The Best Outdoor Speakers That’ll Boost Your Backyard Tunes (2024)

Polk Audio Atrium 6

Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.8 x 11.8 inches | Driver size: 5.3-inches, 1-inch dome tweeter | Mounting required: Yes (includes hardware) | Waterproof rating: All-weather certified

Best for: Mounting a pair of stereo speakers outside wherever you want to hear audio.

The Polk Audio Atrium 6 outdoor speakers come fully weather sealed and are ideal for playing music anywhere outside. Mount them horizontally or vertically on your deck, near a pool or throughout your entire yard with the included mounting hardware.

Each speaker has a wide dispersion pattern with powerful bass and outputs 100 watts of audio power to deliver high-fidelity sound. Audio sounds clear and full-bodied thanks to the speakers’ long-throw polypropylene cone driver with rubber surround pumps and dynamic balance anodized aluminum dome tweeters. In short, you’ll get a deep bass and practically no distortion.

Pros:

• Impressive audio with rich bass
• All-weather certified
• Includes mounting brackets

Cons:

• Not as powerful as the more expensive Atrium 8 speakers

Polk Audio Atrium 4

Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 6.7 inches | Driver size: 4.5-inch driver and .75-inch tweeter | Mounting required: Yes (includes hardware) | Waterproof rating: All-weather certified

Best for: Getting excellent audio for a reasonable price.

For an affordable price, the Polk Audio Atrium 4 speakers deliver a strong balance of performance. With 80-watts of audio power, their baffle design maximizes mid- and high-frequency dispersion so you can hear audio clearly across a large area. Like the Atrium 6, the Atrium 4 includes an easy-to-install speed-lock mounting bracket. The speakers’ smaller size of makes them ideal for tight or out-of-the way installations.

While all the outdoor speakers in the Polk Atrium lineup look similar on the outside, each offers a slightly different physical size. As the model number goes up, so does the size of the drivers, the power output and the price. The Polk Atrium 4 speakers sit at the lower end of Polk’s product line—and so you can expect a larger design—but they offer great value and impressive overall performance.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• Easy to install
• Impressive sound for the size

Cons:

• Drivers are smaller than in other Polk Atrium speakers

Dual Electronics LU53PB

Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 7.3 inches | Drivers: 1.6-inch cone, 0.8-inch midrange driver, 5.25-inch woofer | Wireless audio: Yes | Mounting required: Yes (includes hardware) | Waterproof rating: For use in covered outdoor areas.

Best for: Installing outdoor speakers on an extreme budget.

For those who want the to maximize their sound for the price, the Dual Electronics LU53PB speakers cost a $80 for the pair and come with great sound. The speakers use a weather resistant coating and UV resistant resin, but that being said you may want to keep them out of the direct line of fire of downpours and other inclement weather.

For those that need to adjust on the fly, the speakers offer a swivel mount, making them great for those that want to redirect the tunes toward the pool party or just away from neighbors.

Pros:

• Very affordable
• Sold as a pair
• Can handle use in the rain

Cons:

• Not fully weather resistant
• Lacks sturdy design

Sonos Architectural Speakers By Sonance

Dimensions: 7.5 x 12.9 x 7.9 inches | Mounting required: Yes (includes hardware) | Waterproof rating: IP66

Best for: Homes already using Sonos audio equipment.

The Sonos Architectural Speakers By Sonance can fully integrate with your existing Sonos home speakers. For those that have an indoor/outdoor setup, you can control the audio inside your home and outdoors from a single device. These passive speakers require an amplifier, and speaker wire (sold separately). They work with the Sonos Amp, sold separately for $699 or as a bundle with two speakers for $1,498.

Each speaker has one high-excursion pivoting woofer that produces mid and low frequencies, along with a one-inch tweeter that produces high frequencies. The speakers have an IP66 water and dust resistance rating, making them perfect for permanent outdoor installations.

Pros:

• Integrates with other Sonos gear
• IP66 weatherproof rating

Cons:

• Professional installation recommended
• Expensive

Bose Portable Smart Speaker

Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.7 x 4 inches | Weight: 2.3 pounds | Wireless audio: Yes | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX4

Best for: Robust, 360-degree audio you can carry with you.

The Bose Portable Smart Speaker produces full-bodied, 360-degree sound from a compact package. Use it poolside or at your campsite thanks to the built-in IPX4 water resistance. It’s perfect for group listening, since it produces an immersive sound with impressive bass and reasonable loudness heard in every direction—filling all corners of your space.

Connect the speaker to Wi-Fi to use voice commands via the built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.You can control the Bose Portable Smart Speaker using the physical controls on the top surface or using the mobile app. The app also lets you pair the speaker with a second Bose smart speaker. It also works with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Spotify Connect.

Excerpt from ourfull review: “Out of the 10 Bluetooth speakers I recently evaluated for a roundup of thebest Bluetooth speakers, I found the Bose Portable Smart Speaker outperformed the competition time and again. This speaker earns the distinction of the best Bluetooth speaker overall for its well-balanced audio and robust features.”

Pros:

• Lightweight, water resistant and portable
• Produces 360-degree, room-filling sound
• Connects directly to Wi-Fi or pairs with a Bluetooth device

Cons:

• No speakerphone support

Soundcore 3 By Anker

Dimensions: 6.9 x 2.4 x 2.2 inches | Weight: 1 pound | Driver size: 2x 16-watt amplifiers | Wireless audio: Yes | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX7

Best for: Listening to tunes outside without spending a fortune.

Even though the Soundcore 3 by Anker is a single portable Bluetooth speaker, it outputs 16-watts of stereo sound—a great quality for the just over $50. The speaker runs up to 24-hours on a single charge, and it has a strong IPX7 water resistance rating so you can take it outdoors without fearing poolside splashes or a sudden summer rain.

The speaker uses passive dual radiators and Anker’s unique Bass Up technology to output audio with noticeable bass. The PartyCast feature lets you link up to 100 Anker Bluetooth speakers together (wirelessly) to fill an enormous space with audio that’s streamed from a single device. While its sound quality does compare to more expensive speakers like the Bose Portable Smart Speaker, if you’re looking for a portable speaker at a bargain price, this one is for you.

Pros:

• Budget friendly
• Outputs 16-watts of audio power
• Long battery life

Cons:

• Some distortion occurs at maximum volume
• Sound stage is a bit narrow

Dimensions: 17.5 x 13 x 16 inches | Driver size: 1-inch dome tweeter, 8-inch woofer | Waterproof rating: All-weather sealed

Best for: Incorporating a subtle speaker design into your landscaping.

The Outdoor Speakers Direct (OSD) Audio RS850 sits hidden inside a rock-like enclosure for a subtle 8-inch, high fidelity speaker you can place around your backyard. The outer shell of the rock enclosure uses a multi-layered composite that’s designed to withstand harsh weather. Get it in brown, canyon brown, grey or slate to get a speaker that blends in with your landscaping aesthetic.

OSD sells the speaker individually, but you can use multiple speakers, each placed no more than 30 feet apart. The manufacturer recommends using waterproof cables and burying the wire connectors. These speakers require an amplifier or receiver that can push out at least 100 watts of power. OSD also has various shapes and sizes for its enclosures so you can customize your design.

Pros:

• Resembles a rock
• Outputs 200 watts of audio power
• Available in a variety of sizes and colors

Cons:

• Must bury waterproof cabling

Dayton Audio IO8XTB

Dimensions: 14 x 13 x 18 inches | Drivers: 1-inch silk dome tweeter and 8-inch polypropylene woofer | Wireless audio: No | Mounting required: Included | Waterproof rating: IP66

Best for: Listening to high-quality audio outdoors, no matter the cost.

The Dayton Audio IO8XTB speakers don’t come cheap. They’re each sold separately and priced $175—and you’ll need at least two of them. In addition to being waterproof, these speakers come with a bracket that allows them to be mounted horizontally or vertically, with the ability to pivot to your needs.

The internal passive radiator offers extended low-end response that generates deep bass via the 8-inch woofer. Meanwhile, the 1-inch silk dome tweeter keeps the high-end of the audio sounding smooth and clear. The Dayton Audio IO8XTB speakers are plenty loud, so you can easily fill a larger patio, deck, backyard or pool area with high-quality audio.

Pros:

• Designed for larger areas
• Offers impressive bass with clear high-end audio
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Expensive

Turtlebox Loud! Gen 2 Outdoor Portable Speaker

Dimensions: 12 x 8.8 x 7 inches | Drivers: 1.6-inch tweeter, 6 x 9-inch woofer | Wireless audio: Yes | Mounting required: Built in handle | Waterproof rating: IP67

Best for: Outdoor adventurers.

Available in five colors, the Turtlebox Loud! (Gen 2) is ready for any outdoor adventure. Enjoy up to 25 hours of continuous listening with this waterproof outdoor speaker. At maximum volume, this speaker can reach up to 120 decibels. It comes with a built-in handle, so you can easily bring this speaker with you camping, to the beach, on a boat or wherever your outdoor adventures take you. On other side of the speaker are sturdy metal claps for attaching the speaker to a boat, bike or vehicle.

Pair two of these speakers together to achieve true stereo sound. Due to its design, the audio output is directional—outwards from the front of the speaker. The build quality of the Turtlebox Loud! is top-notch and the audio quality will leave you impressed.

Pros:

• Waterproof and extremely durable
• Generates up to 120 decibel audio
• Impressive battery life

Cons:

• Expensive