When the good weather seems to set in, you want to be on the terrace or in the garden. Bose, a sound specialist, has several ideal solutions to also provide sound in those outdoor areas . Its cordless amplifier and weatherproof speakers are the stars. Let's see what options we have, what qualities they have and at what prices they are.
SoundTouch SA-5 amplifier
It will be the central brain of the system . Bose calls it an "amplifier" but it's actually more than that. Connects to home, cable or WiFi network. Thanks to Bose's own application we can use it as a source to send music to any other wirelessly connected speaker. Or as a source and amplifier, to play the speakers connected to their terminals. It can feed in this way (with cable) up to two pairs of speakers, for which it has an internal amplification of 100 Watts per channel.
The SoundTouch SA-5 allows direct playback of shared music files. Or through Internet Radio, or network music services like Spotify. It also has three conventional inputs, two with RCA connection (CD player or turntable) and a stereo jack type (mobile or portable player). Or, via Bluetooth, send you music from a mobile. And with the app, we can send your music to any other Bose wireless speaker in the house. Its price is 499 euros.
Bose 151 SE outdoor speakers
When a loudspeaker is "outdoor" it means not only that you can mount it outside the home, but that it resists the environment. It will have to withstand rain, cold and heat : from -30 to 60 degrees C. When so, Bose certifies them for outdoor use and offers a five-year warranty on them.
The 151 SE model is Bose's most popular for this use, the best-selling and the most affordable: 300 euros per pair . It's a sleek speaker that contains three two-and-a-half-inch diameter full-range speakers. With its fan placement and the studied box, it achieves a very wide sound diffusion. In Bose terms, it's the Stereo Everywhere. Thus, by mounting them on an exterior wall, they can correctly sound the adjacent space. It can be a terrace, garden, even a boat.
Bose Free Style 51 speakers
They are also outdoor, but in this case they are designed to be put on the ground . Their shape allows a 360-degree diffusion of sound, and that is why it is recommended to place them between garden bushes. Or even underground. They have a central reflex port that enhances the bass and adds richness to the sound outside, where there are no walls to help in that regard. The dome-shaped grille reflects high frequencies so voices and high-pitched sounds reach the entire area more clearly.
With their design and conception, they are speakers destined to go unnoticed ... until the music plays. Its price is in line with its benefits, at 650 euros per couple . Like the 151 SE, they are passive speakers, which must be powered by an amplifier (like the Soundtouch SA-5 for example).
Bose 251 speakers
An evolution of the Bose 151 SE outdoor speaker concept, the 251 goes one step further. They are also mounted on walls or ceilings, horizontally or vertically. But the 251s will be able to take the music further out in the garden, or to higher volume levels for parties. They cost 600 euros the pair (black or white).
The Bose 251s use the brand's Articulated Array system, a concept derived from professional sound. Each cabinet features two 1/4 '' full-range speakers. But there are also two 13.3 cm woofer at the widest part of the speaker. Together, they are capable of delivering a more detailed and powerful sound than their siblings.