8 best outdoor speakers

Outdoor speakers - a way to turn a living room into a place of rest and relaxation. The volumetric sound of the music will take you to the concert of your favorite artist, and while watching a movie, it’s as if you are going on an adventure with the characters. No other audio will give such an immersive effect as a quality 5.1 or 7.1 floor speaker system.

For lovers of high-quality and surround sound, we have compiled a rating of the 8 best outdoor speakers - for any budget and usage scenario.

How to choose floor acoustics

When choosing a floor speaker system you should pay attention to the following parameters:

1. Type - phase inverter, closed, passive radiator, horn, bandpass and others;
2. The number of lanes;
3. Power;
4. The presence of a built-in amplifier;
5. Frequency range;
6. Sensitivity.

Speaker Type It is considered the most important parameter, but in practice - only a previously prepared audiophile-pedant with a test recording can distinguish the sound of a phase-inverter speaker from any other. Nevertheless, if you want to choose the perfect device to play your favorite genre of your favorite music, you should consider the following key differences between each audio format option:

1. Closed type it has high fidelity and low distortion, but the sensitivity (in fact, an analogue of loudness) and the depth of the bass leave much to be desired;
2. Phase inverter - the most common type. It has high sensitivity and excellent bass depth, but the sound detail is not the best;
3. Passive radiator acoustic characteristics similar to phase inverter, but it provides even deeper and more detailed bass, not "spoiled" by the noise of the resonator tube;
4. Open speakers provide a directional sound that allows you to create an acoustic zone in the room. But deep, "tangible" bass from them not to wait. A variety of open speakers are horn-type audio systems;
5. Bandpass, or a banded case, provides a high sensitivity of the speakers - it sounds louder than a phase inverter or a closed type.

But It is worth noting that almost all outdoor speakers are now performed in a phase inverter type. It shows the most optimal sound characteristics. Most of the systems in the ranking are of the phase inverter type.

Number of lanes in general, you can think of as just the number of speakers of a device. However, if you go deeper, it turns out that this parameter determines the sound detailing. So, single sideband acoustics is used only to play a single frequency segment - for example, it can be a tweeter (“squeaker”) or a subwoofer.

The “golden mean” is two-way audio systems, in which one speaker reproduces low and part of mid frequencies, and the second - high and second parts of middle ones. This configuration will be enough for most not very demanding users.

The ideal solution for floor acoustics from a single device is a three-way system. In them, one speaker reproduces high frequencies, the second - the middle, and the third - the lower.Good detailing can also be achieved from 2.5- and 3.5-band speakers.

Power and sensitivity - two similar parameters that show approximately the same value: volume.

That's just the sensitivity clearly shows the volume of the speaker. If the value of this parameter is specified - for example, 84.5 dB - this means that the maximum from the column will be able to “squeeze” just the very 84.5 dB.

Power - a little more vague value. It indicates not only the actual loudness of the music, but sound pressure — which is achieved, for example, when reproducing bass or ultra high frequencies. So for lovers of bass, who have no neighbors below, suitable speakers with high power - from 70 watts.

Built-in amplifier important for owners of audio equipment of middle or low class. Very often, classic tape recorders, digital players or even vinyl pickups provide extremely low power, which is enough to "swing" except for headphones with a small impedance. Therefore, an external amplifier is required for such devices.

If an external amplifier is already available, then the built-in speaker system is simply not needed. And in some cases, more able to prevent.

Frequency range It is worth noting only for the reason that marketers often use this parameter. Outdoor acoustics, which are not exclusively subwoofers, are not capable of reproducing frequencies below 35-40 Hz. So if the characteristics of the column indicate that it easily makes sounds in the range of 20-20000 Hz (the range that a person is able to hear), then it is either about dust in the eyes, or too good a device, or a subwoofer.

Top floor speaker rating

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
Top floor speaker rating	1	Canton GLE 496	63 990 ₽
	2	Elac FS 247	174 990 ₽
	3	Focal Aria 926	169 900 ₽
	4	Yamaha NS-777	40 490 ₽
	5	Dali Zensor 7	44 900 ₽
	6	Heco Victa Prime 702	29 990 ₽
	7	Boston Acoustics CS 260 II	25 990 ₽
	8	Yamaha NS-F150	9 290 ₽

Canton GLE 496

Rating: 4.9

Why she: Three-way speaker system with high power and low impedance.

Canton GLE 496 floor speaker system is one of the best solutions for home use. Thanks to the three-band structure, it provides detailed, rich sound, and the high power of 150 watts ensures not only loudness, but also tangible bass.

The maximum power of the audio system is 320 W, so it can be used with good amplifiers. However, thanks to a sensitivity of 90.5 dB and an impedance, the 8 ohm speaker will be compatible with almost any reproducing equipment.

It is worth noting that the column is equipped with two low-frequency dynamic emitters. Because of this, it can be used without a subwoofer. The lower threshold of the reproduced frequencies is 20 Hz. Bass is saturated and tangible. Medium and high frequencies correspond to two dynamic emitters, respectively.

A nice addition - gold-plated connectors.

Elac FS 247

Rating: 4.8

Why she: 2.5-way floor-standing speaker with bi-wiring connectivity.

The main advantage of this speaker system is that it is suitable for use with high-end amplifiers that output high and low frequencies separately. It supports the separate connection of these channels thanks to bi-wiring technology. However, with the classical method of connection, it is also compatible - a high-end crossover is built into the device.

The 2.5-way architecture includes three dynamic emitters. The low frequency consists of two 150 mm devices, and the high frequency one has a ribbon configuration.The total power of the device is 120 watts, but if necessary it can "swing" up to 160 watts. Acoustic design provides a reproducible frequency range of 30-50000 Hz.

Recommended for use with 30-250 W external amplifiers.

Additional advantages include a low impedance of 3.4-8 ohms and gold-plated connectors.

Focal Aria 926

Rating: 4.7

Why she: The flagship floor speaker system, the perfect sound setting.

This floor speaker system is suitable for the most demanding lovers of high-quality sound. Due to the special configuration, elaborated radiators and housing materials, it provides high detail and no overload for frequencies. The music sounds as it was intended.

Acoustic configuration - three-way. In this case, the low-frequency radiator consists of two 165-millimeter speakers. The sensitivity of the speaker is 91.5 dB, however, it is recommended to use the device only with amplifiers - power from 40 to 250 watts. The presence of four speakers provides a wide range of reproducible frequencies - 45-28000 Hz, and thanks to high-quality electronics, the impedance is low - from 2.9 to 8 Ohms.

The set of delivery of the speaker system includes an additional set of removable gratings for dynamic emitters that can change the characteristics of the sound.

Yamaha NS-777

Rating: 4.7

Why she: Excellent combination of price and technical characteristics.

In spite of the fact that this floor acoustic system is almost as good as the previous models in the rating, it costs much less. This makes it a good solution for people who want to enjoy high-quality sound, but are not willing to spend large sums of money.

The speaker system is three-way, and the low-frequency radiator consists of two speakers of 203.2 mm each. High-frequency "beeper" is small, 25 mm, but the same is installed in other models. The drain power of the speakers is 100 W, but when used with a good amplifier, they can “swing” up to 250 W Other specifications include a sensitivity of 89 dB, an average impedance of 6 ohms and a relatively wide frequency range from 30 Hz to 35 kHz.

The speaker system supports bi-wiring connectivity.

Dali Zensor 7

Rating: 4.6

Why she: A good sound at a relatively low price.

One of the best budget options. It comes with two front speakers, each of which has a two-way acoustic configuration. This provides surround sound with a realistic scene.

As it is presented in the more expensive models in the rating, each speaker is equipped with three speakers. The low frequency is represented by two 177.8 mm, and the high frequency is represented by a 25 mm dome. Thanks to this configuration, the range of reproducible frequencies ranges from 40 Hz to 26,500 kHz.

The speaker system is powerful enough - its sensitivity is 90 decibels. Recommended for use with 30-150 W amps. Thanks to the sophisticated electronics, the speaker impedance is only 5 ohms.

A nice addition is the gold-plated connectors.

Heco Victa Prime 702

Rating: 4.5

Why she: One of the most budget options with bi-wiring support.

Despite the fact that technically these speakers belong to the category of relatively budget, they provide good sound and at the same time support bi-wiring. Due to this, the speaker system can be used with amplifiers of the middle and top segments.

Acoustic configuration - three-channel. Four speakers are installed in each column, two 170-millimeter ones are responsible for the lower frequencies. Power is 170 watts, but if you want and use a good amplifier, you can increase it to 300 watts. The sensitivity of the speaker system is 91 dB, and thanks to good conductors, the impedance is only 4-8 Ohms. Finally, the range of reproducible frequencies ranges from 25 Hz to 40 kHz (however, warming up to 25 Hz is required, and out of the box acoustics can only play around 40 Hz).

Speakers are recommended for use with 30-300 W amplifiers.

Boston Acoustics CS 260 II

Rating: 4.5

Why she: Attractive concise design, good technical characteristics.

Thanks to the attractive design, this floor speaker system will not only please fans of high-quality music, but also a beautiful interior. And while the device is inexpensive.

Speaker system - two-channel. At the same time, a low-frequency radiator, like many other models in the rating, is represented by two speakers with a diameter of 165 mm. High-frequency "beeper" has a standard size of 25 mm.

A nice feature of this floor speaker system is its high sensitivity, which is 89 dB. However, the device is still better to use with an amplifier, the recommended power of which is from 15 to 250 watts. Other technical characteristics of acoustics include an average impedance of 8 ohms and a relatively wide range of reproducible frequencies from 46 Hz to 25 kHz.

The speaker system is equipped with gold-plated connectors and a removable speaker grille.

Yamaha NS-F150

Rating: 4.5

Why she: Excellent sound quality for the ultra budget segment.

Despite the fact that this floor speaker system is the cheapest in the rating, it provides quite good sound quality. Especially when installed in small rooms and for listening to music in digital non-lossless formats.

The acoustic configuration is a two-way one, and the low-frequency radiator classically consists of two 165 mm speakers. The power of the device is 50 watts, but when used with a good amplifier, the system can work for 180 watts for a short time.Acoustic sensitivity is quite good for its price and is 88 dB. The special configuration of the “filling” provides a low impedance of 6 ohms.

Also, the speaker system boasts a wide range of reproducible frequencies - from 37 Hz to 30 kHz. And in many cases, even warming up is not required - the whole range is available out of the box. Like the older models, there are gold-plated connectors.

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Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.