The Top Rated Outdoor Speakers

Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker

We’ve surveyed reviews on TestFreaks, Gear Patrol, Home Entertainment Magazine, Amazon, TigerDirect.com and Newegg.com to find the top rated wireless outdoor speakers:

Soundcast OutCast ($849)

The Best Wireless Outdoor Speakers

Top Review Sources:

  • TestFreaks: 9/10 “The OutCast is just simply an amazing product that you’ve got to see and hear to believe”
  • Gear Patrol: “The Outcast was the best outdoor wireless speaker solution we’ve ever encountered”
  • Home Entertainment Magazine: “Its price tag accurately reflects its performance”

You’ll have a good idea of what you are getting yourself into upon receiving the large and heavy Soundcast OutCast box. Inside you’ll find the OutCast speaker itself—an 11-inch cylinder standing over two feet high and weighing close to 26 pounds—and the iCast transmitter, which wirelessly broadcasts music from an iPod or other device. The OutCast has a row of buttons on its top for volume, play, pause, seek, and its blue external mood light. While all these buttons are enabled when an iPod is hooked up, if you want to use another MP3 player, computer, or television, only the volume and light functions will work.

The OutCast is powered either by the included AC adapter or 10-hour rechargeable battery pack. The iCast transmitter accepts an iPod via its top-loading dock, and it also accepts any audio device with a 3.5mm output. The iCast broadcasts in 2.4 GHz, has a stated range of up to 350 feet, and runs on AC power. You can also plug a 3.5mm source directly into the OutCast itself. The high price tag is backed up by sound quality and quantity that blows away most reviewers. The OutCast consistently delivers strong bass and sharp treble. It is built to withstand any bad weather that may suddenly descend upon your outdoor gathering.

The OutCast is available from Amazon.

 

Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker ($150)

Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker

Top Review Sources:

  • Amazon: 4.0/5.0 (50+ reviews)
  • Epinions: 4.0/5.0 (4 reviews)
  • ExpertReviews.co.uk: 3.0/5.0 “The bass is incredibly strong”

Consider the Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker if you need a compact, well-built speaker than is easy to move and can connect to a variety of devices. The Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker receives positive reviews for its sound reproduction, though there are some complaints that the treble can’t keep up with the bass at high volumes. The unit is weather-resistant and can receive signals from its wireless dock up to 150 feet away. The wireless dock will connect to any MP3 player or stereo system. The dock can be powered either by the included AC adapter or by six AA batteries. The speaker runs from either AC power or eight D batteries. On-speaker controls include volume, bass boost, and blue ambient light switch. The Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker operates on the 900MHz band.

Purchase the Brookstone Wireless Outdoor Speaker from Amazon.

Jawbone JAMBOX ($180)

Aliph JAMBOX

Top Review Sources:

  • Pocket Lint: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Amazon: 4 out of 5 stars (120+ user reviews)
  • Trusted Reviews: 7 out of 10

Another in the portable speaker mold, the Jawbone Jambox is small, but packs a punch when it comes to sound quality. Its attractive design has made it a hit with many reviewers, yet they have been quick to point out that it matches this with sound quality and power. By connecting via Bluetooth to any enabled music device, it can also be used as a speaker phone. With impressive low end capabilities the Jambox provides good sound quality in any environment, and does not distort at loud volumes. What has been noted as it’s only con by reviewers is its price; falling a little too high for a product of its type.

The Jawbone Jambox is available from Amazon.

Audiovox Acoustic Research AW825 ($90)

Audiovox Acoustic Research

Top Review Sources:

  • Zimbio: “a great product for extending the party outside”
  • Amazon: 4 out of 5 stars (100+ user reviews)
  • Green Home Best Buy: 4 out of 5 stars

The Audiovox Acoustic’s main attraction is that it doesn’t look like a speaker. With its design, it is a more natural choice for one’s garden than other speakers, and does not stand out of place. While the sound quality is reportedly adequate, it is not going to match that of a $600 or $700 speaker system. The Audiovox’s range, at approximately 100 to 150ft, is impressive and suggests a product with a quality build. This is reiterated by its durability; both waterproof and solid, this speaker is more than able to survive the weather of the outdoors. While there are few expert reviews of this speaker, the numerous user reviews are all incredibly enthusiastic, and almost entirely positive.

The Audiovox Acoustic is available from Amazon.

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