Bose 151 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker Pair (White)

by Bose

Product Details

Product Manual [123kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 6 inches ; 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 12 pounds
• ASIN: B00007AJ8B
• Item model number: 151
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,621 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

High-fidelity sound and outstanding outdoor reliability are the hallmarks of this pair of environmental speakers. Each speaker contains a 4.5-Inch full-range driver that delivers quality sound and bass reproduction from a small enclosure. The polymer fiber composite driver cones feature waterproof pulp and plastic that, when combined, are able to withstand exposure to extreme weather conditions. Optional weather-resistant brackets and stainless steel hardware enable you to place these speakers in outdoor or marine environments to suit your preference.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing sound, Built for the outdoors, August 10, 2007

By 

Florida Bum (Daytona Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bose 151 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker Pair (White) (Electronics)

Having been once around the block with another manufacturer's "outdoor" speakers, I examined the Bose 151 set with a suspicious eye. But, Bose did not let me down.

For most people, the audio quality is what matters. Bose delivers - the sound is first rate with a nice bass response from a small set of speakers. I'm no audiophile, so I can't give you numbers or compare to another set. But let's just say that my pool deck sounds like my living room.

As for weathering, these have been in place about five months. They're mounted under the eaves of my house so they're somewhat shielded. But lest you think otherwise, they get plenty of exposure. We live in Florida about five miles from the beach, with a saltwater pool. The sunshine and saltwater have done no noticeable damage, even with yellowing. The enclosures appear to be glass-reinforced polypropylene which (as a former plastics engineer) is exactly what I would have chosen for such a product. The brackets also appear to be polypropylene, and not polystyrene - this means better weathering. I assume they have added light stabilizers to the plastic to be able to offer their 5-year guarantee. The white case and brackets will eventually yellow in the Florida sun, but that's a small concession to the environment and easily remedied with a little paint.

My pool deck is mostly white pavers, so steel rust spots are a big concern for me. This may be the only weakness with this product. Bose supplied galvanized steel screws for attaching the speakers to the brackets. For about a dollar or two, they could have (and I believe, should have) used stainless steel. However, this is again easily remedied by a visit to your local hardware store. I chose to install the supplied hardware; but at the first sign of rust, I'm replacing the screws with stainless steel.


UPDATE 2009-05-10:
The speakers have been up for about two years now. No rusting yet on the hardware (that I can see, anyway) and the color has not yet yellowed. Pool parties are a blast...

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Weather resistant, but weak sound, February 19, 2008

By 

annoyedbyspam (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bose 151 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker Pair (White) (Electronics)

I've been using these speakers for a few years now. The speakers have handled inclement weather (direct sun, rain, snow) with no problems at all. The mounting brackets are showing their age, though. That's about it for my positive statements.

For the negatives, these speakers are overpriced for their meager performance. I can hear them OK from my deck, but go another 30 feet to my kids' playset and you get very little. The sound is tinny, which is comparable to most Bose products outside of their bookshelf speakers. If you listen to Pop, you'll probably be OK with these. But jazz, classical, or even classic rock will all show the weakness of these speakers.

If you want better sound and a cheaper price, check out Paradigm or TIC Corp. Move up in the price range and you'll find B&W (I own a pair of the 604s in my movie room) and Definitive Technology, to name a few.

Last point is to make sure you meet the manufacturer specs on placement. Some speakers need protection from the worst weather conditions, like mounting under eaves. My set-up requires direct exposure.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive surprise, March 27, 2009

By 

Grant M. Flora (Bentonville, Ar United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bose 151 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker Pair (White) (Electronics)

The seller needs to change the Desc. of this item.. It states Bose 151-Speaker... (Actually it should be clearly stated "Speaker Pair" or Speakers) With the price being so reasonable I almost didn't order it because I thought there was a chance that they were sold by the each.
I went ahead and ordered it and figured that if only one speaker arrived, then I would return it.. I had a very positive surprise. There was a pair of great speakers and a really great price.. Thank You