Question

Need Outdoor Speakers


Userlevel 4
I know there has been a lot of request's for outdoor Sonos systems. I enjoy your product throughout my house and do not feel like getting below quality third party outdoor speakers and a connect or amp to drive them. I believe it is just time to develop an outdoor rated soffit speaker se we can enjoy Sonos quality audio on our Patio, instead of plugging and unplugging a Play 1 or 5 every time we go outside and linking it up to our phones, way easier to carry around a Bluetooth, but then you lose out on the Sonos sound quality. I understand they have been researching this for like 3 years, time to take a leap and be proactive as I believe this would be a huge selling point for Sonos, instead of urging us to buy competitors products. I believe that when Sonos recommends this, most people skip out of buying the Connecticut and/or Amp and buy a complete separate Bluetooth or other system when makes it a pain in the ass to have so many sound systems that could easily be averted by producing a simple outdoor Patio speaker that can be set up ready for use anytime the weather permits. If you need a product tester please let me know, just my two cents anyways.

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67 replies

Userlevel 2
So this thread has been going on for 3 years and SONOS still has NOT added any OUTDOOR SPEAKERS to their product line. So disappointing as we have the entire system, plus the PLAYBAR & SUB inside and would love to extend it to the outdoors. We do have other speakers outside now but know that the SONOS quality is second to none!!! Before I go out and buy (2) new sets of Bose speakers that were damaged in Hurricane Matthew, please let me know if there are any indication as to when you might add outdoor speakers to your product line?
Good luck in getting a usable answer from Sonos - I doubt there is an external speaker in the works.

I find that my Bose 251 external speakers continue to sound very good even 12 years down the line - the caveat is that they need to be installed in the way Bose sets out in their user manual, with speaker wire of adequate thickness for the length of the wire.
I think I recall reading in one of these threads that several years ago they were working on one, and abandoned the project. If true, I suspect it was due to the fact that 1) the market isn't quite large enough for it 2)There are some technological challenges to get it to the level of quality that they wanted.

You're certainly not the first person to request this, there have been several, nor do I think you're the last that will do so. However, I'd recommend not holding your breath. If it does happen, we'll all find out when they announce it. But based on previous history, they won't tell us before it's basically ready to be sold.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Portable speakers really aren't their market and a pure outdoor speaker really only makes sense if it is battery operated.

A Sonos Connect:Amp with dedicated outdoor speakers (of which you have many choices) really does work well for a permanent outdoor solution.
I have been following this thread for a while now and like most of you I have given up hope that Sonos will ever build an outdoor speaker. I have two outdoor covered patios(19*10) that I am trying to get music to and went back and forth between sonos and chromecast audio. I am learning towards getting 2 sonos Play 1 speakers, rather than getting outdoor speakers connected to a sonos amp. Do you think they play 1's would provide sufficient coverage? Since the patio is covered, do you foresee any problems?
Thanks
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Play ones are water resistant so humidity should t be issue. Direct water on would.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
I have had two play:3s in non climate controlled garage for a good bit of time.
Play ones are water resistant so humidity should t be issue. Direct water on would.

Thanks Chris.
Pass the news to your R&D team faster, heos got a battery powered speaker.
Where is yours ?
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
They supposedly researched adding one and axed the project according to rumors.
time to look at HEOS then ! 🙂
Before getting more hardware 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
What works best for you. Best of luck.
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Can I use my Play 3's within the confines of a covered outdoor patio without ruining them? I've got them ceiling mounted and away from any direct rain or water. We live in South Florida.
Sonos hasn't released an outdoor/weatherproof speaker because they can't figure it out. There are a myriad of issues when going to a weather proof audio product. Maintaining brand standards on all fronts (from sound to durability, reliability, price etc) is very difficult.... as proven so far by Sonos and their absence in that market.

Best case is 2 main options:

1. Connect their Sonos amp, which is about 50 watts per channel and wire up outdoor speakers.

2. If sound quality is your main hang up, then install a Sonos Connect (no ampage) then install an aftermarket, specialized amplifier of your choice. Then connect higher quality, higher power outdoor speakers to the amp. You can actually have the best outdoor sound you would want and can dream up.... and it can all be connected to your Sonos system.

It is of course possible to temporarily connect a Play 1 or Play 5 etc to an outdoor zone but the sound quality is actually not right for that type of open air use (only saying this because of your concern of having "Sonos quality sound"). The decibel output ratio to cubic feet of air space as well as the sound radius and audible spectrum is neither calibrated nor able to be calculated with a standard Sonos speaker of today.

Considering your concerns, you are a prime candidiate for either a Sonos amp and aftermarket outdoor speakers or a Sonos connect, then aftermarket amp and outdoor speakers.
Userlevel 2
Badge +3
I know it's not the ideal answer, but for us, our patio extends right the way across the back of our house, and if we open the sliding doors and turn the Play 5 through 180º we get the best of both worlds with very little effort 😃
One more customer who would like to buy outdoor Sonos speakers.
Sonos must realize that a high-end, whole-home sound system must include the outdoor living space. For many of us, it's where we spend much of our time enjoying music. Sonos can spend millions working, thinking, pondering, analyzing and experimenting on their own system or go out and find a quality outdoor speaker company and make it Sonos. Or partner with an outdoor speaker company, or license / partner with a company to embed Sonos tech until Sonos figures it out for themselves. Seriously, this should not be rocket science. I personally have hardwired outdoor rockustics around the pool and bose speakers in screened porch, all driven off my denon two-zone system. The sound is terrific, but I am moving in a couple of years and would like to just put Sonos everywhere in the new home. Sonos, your move....
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
Sonos must realize that a high-end, whole-home sound system must include the outdoor living space. For many of us, it's where we spend much of our time enjoying music. Sonos can spend millions working, thinking, pondering, analyzing and experimenting on their own system or go out and find a quality outdoor speaker company and make it Sonos. Or partner with an outdoor speaker company, or license / partner with a company to embed Sonos tech until Sonos figures it out for themselves. Seriously, this should not be rocket science. I personally have hardwired outdoor rockustics around the pool and bose speakers in screened porch, all driven off my denon two-zone system. The sound is terrific, but I am moving in a couple of years and would like to just put Sonos everywhere in the new home. Sonos, your move....Sonos sells accessories that can help you connect to a third party speaker. The company line is currently "buy a waterproof speaker for outdoor use and connect it to Sonos". I'm not sure waterproof is the future market space Sonos is trying to crack.
I/We wonder then what new exciting space Sonos IS trying to crack? Seems obvious to me they have a lot of existing customers who for years have said they are ready to buy waterproof Sonos speakers. Thats pretty good intel. Will investigate third party solution when I move to a new home. Thanks.
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
I/We wonder then what new exciting space Sonos IS trying to crack? Seems obvious to me they have a lot of existing customers who for years have said they are ready to buy waterproof Sonos speakers. Thats pretty good intel. Will investigate third party solution when I move to a new home. Thanks. That's not necessarily an innovation. I think Sonos is thinking bigger.
Here's a question. How weather resistant is the connect or connect:amp? I want to put Sonos connected tunes on my dock at my lake house. The dock is far enough away from the house that running speaker cable from the house to the speakers on the dock is not an option. I do however have an outdoor access point and get 100mbps wifi coverage on the dock so connectivity is great. The dock is covered and hard wired for power so I could mount the connect up under the roof, but it would still be subject to hot/cold and moisture in the air. Thoughts?
There are specs listed on the website for operating conditions. But from my perspective, it's not made for outside use, and were I to want to use it at such, I'd do everything possible to make sure it was mounted in something that imitated the inside of a building as much as possible. But then, I've not actually looked at the operating temps, and I would recommend that you take that in to as much consideration as the possibility of moisture. I would also make the assumption that you'd probably not be getting a lot of support from Sonos should it go bad. 🙂
I'd do everything possible to make sure it was mounted in something that imitated the inside of a building as much as possible.
Like a well ventilated box. Moisture could be a challenge, depending on the environment around. And a Connect Amp is probably a better idea that Connect + Third party amp.
Another consumer here really wanting an outdoor speaker. Those of us who are condo owners and can't drill through exterior walls due to association guidelines, don't have the option of using the Amp/outdoor speaker solve.
So... I know I'm kinda late to the party. I don't want to add anything to this other than, we need outdoor sonos speakers! I'm adding a patio to my home and I REALLY want outdoor sound. I really want it to be seamless and part of my whole house experience. I don't want to try to engineer a solution out on my patio that requires drilling etc. I don't expect to leave them outdoor 24/7... but I would love an option that is focused on outdoor utility and or sound field?