Best outdoor speakers 2024: Sound systems that'll rock the outside world (2024)

For those about to rock outside, we salute you - with a whole bunch of wireless Bluetooth speakers that’ll go loud in the wild. If you’ve not been paying attention, wireless speakers have come a long way over the past few years, evolving into powerful sound machines that can be play pretty much anywhere. The latest wireless speakers sound bigger, boast designer looks and can brave the worst our weather can throw at them.

We’ve been putting these outdoor heroes through their paces with some of our favourite rock anthems (streamed from Tidal, in this case), to see how they compare. With prices ranging from cheap and cheerful to seriously expensive, there’s literally a speaker here for every budget.

Quick list

Our top choice

Compact and rugged, the Flip 6 can rough it outside with the best of them. Ideal for BBQs and festivals alike, this new iteration on JBL’s bestselling portable line features dual passive radiators which sandwich a racetrack woofer and tweeter. A rubberised finish is easy to keep hold of, and there’s a subtle foot to stop the speaker rolling away.

The soundstage is surprisingly fulsome. The Flip 6 delivers bass without getting heavy handed, has lovely, crisp highs, and can call on copious volume.

It does a grand job conveying the surging, ominous electro bass beat of Vukovi’s Mercy Kill, but has a sprightly midrange that is equally at home with System Of A Down's Chop Suey!, always keeping a tight grip on rhythm.

Two Flip 6s can be paired for stereo, using the accompanying app. The Flip 6 has an IP67 water and dustproof rating, and will run for 12 hours on a full charge. Physical connectivity comes via a USB-C charging port. Bluetooth is 5.1.

Best for clarity

When the going gets tough you might not want to go with the Bose Soundlink Flex - it’s far too refined for the circle pit - but if good sounding portable audio is your goal, then this go-anywhere speaker certainly scores.

The Soundlink Flex is light at 600g, and comes with a fabric loop for ease of useand the speaker features a tactile silicon finish and mesh grille, and comes in a variety of cool colours (black, white, blue and red). It also has an IP67 water and dust proof rating, to protect it when out and about. Battery life is good for 12 hours.

The speaker offers standard on-body controls, for volume, power and pairing. Clever proprietary PositionIQ technology uses built-in sensors to detect the orientation of the speaker (be it flat or vertical), and adjusts its sonic output accordingly. Audio comes via a custom driver and a pair of passive radiators.

Despite its diminutive size, the Soundlink Flex certainly knows how to throw its weight around. Linkin Park's Lost rolls in with the weight of a Panzer division, with the late Chester Bennington’s astonishing vocal crystal clear and emotionally charged.

Overall, the Bose Soundlink Flex is a great outdoors speaker that’s undeniably musical.

Best audio stacking

A heavyweight in the literal sense, the Marshall Middleton weighs in at 1.8kg, and while transportable (it comes with a carry strap) this isn’t a speaker you’ll chuck in a backpack to take on a picnic.Conversely, that does mean it plays loud, and it does so with greater authority than any of its peers.

Available in either black or cream, both of which go well with the iconic Marshall logo, on-body controls include a multi-function knob for power, volume and track navigation, plus bass and treble adjustment.

The rubberised outer case suggests it’ll take a few knobs, and with an IP67 rating there’s water and dust protection when used outdoors.

In addition to a USB-C port there’s a 3.5mm jack for physical connection if required. Wireless functionality is handled by Bluetooth 5.1.

The soundstage is delightfully wide. Marshall describes its output as multi-directional stereo, in practice it’ll entertain both those in front as well as to the sides.

The Middleton doesn't have the treble resolution of some rivals, but in some way that's part of its gutty charm. It compensates with an excellent mid-range/ bass presentation.

As you might hope, multiple Middletons can be stacked, amp-style, using the Stack Mode in the Marshall app. The more you add, the more formidable the stack sounds.

Battery life is quoted at 20 hours, not bad for such a big speaker. You can also use it as a power bank to charge your smartphone.

Best for big sound

The King Kong in JBL’s play anywhere Partybox range, this monstrous sound system boasts 1100W of amplification, which is one very good reason to use it outdoors.

You’ll need a power point, but the thing is splash proof and comes with its own flashing light show; pyrotechnic presets include a starry night effect, light trails, and dynamic strobes, all synced to the music. Imagine Rammstein live, but in a box.

The PartyBox Ultimate features two mid-range drivers, dual tweeters, plus a pair of 9-inch subwoofers. On-board Dolby Atmos decoding can even be used with Dolby Atmos music streams.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3 enabled, the JBL PartyBox Ultimate is be controlled by an interactive PartyPad on the top panel. Tap, hold and slide controls to deliver DJ-style sound effects. The speaker even sports guitar and dual mic inputs, for karaoke.

Helpfully, it comes with an easy-to-grip handle and has wheels to move it around. Absolutely ridiculous, but in a good way.

Best design

There’s no doubt about it. Bang & Olufsen’s pill-shaped Bluetooth A1 (2nd gen) is a beautiful thing, with its pearl-blasted aluminium chassis and premium leather strap. The A1 is water and dust-proof rated to IP67, and is available in four colourways. It feels well built enough to withstand the rigours of everyday outdoor use.

Battery life is a formidable 18 hours. It connects using Bluetooth 5.1, with aptX Adaptive. There’s support for Alexa Alexa, but this is a bit token, because the A1 doesn’t have Wi-Fi. Instead, it requires your Bluetooth connection to converse.

Two Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) speakers can be paired to create stereo, via the B&O app.

Out and about we found the A1 isn’t the loudest in its class, but it's a decent listen nonetheless. The flat-patty form factor sounds fairly monophonic, but it punches hard when asked. Ronnie James Dio’s vocal on Black Sabbath’s Heaven And Hell sounds Haribo sweet, while Tony Iommi’s riffing is given room to roar, thanks to an artful 9cm woofer, and 2cm tweeter combo.

This speaker doesn’t handle bass too well though - listening to Sabaton’s Primo Victoria, the propulsive the bass line tends to honk, but you'll still end up singing along.

Best budget option

For a designer portable speaker, the We Hear 1, is bafflingly inexpensive. This Teutonic tubular belle for German Hi-Fi and AV brand Loewe is priced at less than a ton, yet looks gorgeous and is well specified.

Built around Bluetooth 5.0, the Hear 1 also employs a prodigious 2x20W amplifier, so it’s not short on grunt either.

The faux fabric sleeve is available in a choice of four colours, blue red, dark grey and light grey. IPX6 rated, the speaker is splash and dust proof, so no worries when you having a day on the beach. Buy two and you’ll be able to pair them for stereo.

Audio performance is good. The Loewe delivers ample treble detail, and does a great job of cutting vocals from background chaos; it’s one of the cleanest sounding Bluetooth portables we’ve heard, and is absolutely perfect for podcasts.

If it does have a flaw, it’s that it lacks weight, and if you’re into heavy rock that could be a deal breaker.

Despite the use of twin radiators, we found it consistently polite. Babymetal’s anthemic Metali!! shines with Su-metal’s rhythmic lead and spiralling ‘washoii!’ chants, but the crunching Morello riff is neutered. Still, when it comes to value for money, we reckon Loewe’s We Hear 1 remains something of a steal.

Best with radio

Bluetooth speakers don’t get much cheaper than the Sharp Tokyo DR-P420, but this snazzy portable isn’t short on features. It supports Bluetooth 5.0 and has both FM and DAB + radio tuners. This means you don’t have to use your smartphone to listen to music, because you can also tune into digital stations. A retro-style display confirms track playback info.

This cheapo radio comes in four colours: black, blue, pink, and white. It can play via a tethered USB connection, or using four old school AA batteries.

You can save stations to 40 radio presets (20 DAB+/DAB and 20 FM) for speedy retrieval, and it’s a doddle to use, with a single source selection knob (DAB, FM and Bluetooth). Sound quality is pretty much what you’d expect from a transistor radio, which is to say, not great. Its monophonic sound is thin and plasticky, but you can take this little Tokyo anywhere and it’s dirt cheap.

Buying advice

How to choose the best outdoor speaker for you

When choosing an outdoor speaker, it's worth bearing in mind a few things before you drop your cash. The first thing is checking the speaker's weatherproof rating. Some speakers withstand a few drops of rain and splashes, while other can even be submerged under water - although we’re not sure how good they’ll sound!

If you’re buying an outdoor speaker for parties on the patio or to accompany a relaxing alfresco meal, check the specs to make sure the unit you have your eye on can be easily carried - and double check if it requires a power source. If it’s Bluetooth enabled, have a look at battery life and charging time - after all, you don’t want to leave the fun to go back inside and charge the speaker.

Some outdoor speakers can also be controlled through Siri or Alexa - meaning you won't have to constantly get up to change tracks, playlists and albums - or mess about with buttons to make volume adjustments when you're relaxing after a long day at a festival.

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