Bookshelf Speaker For Outdoors

@btscott: did you pull the trigger on anything yet? if so, what did you go with?

https://www.intelligentaudioproducts.com/index.php/our-products/planterspeakers

 

I heard their Flagstone model at Axpona a few years ago in a large open atrium. They have a nicely balanced sound and were designed to be outdoors. 

I think the Dynaudio OW-8 with an SVS Powered Sub is the solution. Thanks for pointing me there.

@paradisecom

Chill, as I originally said open to 'your crazy' comments. But, the anonymity of the Internet doesn't mean you can be rude.

I apologize if my "just sayin" comment set you off. Was trying to explain that my budget was not a factor.

Wasn't aware that Dynaudio, KEF, etc... made outdoor speakers. Will have a loook. Thx.

Well, go ahead and install indoor speakers outside, rather than any of the high-performance, weatherproof speakers designed for that purpose, then.  Just sayin'.

Why not just buy a pair of outdoor speakers like Focal, Yamaha, Polk, Dual.

What I do. I have Dual 3 ways on my deck by the pool. Replace them every 4 years or so. $80.00 maybe and it is just background sound for parties, not critical listening.

I wouldn’t permanently install anything outdoors that isn’t designed for it, but I live in a climate that gets both >100 F and subzero temps. If your local climate is mild enough and they stay 100% dry, you might have better luck, but it seems like a big risk of turning nice speakers into trash. I definitely wouldn’t install anything ported or those speakers will end up as a home for something. 
 

I’d suggest getting an amp you feel confident about and then trialing speakers bought from somewhere with a good return policy (the already installed AW6500s with the new amp first, of course). Dynaudio makes outdoor speakers, as do Kef, Focal, B&W and several other reputable companies. Can’t say I’ve heard many, but they’ll at least probably sound different than the AW6500s that aren’t quite making the magic you want. Also agree that an outdoor sub might free up the compromised outdoor speakers to sound better in the non-bass frequencies, especially if the amp has a high-pass filter to not run them full range. 

btscott: you may want to look into some JBL pro models.

I want something that is some assemblance of the sound I get from my main system. My outdoor living room is truly an outdoor living room. Currently, the AW6500s provide a decent amount of bass. Just not enough truly amazing audio I get inside.

What do you find is most lacking in your outdoor sound? My guess — it sounds thin and bass shy, no? When I worked for Magnolia I discovered the option of incorporating outside subwoofers to fill out the sound. I didn’t even know outside subwoofers existed. Maybe you just keep your existing speakers and add a couple subs? Plus, you get to watch your friends scratch their heads in bewilderment when you even mention the term “outdoor subs.”   They’ll immediately feel ignorant and behind the curve.  That’s what I’d look at unless you think your current speakers sound like crap, then it’s time for a wholesale change. I think the subs were part of the Sonance product line, and a few times a year they offer insane discounts on their products and Magnolia is usually pretty open when those occur.  Hope this helps, and best of luck.

i bought them site unseen/unheard/no reviews. First pair of focals i'd ever heard. i love em. i have a few pairs of bookshelves that i listen to outside. those are my absolute favorite.

Thanks, I did look at those. Couldn't find many reviews. Let me see about return policy and maybe I'll check them out.

btscott: I have the older version of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_091100OD8W/Focal-100-OD8-White.html incredible little speakers once you break them in, which takes some time. they're hooked up to a Yamaha a-s701 100wpc integrated. awesome combination. good luck!

It's a thought,but prefer having a permanent system in place. I have the speaker wire run and I use Ethernet for streaming. Find wifi sometimes unreliable for larger .dsf files. Regardless, thanks for the idea.

I have a system I use outdoors. I move it there when in use. Keep it stored indoors. A simple integrated amp with internal DAC and speakers makes setup easy. 

Thank you, but not seeing the Near's as the improvement I'm looking for. If I'm looking at Dynaudio speakers, my budget doesn't need to be increased.... Just sayin'

I would not use indoor speakers outdoors like that. The best, but not the cheapest wall-mount outdoor speakers I have ever used were the NEAR LB8’s and LB6’s.  Just increase your budget and check them out. 
 

Another option are the landscape and planter speakers from James Loudspeaker. The James and the NEAR offerings are both top-shelf.