and easy solution to bring some music to your pool area. Because these products are often under $50, you shouldn’t expect the same broad audio quality found in patio speakers. I’d recommend this option for children or adults on a tight budget.
JBL Flip 5 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
JBL’s ‘Flip’ series of Bluetooth speakers are an excellent poolside companion due to the company’s history of durable, reliable, and great-sounding speakers. While we’ve ranked this speaker in our poolside category, the Flip 5 makes for a great all-purpose speaker to use around the house or slip into your backpack for a hike, camping trip, or a day at the beach.
The Flip 5 is rated IPX7 waterproof, providing tolerance of practically any contact with water up to the point of a short and shallow submersion, should an accident occur, or if you wish to rinse the speaker to get rid of tiny sand grains stuck in the grille after a beach day.
As for sound quality, the Flip 5 delivers JBL’s characteristic tonal qualities: strong, tight, and punchy low-end and crisp highs. While the upper midrange lacks some definition, the Flip 5 sounds clear enough for most casual listening styles. The Flip 5 is also capable of handling phone calls, I found this feature remarkably straightforward to use, and voice clarity was decent on both ends of the call.
I managed to pair two devices with the Flip 5 at once, and the Bluetooth strength was stable over a short distance of around 33 feet. This distance may be on the shorter side when compared to other portable Bluetooth speakers, however, I feel it is sufficient considering the intended uses of this speaker. As for other connectivity options, I will admit I’m disappointed to see there is no auxiliary input, as it’s a great alternative if you wish to preserve battery life, however for an outdoors-specific speaker, I can live without it.
This speaker utilizes a 3000mAh rechargeable battery that provides up to 12 hours of playtime on a single charge, this figure will vary depending on how you use the speaker, but for such a small device designed for day outings, or at-home use, this battery strength should fulfill most needs.
The JBL Flip 5 is without a doubt one of the most reliable Bluetooth speakers on the market and delivers great value for your money. Its resilient build, portable design, excellent sound quality, and availability in a large variety of colors award the Flip 5 a slot in our best poolside speakers category.
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Bose 251 Environmental Outdoor Speakers
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
Breaking away from the handheld Bluetooth speaker trends, we’re taking a look at the 251 speakers from one of the most respected manufacturers, Bose. The 251 speakers are built for permanent installation, rather than portability, and are an ideal wall-mounted, poolside speaker system.
Built for wall-mounting, the 251s are easily installed and their weatherproof casing provides protection from extreme temperatures, rain, rust, snow, fog, and dust. While they are capable of tolerating these hazardous conditions, I’d recommend installing the 251s below a roof or partially sheltered area to avoid constant direct exposure. The 251s come with all installation materials including brackets and screws, and speaker cabling can be purchased separately.
The Bose 251 environmental outdoor speakers make use of a 5 ¼ inch
woofer to handle the low-end. The bass response may not be the best but is surprisingly tight and fat for a driver of this size. For the remaining
frequency range, Bose utilizes their patented Twiddler driver, designed for mid and high-frequency replication.
The Twiddler drivers are located in pairs in each speaker, and the 2 ½ inch drivers are angled at 45-degrees both left and right of the center of the speakers, this is Bose’s Articulated Array technique which provides a wider stereo field from a single speaker and broadens the ‘sweet spot’ of the speaker.
Not only do the 251s possess a wider listening zone, but are capable of
pushing some serious volume while still maintaining its signature tonal
characteristics- the speakers remain tight, punchy, and dynamic across all volume levels and won’t distort at high listening levels.
For amplification, the 251s are ideally paired with Bose’s SoundTouch SA-5 power amplifier- a versatile, powerful, and clean-sounding amplifier that supports various connectivity options including RCA (x2) 1/8 inch/3.5mm auxiliary cable, Bluetooth, and WiFi or Ethernet for linking your speaker system to your WiFi network to form a multi-room entertainment arrangement.
This provides a wide range of uses for your 251 outdoor speakers, however, if you choose to power the 251s with another amplifier unit, be sure to account for cable gauge when setting your speaker distances.
While the Bose 251s can’t join you on a beach day or hiking trip and don’t possess some of the other fun pool-friendly qualities you might find in a JBL speaker, the 251s offer a more refined listening experience- if the quality of the sound is your main concern. The 251s may not produce audiophile-grade sound, but their audio reproduction is accurate, so if you’re looking for exaggerated bass, try one of our JBL speakers on this list.
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JBL Charge 5
Placeholder:
85W – 350W
Placeholder:
95dB
Placeholder:
70Hz – 20kHz
Placeholder:
15 x 11 x 9.5″
Also available from Walmart
Bluetooth audio kings JBL bring forward another portable and versatile offering, in the form of the Charge 5. The Charge 5 shares many design similarities and additional features with the Flip 5, however, as the name suggests, the Charge series of JBL speakers also support power bank capabilities, allowing you to charge a USB-compatible device such as your mobile phone from the speaker’s onboard battery.
The Charge 5 is considerably larger than the Flip 5 but still remains effortlessly transportable as it is lightweight and can easily slide into your backpack. For poolside applications, the Charge 5 is rated IP67 fully waterproof- this grading not only protects the speaker from splashes but also allows the device to float in the pool, river, or lake alongside you. The IP67 rating also guarantees fortification against dust, sand, snow, and dust.
Sound-wise, the Charge 5 performs exceptionally well here. For a reasonably small speaker, I found the bass response to be quite outstanding, without overpowering the rest of the frequency spectrum like some others, and the upper midrange and high-end are bright and colorful. The Charge 5 can reach decent volume levels capable of providing dance-able music for a small pool party, or multiple 5’s can be linked using JBL’s PartyBoost feature to link a series of speakers to power a larger gathering. While the stereo spread of the Charge 5 is quite poor, the abovementioned PartyBoost function can be used to couple two Charge 5’s to establish a stereo pair, if you’re looking for better separation between left and right channels.
The Charge 5 is capable of reaching a maximum playtime of 20 hours. This is of course dependent on other factors such as volume and the use of the onboard battery bank. Again, I am disappointed about the lack of an auxiliary input here, but the Charge 5’s additional features can make up for this loss. The Charge 5’s Bluetooth strength is reasonably strong and I found the pairing process quick and painless.
Like the Flip 5, the Charge 5 is available in a range of eye-catching colors and patterns and packs great value for money in a speaker that will provide countless hours of poolside fun. Compared to the Flip 5, the Charge 5’s additional features such as mobile device charging and PartyBoost speaker linking provide for more versatile use, and the fact that it is floatable only adds to its pool-friendly attributes.
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Not feeling any of these products? While we don’t have a dedicated article on poolside speakers, we have got in-depth articles on both waterproof Bluetooth speakers and floating pool speakers that will provide you with more product options and detailed buyer’s guide information.
Things To Consider When Buying Garden Outdoor Speakers
While we’ve covered our recommended garden outdoor speakers for each category, I’d still suggest that you spend some time reading over the following buyer’s guide to ensure you’ve thought of all the nuances that are involved in setting up a garden audio system.
As we touched on before, we really recommend that you enter the garden audio purchase decision with a goal in mind. Are you looking to cover an entire garden? Perhaps you just want garden outdoor speakers around your entertainment area. Even then, external factors may influence your purchase decisions. Remember that neighbors can become a problem if you’re blasting sound across your garden, especially at night.
Weather-Proofing
If it’s going outside, it should hold some type of weather protection. But the degree to which they are weather-sealed can impact your decision-making. Patio speakers tend to have very good weatherproofing, but are almost always still recommended to be kept undercover. We recommend against moving most patio speakers into areas where they are under attack by the elements of nature.
Landscape speakers, such as rock speakers are mostly made to withstand the challenges of weather even when placed directly in the open. With that said, some models perform less than ideal in practice. For this reason, we always recommend trying to be strategic in where you place them. If there are thick bushes or trees in the area, placing them under these natural shelters can help in lengthening the lifespan of your landscape speakers.
In-ground speakers are typically the safest choice when it comes to weather damage, but they’re also the least versatile in other areas. So there is a bit of a trade-off to make here.
Audio Quality
If your budget allows it, we always recommend investing in an outdoor speaker that is capable of producing high-quality audio. Good quality sound usually comes at a price though, so in our list, we’ve tried to include a few options that may not be the most glorious sounding speakers – but will be friendly to your wallet.
So what makes a garden outdoor speaker good in its audio delivery? Well, unlike in a bedroom where sound quality is easy to distinguish, outdoor audio has to compete with the wind, chatter, and even the neighbor’s lawnmower.
This is where a quality outdoor speaker really separates itself from the budget options. Portable Bluetooth speakers are most prone to suffering at the hands of the wind and competing sounds. Patio speakers that house larger drivers are typically responsible for the clearest and most punchy of the options and if you are looking to bring audio to a patio area, we always recommend opting for something that mounts to the eaves, it will, in the end, provide you with higher quality audio that doesn’t get lost in the discussions of your guests.
The formula for a good garden outdoor speaker is one that has deep bass, clear mids and highs, and enough power to carry those sounds across the area you’re looking to bring music to.
Ease Of Installation
There is a distinct difference in how easy different garden speakers are to install. A portable Bluetooth speaker as a poolside option is as easy as pressing a button, while an in-ground speaker requires some slightly complex wiring in conjunction with digging up your yard a bit to get it set up.
Patio speakers are one of the easier speaker options to install, in terms of garden speakers. Patio speakers will typically still require wires running them to an amp indoors. However, because the patio is typically close to your home, the wiring doesn’t need to be very long and can often be run through your ceiling or even just through a window if your amp is even closer. The way they mount onto the eaves allows for most models to be installed with some light-effort DIY.
In-ground speakers, as touched on above are quite the opposite. They require a hole, sometimes a relatively large one, to be dug and placed into the ground. You will then need to run the wiring, typically under the top layer of ground through to your indoor amp or outdoor audio control area. Unless you are proficient at audio DIY, we would typically recommend hiring a professional audio installation company to take care of this for you.
Poolside speakers are typically the easiest to set up. While wired poolside speakers will require a similar installation process to patio speakers, portable Bluetooth speakers and floating pool speakers are wireless and require no setup other than grabbing your smartphone to select your music.
Landscape speakers will vary in ease of installation based on what type of landscape speaker you’re buying. Rock speakers can be wired or wireless, we find that the wired options tend to provide better quality – but they do also require a wire to be run (typically underground) to your indoor amplifier or outdoor audio controller. The wireless outdoor speaker options are naturally not as much of a fuss, but in most cases, you’ll need to make the trade between ease of installation and audio quality.
Location & Spacing
When deciding which outdoor garden speakers are the best option for you, the location you’re looking to cover, as well as the area you need to cover are going to play huge roles in what type of speaker is best for you.
We’ve covered the basics of where each garden speaker category listed above excels, but we haven’t talked much about how the spacing in that location is going to impact your decision.
Sound can only travel so far, and you can’t expect to cover your whole garden with a single speaker (for most larger suburban gardens). There isn’t a set distance to place your speakers apart though, and the correct distance will depend on the type of speaker and how loud it is.
The 10ft rule holds more weight for wireless garden speakers that don’t connect to an amp and generally have lower decibels. However, with amp-driven speakers like in-ground or patio speakers, you will often find that the quality and volume output lets them be placed much further apart. Even some of the rock speakers can easily reach 30ft+ between each other and still do their job well.
It’s often worth making the extra effort to wire up your speakers above ground initially and space them out to find the balance that works for you. Once you’re happy with how they sound, you then know where to install the speaker.
The last thing you want is a collection of speakers which are all bundled together pointing in the same direction. Regardless of the type of speaker being used, they should be placed in a manner that expands your soundstage and angles in towards the entertainment area. The more angles you’re able to cover, the fuller the audio will sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s take a look at some of the concerns one may typically have when it comes to outdoor garden speakers. If you have any additional questions about garden speakers, feel free to ask them in the comments below.
How long do garden outdoor speakers last?
Typically at least 5 years, but it depends on how do you plan to take care of them? Garden speakers will often require some cleaning and small maintenance tasks every now and then to ensure they don’t get clogged up or end up rusting. We also recommend mounting patio speakers under your eaves in areas least prone to weather. While most speakers intended for the garden are made with the harshness of outdoor weather in mind, there are still best practices to take up – as we’ve discussed above.
How to install outdoor speakers?
While each speaker’s installation process is unique – we have covered the majority of methods in this article, which should be able to assist you.
How do you power outdoor speakers?
If you’re using a passive speaker you’ll need to wire it to an amp in order to power it. Active speakers will be able to power themselves and won’t require an amp.
Can you connect outdoor speakers to a TV?
Absolutely, this is where a lot of speakers really shine. Some TVs will come with a built-in receiver that is capable of powering your outdoor speakers, but you may be required to add an audio receiver or amplifier to your setup.
How do you maintain outdoor speakers?
We recommend a routine inspection on both your speaker and wiring, at least once every 6 months. This helps ensure you pick up on any problems before they truly become an issue. Cleaning the speakers is also very important, dust and residue can build up, which isn’t a problem when removed occasionally, but leaving it for extended periods can cause additional wear to your speaker. We cover this topic in more detail here.
