When the sun's out, I've got two things on my mind: a crisp, cold beer and tunes in the backyard with my friends. But what speaker has the honor of joining me?
It's the Bose SoundLink Max. A speaker that's loud and proud, whilst also rugged enough to put up with an accidentally spilled can of beer or two.
Although the SoundLink Max is my go-to, it's not the cheapest, so to help you find the outdoor speaker of your dreams, I've also selected some cheaper models a little further down the page. Stay tuned for the end!
Big sound comes in a small package
The SoundLink Max is a large speaker, and it's packed with some lovely audio goodies for excellent sound. A pair of large woofers pointing slightly out to the left and the right, there's a great soundstage. They're backed up by a dedicated tweeter for those all-important highs. Add it all together and you've got one of the best Bluetooth speakers I've ever tested.
For use in the garden, I'm yet to find something that's more open. The Sonos Move 2 is louder and perhaps more bassy, but its audio is more directional thanks to its single, large driver. The Bose speaker widens things out, and can fill a backyard far more effectively as a result.
Also important is volume — and the SoundLink Max delivers in spades. Even better, the sound doesn't get distorted when you 'max' out the volume. Expect clear audio from everywhere around the garden, no matter where you are.
Buy two for larger parties
What's better than one outdoor speaker? Two outdoor speakers. The Bose SoundLink Max can be linked up to other SoundLink Max's so that you can really bring the noise to your next party.
For more chilled gatherings, I've found that it works well to spread music around at a slightly lower volume.
It's not just about volume, however. For more chilled gatherings, I've found that it works well to spread music around at a slightly lower volume. If you're sitting next to a speaker at a lower volume, you still hear the music without disturbing anyone else. It's become a game-changer as I've aged and my partying style has changed.
If you need that extra oomph, though, you can still get loud by joining two speakers together. It would be nice if you could combine even more (another one of our top picks, the UE Wonderboom 4, can sync up hundreds of speakers at a time), but in my experience often two speakers are more than enough for even the most rocking outdoor party.
With 20 hours of battery on tap, you'll be listening to the speaker from sun up til sundown. The battery life will drop with higher volume listening of course, but the base charge is plenty. I found it was more than adequate for a few hours in the sun, only running out as the light waned and people started to head home.
With any outdoor speaker I'd recommend you pick up one of the best charging banks. That way, you can get some extra juice should you run out when you're away from an electrical outlet.
Bose SoundLink Max alternatives
If there's one big problem with the SoundLink Max, it's that large price — so I've found some cheaper options. That way, you can get great sound outdoors without breaking the bank.
