An evening on the terrace, a playlist over Sunday lunch, a few friends staying longer than planned. Outdoor music works best when you can hear it comfortably where you sit, without turning the whole garden into a concert.

Choosing outdoor speakers starts with your space. This guide explains what to check before you buy, from weather protection and speaker placement to amplifiers and installation.

1. How to Choose Outdoor Speakers for Your Space

Start with where you sit. For a balcony, check where speakers can be mounted near the seating area. On a terrace, mark the dining table and lounge chairs. A garden with several seating areas may need speakers spread around the space.

Think about how you listen: quiet background music, family meals or entertaining. Position the speakers towards your seating area and keep the volume comfortable, especially if neighbours are close by.

A fixed installation keeps speakers ready to use. If you only listen outdoors occasionally and need something you can carry, browse the portable speaker collection .

2. Can Outdoor Speakers Stay Outside in the Rain?

Outdoor speakers can handle rain when they are designed for that exposure and installed correctly. Start with your space: will they sit on a covered balcony, under a patio roof or in an open garden?

What does weather-resistant mean? These speakers are built with outdoor use in mind. Depending on the model, protective cabinets and corrosion-resistant materials help them cope with outdoor conditions.

Some outdoor speakers also carry an IP rating, such as IP55, which identifies tested protection against dust and water. Others describe their outdoor suitability through their construction and installation guidance. An unpublished IP rating does not, by itself, mean a speaker is unsuitable for outdoor use.

IP55 is an example, not a rating shared by every speaker in this guide. Sunlight and salt resistance are separate features to check.

Choose for your location. Follow the model's guidance on rain exposure, mounting and cable protection. Ask AVStore to help confirm the right speaker and installation for your balcony, patio or garden, including whether it needs shelter.

3. Outdoor Speakers Available at AVStore

Start with where the speakers will go and how they will be installed. The following models have listings on AVStore. Check each linked page for current availability, finishes and whether it is sold singly, as a pair or as a package.

You can also browse the complete AVStore outdoor speaker collection .

RBH Sound Outdoor Speakers

RBH Sound AO-520 is a weather-resistant outdoor speaker with a 5.25-inch bass driver. Its angled cabinet fits neatly into corners, and the adjustable bracket lets you mount it horizontally or vertically and aim it towards your seating area.

RBH Sound AO-620 has a weather-resistant cabinet and a 6.5-inch bass driver. Its adjustable bracket supports horizontal or vertical mounting, so you can position it under a roof overhang and direct it towards your seats.

RBH Sound MC-6AW combines a sealed, weather-resistant cabinet with a 6.5-inch aluminium bass driver and a tweeter for higher notes. Its rounded back helps with corner placement, while corrosion-resistant hardware supports outdoor use.

DLS Outdoor Speakers

DLS MB5i is a weather-resistant speaker with a 5.25-inch bass driver, suitable for patios and terraces. The included bracket makes it a practical choice for a permanent setup near your outdoor seating area.

DLS MB6i has a weather-resistant cabinet and a 6.5-inch bass driver. Its outdoor construction and included mounting bracket make it suited to bringing music into your terrace seating area.

Monitor Audio Outdoor Speakers

Monitor Audio Climate 50 combines IP55 protection with an adjustable bracket, giving you flexibility to aim the sound towards where you relax. Allow enough space for the bracket to move.

Outdoor Speakers for Patios, Terraces and Gardens

Cambridge Audio ES20 is an outdoor speaker with a 5.25-inch bass/midrange driver and a 1-inch aluminium tweeter. Its white finish offers a simple look for a wall-mounted setup. Use existing shelter where possible and angle it slightly downwards, following Cambridge Audio's guidance.

Cambridge Audio ES30 has a 6.5-inch bass/midrange driver and is listed in white. Its adjustable mounting position lets you direct music towards the area you use. Use existing shelter where possible and angle it slightly downwards, following Cambridge Audio's guidance.

Bowers & Wilkins AM-1 is a weather-resistant speaker with an adjustable wall bracket. Horizontal or vertical mounting helps you find a neat position without using floor space.

Bowers & Wilkins Marine 8 has IP66 protection when correctly installed. Its flush-mounted design keeps it integrated into the installation surface. Have your installer check the opening and space behind it before any cutting begins.

Bose 251 Environmental Speakers use angled drivers designed to spread sound across your outdoor listening area. Bose recommends vertical mounting for the intended performance, so plan the bracket position accordingly.

Sonos Outdoor Speakers by Sonance are passive wired speakers. Paired with Sonos Amp, they bring app-controlled music to your patio or garden. Streaming comes from the amplifier; the speakers do not connect directly to Wi-Fi.

The Sonos Outdoor Speakers with Amp package brings the speakers and amplifier together for a Sonos-controlled outdoor setup. Allow for speaker cable, installation and a suitable indoor amplifier location.

Planning Music Around the Garden

Terra AC Five 1 has a 5.25-inch bass/midrange driver with a tweeter at its centre. Its compact enclosure offers flexibility for a discreet installation. AVStore lists IP67 protection and an aluminium mounting bracket.

Terra AC Five 2 uses a 5.25-inch bass/midrange driver and a separate titanium tweeter. Its all-weather construction makes it a practical part of a permanent outdoor music system. AVStore lists IP67 protection.

Terra AC Five 3 has two 5.25-inch bass/midrange drivers and a titanium tweeter, designed to support outdoor listening at higher levels. AVStore lists IP67 protection. Have your installer match the amplifier to your setup.

Adding Bass to a Garden System

The Monitor Audio CLG-W10 is a passive outdoor subwoofer that supports the bass in a planned Climate Garden system. It has an IP54 rating and can be surface-mounted or partially buried according to its installation instructions. Partial burial keeps much of its enclosure out of sight while it adds bass alongside the main speakers.

A passive subwoofer needs suitable amplification and settings to send it the correct bass frequencies. It cannot connect directly to an ordinary line-level subwoofer output. The Monitor Audio IA800-2C supports professionally planned Climate Garden systems with multiple speakers and subwoofers. Have an installer confirm the complete wiring and configuration.

Mark the seating areas and possible cable routes on a simple garden plan. If you want separate volume control in different areas, include that in the brief before choosing equipment.

4. Do Outdoor Speakers Need an Amplifier and Cables?

The installed speakers featured here are passive: an amplifier powers them through speaker cable. You can control music from your phone with a compatible streaming setup, but the amplifier still needs a wired connection to each speaker.

The  Sonos Amp lets you control music through the Sonos app while powering compatible wired speakers, including Sonos Outdoor Speakers by Sonance . Keep the amplifier indoors in a dry, ventilated position.

The Denon Home Amp powers compatible passive speakers and includes HEOS music streaming. HEOS lets you connect outdoor listening with music on compatible devices elsewhere at home. Plan a dry, ventilated indoor location for it.

Already have an amplifier? Ask AVStore to check whether it supports the speakers and quantity you plan to connect. The integrated amplifier collection is another starting point. Check whether your chosen amplifier includes streaming or needs a separate music source.

Plan the cables before mounting. Browse AVStore's speaker cable collection , then have your installer confirm the right cable thickness and suitability for the route. Outdoor and buried runs need cable and protection appropriate to those conditions.

Budget for the complete installation. Include speakers, amplification, cables, suitable fixings, labour and any network work. Check that music can be controlled reliably from your outdoor seating area.

5. Where Should You Install Outdoor Speakers?

Aim speakers towards the places where you sit. Start with the dining table or lounge area, then plan any separate garden seating. This helps keep the music focused on the areas you use.

Check the mounting direction. Some speakers allow horizontal or vertical mounting; others specify a particular orientation. Use the instructions for your exact model, and check that the wall and fixings can support it.

Listen from each seat. Avoid placing one speaker much closer to the main seats than the other. Test at your normal listening volume before finalising the mounting angles.

Plan separate areas together. If the dining table and garden seating are far apart, discuss a layout with speakers serving each area. Ask whether you need separate volume control and how the system will distribute music.

Check the sound beyond your seating area. Listen from the edge of the garden or terrace to judge what reaches neighbours. Adjust the direction and volume before finalising the installation.

Leave access for inspecting brackets and cable connections. Follow the care instructions for your speakers, especially where rain or coastal salt is a concern.

6. What to Check Before Buying Outdoor Speakers

A few practical details make choosing your system much easier. Use this checklist before ordering or asking for an installation quote.

Your Outdoor Speaker Questions, Answered

How many outdoor speakers do I need?

There is no fixed number for every garden or terrace. It depends on where people sit, the layout and the listening level you want. A single seating area may suit a pair; separate areas may need additional speakers. Share a simple plan with AVStore to discuss a suitable layout.

Can I use my existing amplifier?

Possibly. Its supported speaker load, power output and connections need to suit the speakers and quantity you plan to use. Share the amplifier model with AVStore before connecting extra speakers. If you need one, explore the integrated amplifier collection .

Can outdoor speakers play music wirelessly?

You can stream music through a compatible amplifier and control it from your phone. The installed speakers in this guide still need speaker cables from the amplifier.

For a carry-around option with no permanent speaker wiring, explore the portable speaker collection and check the individual model's outdoor suitability.

What should I include in my installation budget?

Allow for the speakers, a compatible amplifier if needed, speaker cables, suitable mounting fixings and installation labour. Also include any work needed to protect outdoor cable routes or provide a reliable network connection at the amplifier.

Ready to Plan Your Outdoor Music?

Take a few photographs of the space and note the approximate distances between the seats, proposed speaker positions and amplifier location. Include your budget and whether you want background music or higher levels for entertaining.

Explore the AVStore outdoor speaker collection with those details in mind. Share your plan with AVStore to discuss speakers, compatible equipment and installation requirements for your space.

A well-planned setup makes everyday listening simple: music where you sit, controls you can reach and equipment installed for the conditions it will face.

Availability and finishes can change. Confirm the current product listing and complete system specification before ordering.