An aspect often overlooked when planning an outdoor movie night or party, is the actual sound. I think people often forget about this part, as some outdoor movie projectors do come with built-in speakers, but believe me, these simply don’t cut it.
IN A HURRY? HERE’S OUR TOP PICKS…
Without a decent sound system and audio, your backyard movie night is probably going to suck, as your guests are going to not only find it hard to hear the audio, but even if you do turn it right up, it’s going to be massively distorted.
Over the years I’ve tested out countless different outdoor movie speakers, and luckily have very rarely bought ones that don’t do my backyard movies justice. But that’s not to say there aren’t poor choices to be made, it’s down to knowing your set-up, and what is going to suit your requirements best (including how much you want to spend).
In this guide, I am going to give you a number of different options depending on what size your backyard movie party is, and what type of projector and media player you will be using. These are the key considerations when choosing speakers for your outdoor movie night. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
What are the Best Speakers for Outdoor Projector?
Choosing the best speakers for an outdoor projector means you need to consider the following questions:
- How often will you be using them and where will they be placed?
- What connection types does your outdoor projector have?
- Should you choose wireless Wi-Fi speakers or wired ones?
- How large is your outdoor movie party going to be?
- How much do you have to spend?
I am going to address each of those questions in turn, and then give you some recommendations for outdoor movie speakers – if you simply want to skip to the products, please scroll down the page.
How Often Will You Be Using the Speakers and Where?
The nature of outdoor movie nights typically means that they are a summer-only activity. In most cases, this means the best speakers for an outdoor projector will be portable wireless ones, that aren’t mounted to a wall.
You might also want to take them to friends’ houses if you are planning on hosting the movie nights at different locations.
It’s also worth considering whether you want portable outdoor movie speakers that you can move around depending on how large the party is, or whether you have a dedicated space such as a patio where you want to actually fix the speakers permanently to a wall.
Consider these points when deciding what to buy, but my recommendations further down this page should give you a lot of steer on that anyway.
What Connection Types Will You Need?
This is a critical aspect when buying outdoor movie theater speakers as you have various options, but it needn’t be complicated. Firstly though, you need to make a decision:
- Will you connect the speakers to your media player?
- Will you connect the speakers to your outdoor movie projector?
- Or will you buy wireless speakers (more on that in a bit)
I have no real preference here as to what you connect to.
If you are using wired speakers, think about the plan and layout of your outdoor space and where the various elements are going to be placed.
Ultimately though, you can either wire them up to your media player such as DVD player, smartphone, tablet, laptop… or directly into your outdoor movie projector.
Whichever you choose though, make sure that the connection types between your speakers and device are going to be compatible otherwise, you won’t be hearing anything!
Should You Choose Wireless or Wired?
My preference for speakers for my outdoor projector is always to choose wireless Wi-Fi ones. Why? Because they eliminate the need for wires and cables strewn hazardously across the outdoor area.
But, you will need a decent Wi-Fi signal in your backyard and will also need to pair the speakers to a Wi-Fi compatible media player (such as laptop, smartphone, or tablet), or pair the speakers to a Wi-Fi enabled movie projector using Bluetooth.
If you have weak wifi signal to your backyard try using a wifi extender
How Large Will Your Outdoor Movie Night or Party Be?
Most of the outdoor movie speakers on the consumer market will suffice for 90% of backyard movie nights. If you have a maximum of 30 guests, then all of my recommendations are going to be absolutely fine.
However, if you are planning on larger commercial-type outdoor movie events, you will want to look for products that are a lot bigger, more expensive, and fit for purpose.
This guide isn’t going to suggest larger sound systems for open spaces where you have 100s of guests in attendance. For that, I suggest you employ a specialist sound engineering company.
If you are just planning on a private event for friends and family though, everything that I recommend and suggests in this guide is going to be perfect for a great audio experience.
How Much Do You Have to Spend?
The more you spend, the better you get, and that’s so true with speakers for an outdoor movie projector. If you are in this for the long-term and are planning on regularly throwing backyard movie nights, then spend more.
If you are just at the beginning of this exciting new hobby, then perhaps just opt for something cheaper – but I can promise you this; once you put on one outdoor movie, you are going to get the bug and want to do it time and time again!
And now on to my recommendations for the best speakers for an outdoor movie projector. There’s something here for everyone, with a selection of portable speakers that are simple to connect and operate, plus great sound quality.
My Favorite Speakers: Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Why Buy?
It’s portable, multi-functional, shock-proof, and delivers wireless and Bluetooth functionality, connecting with virtually any media device you can think of.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
Got lots of friends coming over? Is your backyard movie party going to need an insane sound? If so, then this is for you. It won’t stop working, even if someone kicks it over, and best of all offers amazing sound.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
I’ve used the Aiwa speaker with my outdoor projector for the last 2 years, and love it. I think the fact that it looks like a boombox certainly helps, as it takes me back to my youth in the 1980s. But don’t be fooled by the boombox design… it packs a massive punch.
Runner up: JL Boombox 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Why Buy?
It’s portable, multi-functional, shock-proof, and waterproof. Delivers wireless and Bluetooth functionality, connecting with virtually any media device you can think of.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
If you’re planning a backyard movie party with lots of guests coming over then this is the Bluetooth speaker for you. With 24 hours of playtime, It won’t stop working until long after the movie is over.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
I’ve used the JL boombox speaker with my outdoor projector and really like it. It’s a little pricier than the Aiwa Exos-9 speaker. So if you cannot wait for the Aiwa Exos-9 speaker to come back in stock then I would recommend that first. If you can’t get your hands on the Aiwa Exos-9 then the JL boombox is the next best speaker.
The Best Budget Speakers: JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Waterproof Speakers
Why Buy?
They offer superb value for money, look tough, stand up to a lot of punishment, and are waterproof and they even float making them ideal for a raucous backyard movie when anything can happen!
With wireless Bluetooth capability and 12-hour battery life, they are perfect speakers for an outdoor projector. At this price, and with over one thousand 5-star reviews on Amazon, they make an excellent choice.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
These are amazing value for money and would suit someone who is working to a budget or is only throwing the occasional, smaller outdoor movie night.
The robust nature also means that they are quite simply awesome to be used outdoors. You can bash them about, spill drinks on them, and still have a stunning audio experience.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
For a low-cost and budget solution, I don’t believe you can go far wrong with the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker. It might be cheap, but it doesn’t look like it. I love the rugged design, and if it wasn’t for the fact that it only has 20w of power I would be using these as my outdoor movie speakers for every party I throw. I tend to have a lot of guests, and these are better for smaller groups of people of no more than 5.
The Best Soundbar Speakers: Bestisan Wireless Soundbar
Why Buy?
If you prefer soundbars over speakers, then this is certainly a product to consider… especially given the massive 100 watts it offers. It’s one of the loudest and crispest solutions I recommend, but be careful, as it’s not waterproof.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
These are the best speakers for someone who appreciates the finer things in life due to the crisp sound quality. If your outdoor movie nights are small affairs, but you will want great sound, then choose them.
But, they are not waterproof, so won’t suit you if you are going to have hordes of people in your backyard where spilled drinks could occur. For me, these are for sensible users, you want a cinematic sound quality outdoors.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
It’s one of the simpler speakers you can buy. Whilst you won’t be able to set up different sound points, the soundbar does have 4 internal speakers included, offering 100 watts of sound either as a wired connection or wirelessly.
Best Mounted Speakers: Pyle Bluetooth Outdoor Speaker
Why Buy?
If you want to place permanent outdoor speakers on a wall or underneath a pergola, then these are quite simply the best you can choose. With a range of 60-foot, Bluetooth functionality, 6.5” woofers, and two speakers in the pack, you’re going to get excellent sound quality.
They are weatherproof with UV-resistant casing meaning you can mount them to a wall and leave them in place for years to come.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
These are best suited if you have a permanent area in your backyard where you will be watching sports or movies from. They aren’t designed to be portable but are weatherproof, so work very well for those with a dedicated outside area for movie watching, with no plans for taking your gear on the road.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
From a geek’s perspective, I love these outdoor speakers. They offer good value for money, great sound, durability, and come with a tweeter to take the edge of high notes.
The Best Disguised Speakers: Klipsch AWR-650-SM Rock Speakers
Why Buy?
You’ve spent thousands landscaping your backyard, want to invite the neighbors over, but don’t want to ruin the vibe with unsightly black speakers.
Interested? Click here to view prices on Amazon
Who Best for?
These are ideal for people who don’t want their technology on show, wanting powerful speakers that blend into the background of a landscaped garden or backyard.
How Much?
Why I Recommend?
Klipsch are market leaders when it comes to disguised outdoor speakers, and these ones look like large rocks. Pretty cool huh?
Whilst I don’t have the type of home that these would suit, once I’ve won the lottery and have bought by Bel Air mansion, I am buying these!
Why I Made These Recommendations
All of my recommended speakers for your outdoor projector are chosen for a number of different reasons.
- They are simple to use with plug and play functionality
- They offer great value for money
- They are perfect for outdoor use (e.g. waterproof, robust, portable, and wireless)
- They all have exceptional online reviews
- The manufacturer offers superb customer service
What Else Will You Need for an Outdoor Movie Party?
I assume you already have the rest of the gear required for your backyard movie night, but just in case you don’t and are just starting out, it’s worth considering the following items, all of which you will need to have a successful night.
- An outdoor movie projector
- A media playing device
For suggested items that work perfectly with outdoor movie speakers, take a look at the recommended gear section, with products to suit all budgets. I have also put together a blog post that is proving very popular as an essential guide to planning an outdoor movie night.
