Not all speakers are created equal. In fact, only a few speakers are sturdy enough to be able to withstand the elements of an outdoor environment. In this short overview I will discuss which speakers can safely be used outdoors and which speakers are only suitable for use indoors.
The exterior enclosure of the speaker often decides whether a particular speaker can survive the elements. The majority of loudspeakers is made from medium-density fiberboard (also called MDF). This material offers great strength and won’t easily vibrate. It is also rather cost-effective.
Unfortunately, it won’t stand up to moisture too well. As such, the majority of speakers that are geared towards outdoor use have an enclosure that is made from a waterproof material such as ABS. Unfortunately, ABS is not quite as sturdy as MDF. As such the thickness of the speaker walls must be larger and outdoor speakers for this reason may be heaver compared with indoor models. Some models use fins on the inside of the speaker walls in order to reduce the amount of vibrations. ABS is also much more expensive to manufacture than MDF.
In addition the the material of the enclosure, the speaker grill material is fairly important. Speakers with an iron grill cannot be placed outdoors due to the grill rusting away. Also, any metal objects such as screws or the company logo must be made from a non-corrosive material if the speaker is to withstand the test of time.
Many models of outdoor speakers are wireless. Cordless models eliminate speaker cords. However, they do need to be powered. In most cases, the speaker comes with a wallwart power supply which plugs into a mains outlet. Make sure that this power supply is waterproof and certified for outdoor use. Also, any exposed connectors must be designed such that water cannot easily creep inside the speaker and do some major damage to the circuit boards.
