Google Top Quality Store · Rated Exceptional
View as

Outdoor Speakers

An outdoor speaker is built to keep working in rain and dust, and its IP rating shows how well it is protected. The range includes 100V line horn speakers for paging, EN54-24 fire rated horns for voice alarm, sound projectors and a full-range horn for music, on-wall and pendant garden speakers from Vanco, a PoE network speaker from Axis, and active 12V horns for CCTV voice alerts.

Choosing Outdoor Speakers

Outdoor speakers are weatherproof loudspeakers for outdoor sound, including Adastra horn speakers and sound projectors, Penton sound projectors, TOA horn speakers for paging and Vanco IP44 and IP66 speakers. Choose an outdoor speaker by what it has to carry, speech or music, and by how it connects to the system.

Paging and voice alarm horns

A horn speaker focuses sound for clear speech over a car park, yard or sports ground. On a 100V line system, the Adastra MH series 952.266UK is a 30W round horn rated IP66 and 111dB, and the heavy-duty aluminium 952.272UK is a 50W horn with three power tappings, tested at -55°C to +70°C. For fire and voice alarm systems, the Adastra 952.246UK and 952.247UK and the TOA CS-154BS carry EN54-24 certification.

Music outdoors

For background music on a terrace or in a beer garden, a sound projector or full-range speaker sounds more natural than a paging horn. The Adastra 952.067UK is a full-range horn with a 6.5in driver and a 1in dome tweeter, rated IP65 and 30W RMS. Penton CAD10T/ENC and CELL20T/ENC sound projectors use dual cone drive units for speech and music, and the Vanco WP4VW-BSC and WP6VW-BSC are IP66 on-wall or pendant speakers with silk dome tweeters.

Network and active speakers

The Axis 02380-001 network sound projector is powered over PoE, can play prerecorded messages from built-in memory, supports SIP and has an IK10 vandal-resistant rating. The Adastra 952.102UK and 952.103UK active horns have a built-in amplifier and run on 12Vdc, so a security system can play voice alerts through them without a separate amplifier.

TypeExampleRating
Round 100V hornAdastra 952.265UK15W, IP66
EN54-24 fire rated hornAdastra 952.247UK30W, IP66, 113 dB SPL
Paging hornTOA SC-630M30W, IP65, 70/100V taps
Sound projectorAdastra 952.942UK25W, 100V line, IPX5
Garden on-wall or pendant speakerVanco WP6VW-BSC40W, IP66
Active hornAdastra 952.102UK25W, 12Vdc, IP66

IP ratings outdoors

IP66 horns such as the Adastra 952.265UK suit exposed walls and poles, while IP44 speakers such as the Adastra 100.916UK and Vanco W5VB-BSC are better placed under a canopy or eaves.

Brands we stock in Outdoor Speakers

Adastra, Axis Communications, Penton, TOA and Vanco.

Most of these outdoor speakers are made by Adastra.

Related categories

Use amplifiers and mixers to drive 100V horns and projectors, pair them with indoor PA speakers and systems, or see background and wall speakers for covered areas. See our Help & Support guides for IP ratings.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose garden speakers?

Choose garden speakers that are weatherproof and sound natural with music, such as on-wall, pendant or ground-standing models. Mount them under eaves where possible, angle them towards the seating area and keep the volume modest to avoid disturbing neighbours. Match the speaker's impedance or 100V line rating to your amplifier. The range here includes IP44 and IP66 garden speakers and a landscape kit with subwoofer.

What is a weatherproof audio system?

A weatherproof audio system plays music or announcements outdoors through speakers built to withstand rain, sun and cold. The amplifier or streamer usually stays indoors or in a sheltered cabinet, feeding the speakers over outdoor-rated cable. A small system may be a pair of garden speakers, while larger sites use several zones of horns and projectors. The range here includes weatherproof horns, sound projectors and garden speakers.

What is an outdoor PA system?

An outdoor PA system carries announcements, paging and music across spaces such as car parks, yards and sports grounds. It usually runs horn speakers or sound projectors on a 100V line from one amplifier, so long cable runs can feed many speakers. Some horns are certified for voice alarm use. The range here includes paging horns, active horns and an outdoor network speaker.

How many watts does an outdoor speaker need?

Outdoor speakers usually need more power than indoor ones, because sound spreads away with no walls to reflect it. For background music in a small garden a modest rating per speaker is often enough, while horns covering car parks or yards use higher tappings. Efficiency matters too, so check the speaker's sensitivity as well as its wattage. The range here includes speakers with several power tappings.

Are outdoor speakers waterproof?

No, outdoor speakers are usually weatherproof rather than fully waterproof, and their IP rating shows how much water they resist. An IP44 speaker usually handles splashing rain and suits a spot under eaves, while IP66 models resist powerful jets on exposed walls and poles. Point the cable entry downwards and avoid submersion. The range here includes IP44 and IP66 outdoor speakers.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
  • UK-only supply

Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

You may also like

  • Fast shipping

    On every UK Order

  • Special Trade Discount

    Regular sales and discounts

  • WME Guarantee

    We provide warranty

  • Full Support

    Talk to a real person