Greetings. I am posting this simply because when I searched on the weekend in this forum for ideas for poolside sound, I did not see a reference to this relatively new product (2014) that solved my issue for a party. So I wanted to contribute an idea that didn't involve quite so much audiophile knowhow for folks looking for a plug n play approach 
I was looking for a simple but adequate way to have weatherproof sound in my pool area that was evenly distributed, wirelessly controlled, etc. without having to hardware, install an amp, etc. The beefy iPod/phone player I'd been using was not weatherproof, and was too loud on the deck, not loud enough in the pool, and constantly had to be taken in for preservation.
In the case of our yard, my "solution" may be working so well because the pool is located in a terraced "bowl" that acts like an amphitheater That said, here's what I got, and I'm lovin it:
Brookstone's new "Big Blue Party" Bluetooth speaker at $299 kicks out awesome sound for what it is and so far has stood up to a torrential rain without a burble. It seriously contends with my Bose portable, though maybe not as "warm."
Here's a link http://t.brookstone.com/big-blue-party-indoor-outdoor-bluetooth-speaker
As with all Bluetooth devices, your player device (eg phone with spotify or some such) will need to be less than 30 feet away, and if you have a lot of people walking through the transmission path, you can get interference, which is resolved by simply locating the speaker and device together somewhere. Pairing is completely painless.
Caveats:
1. The rechargeable lithium ion battery is only good for about 5 hours, but in my case, this didn't matter as I had a nearby source to plug it in.
2. Because it has a lithium ion battery, you do not want to let it sit all day unsheltered in direct sunlight...again, in my case, I've located it in the terrace where there's shade. Someone without shade might be able to rig a partial protection box.
3. You cannot daisy chain two or more for true stero/surround -- in my yard, I don't need this...the sound is beautifully even and even at a party the output on this thing is more than adequate for my purposes.YMMV
4. These are now back ordered unless you can find an in-store demo unit or someone with stock...they've sold like hotcakes. Shipping again July 30th as I understand it.
5. Because if like me you want to leave it out, you might want to buy the extended warranty just to be safe.
Here's the description from the website. Hope the info helps someone like me who goes looking for this type of solution. Over time, if it doesn't stand up, I'll post back hopefully it goes without saying this is NOT a commercial post, just a sharing of a new toy with which I am very happy!:
Powerful. Wireless. Water-resistant. Introducing Big Blue Party™, the latest—and loudest—addition to the Big Blue Audio® Family.
MASSIVE SOUND IN EVERY CORNER
4 full-range speaker drivers deliver powerful 360° sound.
INDOOR-OUTDOOR, WATER-RESISTANT
Take it anywhere—poolside, decks or even the beach.
EASY BLUETOOTH® PAIRING
Connects wirelessly to Bluetooth® devices up to 33' away.
NO WIRES, NO CORDS
Rechargeable battery lasts more than 4.5 hours per charge.
SUPER PORTABLE
Easy-grip carry handle, measures 6.3"w x 6.3"d x 15.8"h.
SPECIFICATIONS:
4 speaker drivers, subwoofer and passive radiator
Power: 72 watts (18 watts per channel, 36-watt sub)
Frequency
I was looking for a simple but adequate way to have weatherproof sound in my pool area that was evenly distributed, wirelessly controlled, etc. without having to hardware, install an amp, etc. The beefy iPod/phone player I'd been using was not weatherproof, and was too loud on the deck, not loud enough in the pool, and constantly had to be taken in for preservation.
In the case of our yard, my "solution" may be working so well because the pool is located in a terraced "bowl" that acts like an amphitheater
That said, here's what I got, and I'm lovin it:Brookstone's new "Big Blue Party" Bluetooth speaker at $299 kicks out awesome sound for what it is and so far has stood up to a torrential rain without a burble. It seriously contends with my Bose portable, though maybe not as "warm."
Here's a link http://t.brookstone.com/big-blue-party-indoor-outdoor-bluetooth-speaker
As with all Bluetooth devices, your player device (eg phone with spotify or some such) will need to be less than 30 feet away, and if you have a lot of people walking through the transmission path, you can get interference, which is resolved by simply locating the speaker and device together somewhere. Pairing is completely painless.
Caveats:
1. The rechargeable lithium ion battery is only good for about 5 hours, but in my case, this didn't matter as I had a nearby source to plug it in.
2. Because it has a lithium ion battery, you do not want to let it sit all day unsheltered in direct sunlight...again, in my case, I've located it in the terrace where there's shade. Someone without shade might be able to rig a partial protection box.
3. You cannot daisy chain two or more for true stero/surround -- in my yard, I don't need this...the sound is beautifully even and even at a party the output on this thing is more than adequate for my purposes.YMMV
4. These are now back ordered unless you can find an in-store demo unit or someone with stock...they've sold like hotcakes. Shipping again July 30th as I understand it.
5. Because if like me you want to leave it out, you might want to buy the extended warranty just to be safe.
Here's the description from the website. Hope the info helps someone like me who goes looking for this type of solution. Over time, if it doesn't stand up, I'll post back
hopefully it goes without saying this is NOT a commercial post, just a sharing of a new toy with which I am very happy!:Powerful. Wireless. Water-resistant. Introducing Big Blue Party™, the latest—and loudest—addition to the Big Blue Audio® Family.
MASSIVE SOUND IN EVERY CORNER
4 full-range speaker drivers deliver powerful 360° sound.
INDOOR-OUTDOOR, WATER-RESISTANT
Take it anywhere—poolside, decks or even the beach.
EASY BLUETOOTH® PAIRING
Connects wirelessly to Bluetooth® devices up to 33' away.
NO WIRES, NO CORDS
Rechargeable battery lasts more than 4.5 hours per charge.
SUPER PORTABLE
Easy-grip carry handle, measures 6.3"w x 6.3"d x 15.8"h.
SPECIFICATIONS:
4 speaker drivers, subwoofer and passive radiator
Power: 72 watts (18 watts per channel, 36-watt sub)
Frequency
