Most Popular Gadget Reviews

By Mark Knox

By Rita Finley

How you answer this question will depend on what you want in a wireless speaker. Some would want out and out audio performance, while others would say “ease of use”. Some others would want value for money. Really, you can’t come to a consensus on the best wireless outdoor speaker without at least some people not agreeing with you.

Consider price: a Bose outdoor speaker will set you back by almost $1200, while a Yamaha outdoor speaker will cost just $60. Will they differ in performance? Absolutely. But for the price, the Yamaha would definitely provide far better value for money than the Bose.

Therefore, I’m putting my neck out here and saying out loud: the best wireless outdoor speaker is the Audio Unlimited SPK-VELO-003 wireless indoor/outdoor speaker. Not because it is the most powerful, not because it has the clearest sound, and not because it is feature rich, but because of the simple fact that among the competition, it does all the above quite well without costing as much as a used car.

Wireless Outdoor Speakers: Low Competition

Wireless outdoor speaker as a category has very few speakers. Most major manufacturers tend to stick to wired speakers. Bose, for instance, has only one outdoor speaker model, and that too is wired. Klipsch makes some of the best outdoor speakers, but they all tend to be wired as well. Even Yamaha’s excellent NS-AW150W – one of the best value for money buys out there – is wired. So the Audio Unlimited SPK speakers don’t really have to contend with a ton of competition. That doesn’t imply, of course, that the speakers themselves aren’t very good.

Audio Unlimited SPK-VELO Indoor/Outdoor Speakers

First Look

These speakers are stylish, make no mistake about it. Clad in sheer white or midnight black, these cylindrical speakers look like something from Star Trek. The row of buttons on the front face with blue LEDs further enhances the straight-from-science-fiction look.

But don’t let the sleek design fool you; at its heart, this is a true outdoor speaker system, and as such, features very sturdy construction that can withstand water and wide variations in temperature.

Features

One of the reason why I chose the Audio Unlimited SPK-VELO over perhaps more powerful, better performing competitors is the huge list of features. For starters, there is a remote and an iPod/iPhone dock. Few among the competition can boast of these two features which make operating the device a breeze.

More importantly, the dual power transmitter mode utilizes either C-batteries or AC power. By using the batteries, you can completely eliminate the need for wires – one of my top priorities in a wireless outdoor speaker.

The speakers work on RF signal that can easily penetrate walls and other obstacles. The transmitter has a range of 150 feet – more than adequate for an average yard or pool area.

In terms of pure sound quality, admittedly, these speakers can’t stand up to a Klipsch or even a quality Yamaha. However, the performance is more than adequate for the average listener. If you are audiophile and want crystal clear audio, you might want to try something else.

At just $124, these speakers provide great value for money. Considering the features and the above average audio performance, these speakers come highly recommended are among the best wireless outdoor speakers you can buy without burning a hole in your wallet.