Fitting the outside of your house with speakers can be a difficult task and I’m still astonished by the responses I get when I tell people about my outdoor speaker system, “Your what…?!”
It’s true, common perception would say that rich home theater speakers really have no business being outside getting hammered by the elements but when you have a quality company producing outdoor speakers like Bose then there isn’t a lot to have to worry about.
The reason is simple. Bose outdoor speakers are built to stand the test of time – manufactured to meet the Marine Industry Standard 2x over. Tested against rain, salt, snow, and extreme temperatures from 150+ farenheit to -40 farenheit.
Even if something were to happen that damaged these speakers there’s a generous 5 year warranty that covers the kind of damage you might expect.
But really how they stand up against the elements is only part of the picture – what about the SOUND?
Here’s what one reviewer said about the sound for the 151 SE Environmental Bose Outdoor Speakers:
“Short and sweat…. speakers sound very good. As with any pair of Bose speakers not the most bass or treble, but lots of mids. I’m sure there are better/less exspensive speakers for outside, but I’ve not found any with a 5 year warrany. And that’s the only reason I bought them.”
D.C. Frezza @ Amazon
That’s probably the biggest concern about the outdoor speakers from Bose, a lack of bass.
Here’s another couple reviews for the same product, commenting on the sound:
“I purchased these speakers as a previous customer return at a great price. They were easy to set-up, even for me, a 54 year old widow. I bought them to replace ancient tall standing speakers and think they are great. Currently I am using them in a moderately large room, they create a BIG sound. I don’t notice the tinny sound that others have complained about. It is my intent to move them to my screen porch when I install a surround sound system, for which my house was pre-wired. This, and all my previous experiences with Bose Speakers (computer speakers are also owned by me) has been great!”
Fireworksgal @ Amazon
“The bass isn’t quite suited for Nelly or any other rap artist, but it is quite suited for Kenny G. or Jewel. They aren’t quit like the 251′S, but almost like them. They’re better then Polk, Yamaha, or Boston Acoustics.”
A Kid’s Review @ Amazon
You can read more reviews on this set of speakers or check out the latest price by clicking on this link:
| List Price: |
$278.00 USD |
| New From: |
$250.00 In Stock |
| Used from: |
$195.00 In Stock |
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The 40 Watt 151′s – A Smaller Set of Bose Outdoor Speakers
The biggest plus when it comes to these speakers like I mentioned before is just how long they’re going to last you.
While similar but cheaper Polk Audio outdoor speakers will run a lot less, you’re probably going to have to replace them in one or two years time. The Bose outdoor speakers last a lot longer than that because they’re really built to last.
Here’s some customer reviews on the smaller 151′s.
“I’ve been using these speakers for a few years now. The speakers have handled inclement weather (direct sun, rain, snow) with no problems at all. The mounting brackets are showing their age, though. That’s about it for my positive statements.
For the negatives, these speakers are overpriced for their meager performance. I can hear them OK from my deck, but go another 30 feet to my kids’ playset and you get very little. The sound is tinny, which is comparable to most Bose products outside of their bookshelf speakers. If you listen to Pop, you’ll probably be OK with these. But jazz, classical, or even classic rock will all show the weakness of these speakers.”
annoyedbyspam @ Amazon
“For most people, the audio quality is what matters. Bose delivers – the sound is first rate with a nice bass response from a small set of speakers. I’m no audiophile, so I can’t give you numbers or compare to another set. But let’s just say that my pool deck sounds like my living room…
UPDATE 2009-05-10:
The speakers have been up for about two years now. No rusting yet on the hardware (that I can see, anyway) and the color has not yet yellowed. Pool parties are a blast…”
Florida Bum @ Amazon
Mounting your Bose outdoor speakers gives them a nicer look and keeps them out of the way from potential damage.
Mounting Your Bose Outdoor Speakers
If you’re looking to mount your new Bose outdoor speakers on your patio or deck you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble. These are relatively easy to install and you can have them up in just 30 minutes flat with the included brackets that come with the speaker sets.
Outdoor Speaker Installation Video
