With so many affordable portable projectors available in the market, it’s only fair to want a great movie night experience at home. However, projector speakers might not be enough for large groups. That’s why it is better to always consider some external speakers for projectors.
Here, we have compiled the five best speakers for outdoor projectors, including the best wireless speakers and some great wired speakers. But before getting started,
- Here are the best projector screens for your movie nights.
- Check out these best budget soundbars for projectors.
- These are some of the best bookshelf speakers for indoor home theater setups.
Now, let’s get to our list of best outdoor projector speakers.
1. Herdio HOS-501W Bluetooth Patio Speakers
- Speaker type: Wired | Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Weather-proofing: All-weather resistant | Placement: Wall-mount
- Configuration: Two speakers, stereo sound | Power output: 2x150W
These speakers are meant for a hassle-free, affordable setup for your patio/backyard. They come with versatile swivel brackets and can be mounted either vertically or horizontally onto walls or ledges. They are ‘all weather-resistant,’ meaning you can leave them uncovered outdoors. The best bit is that these are Bluetooth speakers, and you can use them directly with your projector, TV, or phone without needing any external amp or receiver.
The two speakers can pump out up to 300 watts of combined peak power output. While they don’t have a dedicated sub-woofer, these speakers feature 5.25-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeters within them to deliver a well-rounded sound experience. Since one of the two speakers here is active, you can connect even more passive speakers to it to expand your setup. Most user reviews praise these speakers for their sound quality and outdoor durability.
These are Bluetooth-enabled speakers, but they still need to be connected via a wire, and one of the speakers needs to be plugged into a wall socket, too. And while the speakers themselves are weather-resistant, their wall plug is not, so keep that in mind during the setup.
Another downside to these speakers is that they don’t have the option for wired input, so you can’t add them to any speaker systems you might already have. Not all projectors have Bluetooth built-in, so you might need to purchase a Bluetooth adapter for your projector. Despite this, the HOS-501W is among the best outdoor surround sound Bluetooth speakers for people who don’t want to invest in an external receiver.
What We Like
- Voluminous output
- Affordable
- Can connect to compatible devices over Bluetooth
What We Don’t Like
- Need to be carefully positioned outdoors as they need to be plugged into an outlet
2. Soundcore Motion Boom+ Portable Speaker
- Speaker type: Wireless | Connectivity: Bluetooth, AUX
- Weather-proofing: IP67 Certification | Placement: Portable
- Configuration: Single speaker, stereo sound | Power output: 80W
If you’re not looking for a permanent outdoor setup, Anker’s Motion Boom Plus offers the perfect mix of cinematic sound and portability. It features a dust and waterproof rating, making it a great outdoor companion. Further, it also comes with a 3.5mm port for wired usage using standard AUX cables, or you can use it wirelessly via Bluetooth. This is the only speaker on our list with a built-in battery and up to 20 hours of playtime. So, you can place it anywhere without worrying about a wall socket.
Despite being a single speaker, it delivers true stereo sound with two sets of 30W woofers+10W tweeters working in tandem. It’s one of the best-performing outdoor Bluetooth speakers with loud, thumpy bass and distortion-free sound across volume levels. PCmag even declared it their favorite outdoor speaker for its low-end rumble and durable design.
For an even better experience, you can pair two or more of these speakers to deliver a true surround-sound experience. Besides being a good outdoor speaker for movies, you can also use it as a reliable travel companion. It features a massive battery that can also be used as a power bank to charge your phones.
While it’s a great outdoor speaker for projectors, you might need to buy a Bluetooth adapter if your projector isn’t Bluetooth-compatible. Also, despite being fairly loud, it can’t match the sound output delivered by a full-fledged outdoor sound system.
What We Like
- Affordable
- Lots of connectivity options
- Can be daisy-chained for a superior sound output
What We Don’t Like
- Not as loud as a dedicated outdoor speaker setup
3. Klipsch AWR-650-SM Outdoor Rock Speaker
- Speaker type: Wired | Connectivity: External amp
- Weather-proofing: UV and water-resistant | Placement: Floor-standing
- Configuration: Single speaker, stereo sound | Power output: 200W
If you want an outdoor speaker that can also add to the aesthetics of your outdoor setting, this rock speaker from Klipsch is truly one of a kind. It’s made of a fiberglass composite material that’s UV- and water-resistant. The speaker is shaped like a rock and easily blends into various patio/poolside locations. However, it’s a passive speaker and requires an external amplifier to be used.
Klipsch recommends a 100-watt/200-watt peak power output amplifier for this speaker. It’s a single rock speaker but houses a 6.5-inch dual voice coil polymer woofer and dual ¾-inch polymer dome tweeters. This enables it to play both left and right stereo signals with precision and clarity. Alternatively, you can connect two or more such speakers and wire each of them to play mono channels concurrently.
Klipsch is well-known for making great-sounding speakers, and this rock speaker also receives high praise from users and reviewers. The sound reproduction is great, and with multiple speakers, you can create a great outdoor surround sound speaker setup for movies.
Since this speaker connects via a central amplifier, you can pair it with any other existing home speaker setup as long as the amplifier has enough power available. One downside is that your projector will need to have an HDMI port or an output compatible with the amplifier. The waterproof design and rock-like aesthetic make it one of the best outdoor movie speakers.
What We Like
- Unique looks
- Excellent sound output
- Somewhat affordable
- Extremely durable
What We Don’t Like
- Needs an external amp
4. Polk Audio Atrium 8 SDI Outdoor Speaker
- Speaker type: Wired | Connectivity: External amp
- Weather-proofing: UV and water-resistant | Placement: Wall-mount
- Configuration: Single speaker, stereo sound | Power output: 125W
This is an expensive speaker, but for permanent outdoor setups, its long-term reliability and performance do more than justify its price. The Atrium 8 SDI are wired speakers and need an external amplifier. They use Speed-Lock mounting, which is easy and quick and allows the speakers to have almost 180 degrees of swivel freedom for an optimal sound setup. You can use the single speaker as a standalone stereo setup or combine multiple speakers to form a surround sound experience.
Each speaker comprises a 6.5-inch aerated polypropylene cone woofer and two 1-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeters. They come with a Single/Dual input switch, which allows the speaker to turn into a dual-channel stereo speaker or a mono-channel speaker to be used in an L/R pair.
These speakers can output up to 125W of power, delivering crisp sound quality across frequencies. While they miss out on the low-end rumble a dedicated sub-woofer can produce, most users rate these highly for their sound quality.
Since these are outdoor speakers, they come with all-weather certification, meaning they can endure constant sunlight, rainfalls, and more. They feature a durable cabinet design with aluminum grilles, brackets, and stainless steel hardware, helping them stay rust-free.
With all these features and great sound quality, these are our picks for the absolute best speakers for outdoor projectors. You need to remember that you’ll have to invest in an external amplifier if you don’t already have one, and your projector will have to support some form of sound output to the amplifier.
What We Like
- Superb sound output
- Rust-free cabinet should increase shelf life
- All-weather certification
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
- Needs an external amp
5. JBL PartyBox 710 Party Speaker
- Speaker type: Wireless | Connectivity: Bluetooth, AUX, Mic
- Weather-proofing: IPX4 splash-proof | Placement: Floor-standing
- Configuration: Single speaker, stereo sound | Power output: 800W
The PartyBox 710 is right up there with the most expensive option on the list. That said, it’s also one of the most powerful outdoor speakers you can buy. JBL’s PartyBox 710 is a behemoth party speaker that stands three feet tall and weighs 61 pounds. It can pump out a mind-boggling 800 watts of power at its peak without needing an external amplifier. On the front, it features LED lights that can sync to the music using dynamic, customizable strobes and patterns.
JBL PartyBox 710 is a heavy speaker with wheels and a handle at the top for easy maneuverability. That’s a good thing, considering that the speaker has an IPX4 rating (only splash-proof), meaning it’ll be better to store the speaker indoors when not in use. You can connect to this speaker via BT or AUX cable and even plug in a guitar or mic for karaoke sessions right out of the speaker.
While that makes it a good speaker for house parties, it’s also great for outdoor movies. Featuring dual 8-inch woofers and 2.75-inch tweeters, this speaker can reproduce amazing sound levels with heavy bass that brings action scenes to life. Almost all user reviews define its sound as “wall-rattling,” which is perfect for outdoor movie nights.
Although it’s a stereo speaker, you might still miss the surround sound experience that a multi-speaker system can provide. On the upside, you can combine two of these to make a truly immersive outdoor speaker system.
What We Like
- Versatile in nature
- Roaring sound ouput
- Comes with RGB lighting to set the tone for an event
- Somewhat rugged
What We Don’t Like
- Extremely bulky
- Expensive
- Can’t be kept outside at all times as it’s only IPX4-rated
6. Bowers & Wilkins AM-1
- Speaker type: Wired | Connectivity: External amp
- Weather-proofing: UV and water-resistant | Placement: Wall-mount
- Configuration: Stereo Speakers | Power output: N/A
Bowers & Wilkins also has an incredible outdoor speaker up for grabs. Dubbed the AM-1, the company’s high-performance speaker is geared toward patios, gardens, and poolside venues. While it costs a pretty penny and is the most expensive speaker on the list, it comes with a slew of features that might interest you.
For starters, the speaker is built to last, and the company has taken special note to ensure optimum sound dispersion in an outdoor setting. To that end, the speaker ships with an inverted driver, which helps disseminate sound properly, provided the speaker is mounted at a height. Additionally, the speaker ships with a rear-mounted bass radiator, which paves the way for tight and punchy beats.
Speaking of durability, the AM-1 is fashioned out of a rust-proof aluminum grille. Additionally, the casing is constructed in parts using glass-filled plastics that can keep dust, moisture, UV exposure, and other environmental elements at bay. Note that the AM-1 also requires an external amp for power, and you can use up to a 100W amp for the same.
Additionally, the speaker can be mounted in a jiffy, thanks to the inclusion of a cast aluminum wall bracket. You can even orient it horizontally or vertically without altering the sound output drastically, which is great.
What We Like
- Elegant design
- Good sound output
- Robust rust-free chassis
- Can stave off damage from UV exposure and dust
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
- Needs an external amp
Speakers for Outdoor Movie Nights
Choosing a good outdoor projector sound system is important to make the best of your movie nights. Bluetooth speakers offer the most versatility and ease of use. While patio speakers can deliver much higher sound quality, they don’t offer placement flexibility.
Moreover, most patio speakers need an amplifier to work, and since these amps are not meant to be weather-resistant, you’ll have to think about a wiring layout that can enable the amp to be placed indoors and still connect to the outdoor speakers. Having said that, do let us know which speaker caught your eye in the comments below.
