Whether they’re for a barbecue in the back garden with some friends or for your patrons as they eat or drink on the restaurant’s terrace, outdoor wireless speakers are an ideal way to provide musical accompaniment and atmosphere.
If you’re considering buying wireless speakers for outdoor use, there are several important choices to make: the range at which they work, whether they are compatible with your sound system, how they are powered, how loud they are and whether they can be used in all weathers.
Operating Range. The majority of wireless systems will operate at a range of 50-100 meters when used outside, in a space with no obstructions. As a practical guideline, the same speakers often operate at around 10-25 meters inside a building, where walls, other objects and electrical wiring interfere with the signal. For most purposes, the outdoor range is easily sufficient, though if you have a particularly large or oddly-shaped garden, you may need to be careful where you position the transmitter.
Central Transmitter Location. The central transmitter is, of course, the other major concern: this is the device that has to be attached to something in order to transmit the music! If you’re using a small, portable device as the source – an MP3 player or an iPod, for example – it’s much easier to position the transmitter centrally and ensure that the distance to the speakers is kept to a minimum.
However, if you’re connecting to a large, mains-operated hi-fi system or a TV, it’s likely to be much more difficult to find an ideal location. There is, as always, a workaround: purchasing an extra-long connection cable, so that the transmitter can be significantly further from the source system. It’s not perfect, but it works.
Bose 151 SE Outdoor Speaker Bundle (about $360 on Amazon)
Compatibility. Whether the speakers will work with your system is less of a worry than at first glance. Virtually all the commercially available designs incorporate a standard headphone-sized jack, allowing connection to an MP3 player, an iPod or even a portable CD player. They also often include an adapter to the bigger headphone jack, for compatibility with home hi-fi systems. However, if you’re buying specifically for an iPod, it’s worth checking whether the transmitter has a docking slot – it’s a better, simpler system than messing around with wires.
Power Supply. Supplying power to the speakers is the next job. Given that they’re wireless, they run on battery power – either rechargeable or standard. This means that the length of time they will operate varies enormously: four hours appears to be fairly standard for normal battery-operated models, whereas the more expensive systems with built-in rechargeable packs aim for the ten hour mark.
Thankfully, eco-awareness has also reached the wireless speaker market and there are now models available which have built-in solar panels to recharge their batteries. It’s not only greener, it saves money in the long run.
Volume. As far as volume goes, the available systems vary enormously. As one would expect, increased output requires more power, so the life of the system’s batteries is reduced. The smaller, cheaper systems generally operate at around the 15W mark, ensuring they continue working for a decent amount of time on a few AAA batteries. The bigger, more expensive sets with internal power packs go up to around 100W.
Weather Resistance. Finally, the question of weather must come into the equation, especially if the speakers are to be a permanent external feature. Surprisingly, it’s entirely possible to buy wireless speakers that can be left outside in the rain – though this is never advisable for extended periods of time. Remember, when looking at this option, that the expression “weather resistant” does not mean that the speakers are immune to the effects, but that they are more resistant.
Design. Slick and modern design are suitable for use both indoor and outdoor; more rugged design - such as those from Audio Unlimited that look like a rock - may be more appropriate for outoor use.
Audio Unlimited 900MHz Wireless Rock Speaker System ($77 on Amazon)
Pricing. The price of wireless outdoor speakers can range from under $100 to over $1,000 and is generally based on three criteria: whether they have internal rechargeable battery packs, their power output and whether they are resistant to moisture and other weather issues. This is one product where more money normally means far better quality and durability.
On the Best Wireless Outdoor Speaker site we will strive to provide you with the reviews of some of the best outdoor and/or indoor speaker systems available today.
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