Klipsch AWR-650-SM
The kings of audio Klipsch are kick-starting our review section today with a stylized pair of 2-way outdoor speakers. They are housed in a mock-rock enclosure to better blend in with their environment are sold in pairs and serve up some pretty well-balanced sound. They are side-firing and the rocking enclosure design is aesthetically pleasing, UV resistant, durable, and incorporates a ported vent enhancement.
The woofer is 6.5 inches and features dual voice coils, it is formed from a polymer which is suitably rigid whilst maintaining sufficient flexibility for a great response at high outputs.
It is paired with dual polymer dome tweeters which allow for absolute stereo clarity, but they can be wired together for mono situations if you want to hook up multiple speakers for larger spaces.
They don't feature built-in wireless capabilities but they need hooking up to an amplifier, and this series is designed for use with their latest range of wireless amplifiers.
They come in granite, sandstone, or red-rock color/style choices and are competitively priced to similarly housed outdoor models.
They are a 2-way class pair and feature a 4.5” woofer with a sealed voice coil and a wide dispersal cone which is formed of polymer which has been filled with mica filings. It is seated in a long-life Butyl surround which dampens all unwanted resonance and cancellation.
It performs fairly well the lows are audibly clear and the highs have a good level of detail as the titanium tweeter are assisted with a ferro-fluid cooling system. The drivers themselves are mounted at a 20 degree angle to focus sound upwards from the ground.
Their rock-look enclosure is designed with multi-layer composite housings. Each layer is silicone sealed ensuring all components are protected. The outer grilles are also treated to be rust-proof.
Pros:
+ 2-way class.
+ Bass enhancement features.
+ Rock-look enclosure.
Bose 251 Wall Mount Outdoor Environmental Speakers
Next we have a brilliant set from Bose, they are built water risistance making them ideal for outdoor mounting.
They install effortlessly thanks to a well thought out mounting system. Their high performance 'Articulated Array' set-up produces clear highs which are audible at a distance but they are well balanced providing an ample bass presence. This is largely thanks to its multi-chamber bass enclosure which enhances low registers powerfully. The 5.25-inch woofer has a composite cone with idyllic characteristics for optimal bass response.
They feature nifty design aspects which help to disperse the sound at a wider radius than many of their competitors. They withstand high as well as low temperatures and the electronics are completely sealed to keep them sheltered from the elements for ultimate longevity in outdoor exposure situations. They provide a option that ticks all the boxes in terms of what you really want for a wireless outdoor speaker, they are dust and water resistant to the highest level and will actually survive short submersion if they are involved in a musical mishap.
They are a lower-end 3-way class set that combines a 4” poly-elite woofer, a mid-range driver and high output tweeter to provide very wide frequency response. The woofer is seated in a rubber surround to ensure unwanted vibrations are kept at bay, this allows them to serve up distortion-free bass.
They mount easily and are housed in water-resistant UV treated enclosure. The electronic components are sealed in an ABS surround to further protect against exposure to the elements.
Their Control model Is compact but features a wider 8” Kevlar woofer cone that provides a larger surface area and greater audio dispersion, bass response and dampening. It is coupled with a 1” titanium diaphragm compression tweeter.
Together they provide an extended frequency response and push the sound further afield thanks to their horn design concept. They are housed in a durable enclosure which keeps the internal circuitry protected, with a sealed input panel cover.
They mount effortlessly with an optional U-bracket or via their awesome InvisiBall mounting system which allows for more precise directional positioning.
Pros:
+ Water resistant.
+ Temperature resistant.
+ Easy to mount.
Yamaha NS-AW150BL
Another pair of 2 way outdoor speakers which have been very well built to fair against the weather is this set from Yamaha's outdoor bookshelf series. They are a compact pair, affordably priced and despite running at just 100 watts they manage to muster up some rather powerful driver performance.
They feature a traditional woofer/tweeting pairing employing a 5” composite for each task. They are enclosed in a watertight surround which is windproofed and has rugged removable grilles.
The Mica-filled woofer and PEI dome tweeters have an acoustic suspension design for top-notch bass enhancement and evenly dispersed audio.
They are well constructed and seem pretty robust for a lower budget pair of speakers. They employ some of the 'extreme' measure incorporated into their maritime speakers from the Atrium line which has actually been officially deemed better than military-grade in terms of their waterproofing and durability.
They feature a 4.5” dynamic bass woofer cone which is mineral filled for awesome response, and an anodized aluminum dome tweeter.
The enclosure has baffles which have been designed to disperse the sound super-effectively. The developmental bass enhancements ensure clearly defined audio without compromise even at maximized levels.
This cutting-edge cylindrical cutie is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 and instantly syncs to remembered devices once initially paired. You can hook up one or more of these guys, so a day lounging in the garden can quickly blossom into a bash.
They are IP6/7 certified which in terms of waterproofing is as good as it gets and they also keep the dust out being as they are essentially airtight. They feel pretty durably built and they a very long rechargeable battery life which is an absolute must for an outdoor speaker. They also feature a mic input for hands-free calls making them a genuine amplified extension of your phone, giving all your playlists a well-deserved boost.
Pros:
+ Low price.
+ 2 way class.
+ Watertight.