You often play music indoors because the acoustics is often better inside enclosed spaces. You don’t need to pump up speakers to the max to be heard, and you don’t risk annoying neighbors with genres they might have no love for. Plus, most audio equipment like speakers aren’t exactly meant to stay outdoors for long, lest Mother Nature wreaks havoc on their sensitive electronics. Lately, however, it has been trendy to have outdoor gatherings to celebrate newfound freedom from home quarantines and restrictions, not to mention parties at pools that really get crowds wet and wild, especially during summer. Fortunately, there are indeed speakers designed not only to be heard outdoors but also to survive whatever weather may come, and Focal’s new set of speakers definitely looks the part of weather-beaten objects.
Designer: Focal
There are admittedly quite a number of speakers that can withstand a splash of water or some dust, but these aren’t meant to be left outside for long periods of time. Those that are designed to be more permanent outdoor fixtures do meet the durability requirement, but they also clearly stand out as alien parts of your garden or pool. That might be fine for some people, but others might prefer outdoor speakers with a bit more discretion in how they blend with their surroundings.
The new OD Stone 8 from Focal’s line of Littora 200 outdoor speakers easily fits the bill with its round, egg-like shape and its textured finishes that deceive your eyes into thinking they’re made of stone. These loudspeakers easily fit almost any outdoor motif, whether it’s a lush garden or a pool with concrete surroundings, which covers pretty much all poolsides. These speakers are also IP55 rated, which means they’ll survive both a rainstorm and an accidental jet of water from the pool.
The Littora 200 collection also includes the new OD Sub 12, a subwoofer that you can partially bury underground to mix with the rest of your garden. These also come shaped like giant mushrooms, so they will blend well with other plants, not to mention the boulder-like OD Stone 8. These two speakers complement each other not only in terms of acoustics but also in thematic appearance.
Of course, no one will probably mistake these speakers for real mushrooms and stones, especially given how geometrically perfect they look. It’s still a nice touch, though, to have audio equipment that is almost virtually invisible rather than standing out and becoming a visual distraction. And they aren’t all just about good looks, though that’s definitely one of their selling points. The speakers are also equipped with Focal’s Iris cone drivers, so you get the brand’s full audio expertise at your beck and call as well.
