The Stereostone would be hard to spot nestled among shrubs.
Take your sound into the garden
By Tim Ryan
Star-BulletinSpending lots of time in your backyard or on your lanai doesn't mean you must miss a favorite radio program or turn up the volume on the stereo to hear a CD. And you don't have to buy a portable stereo to take the music with you. There are more than 100 outdoor loudspeaker models available, ranging in price from $159 to more than $2,000 a pair.
Where you put outdoor speakers has a major effect on performance. Wall-mounting a pair of speakers 10 feet apart and 6 feet from the ground gives good lateral coverage for a relatively large area. Soffit-mounting puts the speakers out of the way and shields them from direct rain and sunlight. But sound reflected from the overhang can create interference.
Rockustics Econorock, $400, and Stereostone, $379, are speakers that look like props from the set of "The Flintstones" movie. Both are described as "weather and waterproof."
The Econorock is one of about 15 all-weather speakers from Rockustics, a company specializing in rock-like outdoor speakers. The Econorock has an 8-inch coaxial driver and is designed to sit directly on the ground.
Stereostones colors include black lava, burnt rust, brown sandstone, and gray granite.
Speaker-wire connections for both are handled by a stripped pair of wire pigtails that protrude from its base.
Beyond temperature extremes and direct exposure to rain, Bose's Model 151 "environmental" speakers, at $299 a pair, are rated to withstand the corrosive effects of salt water so it's an excellent choice for Hawaii. Its 4-1/2-inch full-range driver is housed in a polypropylene cabinet.
The 151's sound quality is smooth and easy, particularly at the midwall location - which is where Bose recommends mounting the speakers. Imaging is excellent.
The only mounting provisions are a pair of threaded inserts on top of the cabinet; brackets are available as options.
Boston Acoustics Runabout II, $250 a pair, is one of three "indoor/outdoor" loudspeakers from the company. The Runabout II is described as "ideal for decks, patios, indoor use." Its 4-1/2-inch woofer and 3/4-inch tweeter are housed in a poly-propylene-resin enclosure with an off-white finish. Signals enter the Runabout through a recessed pair of gold-plated binding posts, and the speaker comes with a pair of brackets that accommodate either vertical or horizontal mounting and provide a full 180 degrees of swivel action.
The Runabout II also is a very good sounding speaker, and like the Bose, should be mounted midwall.
