Home Feature Bring on the amazing sounds of summer

Bring on the amazing sounds of summer

June 4, 2015

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Summer is synonymous with so many great things: sunshine, barbeques, beaches, patios, and parties; none of which would be quite the same without a summer soundtrack to go along with it. That’s why this post is dedicated to helping you bring on the amazing sounds of summer, no matter where that summer might take you.

Outdoor summer sounds

I don’t know about you, but as far as summer is concerned, I do my best to conduct as many activities outside as possible. Whether I am entertaining on my patio, chilling by my pool, or hiking a local trail, I’m outside. Yes, this means I am prone to the worst tan lines ever, but outside is my happy place, and true to form, I have a means of bringing my favourite summer tunes along for the ride for each activity.

For entertaining outdoors, you absolutely can’t go wrong with a wireless speaker like the Polk Omni S2. I had the luxury of reviewing this speaker earlier this year and because I had to give it back afterwards, I went out and bought one for myself. It’s the perfect musical friend to bring to any outdoor get together. Not only is it super compact and portable, but the sound it delivers is pretty shocking considering it’s the size of a football. No, scratch that. The sound it delivers is just epic, regardless of its size. The icing on the cake though is that with the Polk app, you can stream and control music through any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled device. That means that anyone at your get together can hijack the Polk and play their favourite tunes. Perhaps that’s not ideal, but it could make for great entertainment!

Another great option for outdoor summer entertaining is the Klipsch All Weather Outdoor Speaker. As the name suggests, this speaker is “all weather,” which means it will still be able to pump out your favourite tunes even if your pool or patio party is faced with a little rain; or as the case may be here on the west coast, a whole lot of rain. Just like the Polk Omni S2, the Klipsch All Weather Speakers are exceptionally compact so you can tote them with you wherever your summer party may take you. Just don’t be one of those people who puts one in the basket of their bike and cruises down the street listening to old school hip hop at an obscene volume … just sayin’.

Wireless and all weather speakers are great for delivering big sound to outdoor venues, but if you’re looking for something that will provide great sound while you’re engaging in a more solo activity like hiking or tanning, wireless headphones like the JayBird BlueBuds X Bluetooth ear buds are great go-to. Without the hassle of cords to deal with, the JayBird BlueBuds let you hike, run, lunge, jump, and soak up the sun to your heart’s content without constantly readjusting wires. You can also answer calls no matter where your Bluetooth device is on your body, which might be ideal if you decide to “work from home” one super sunny day. Perhaps best of all though is that these little guys are sweat-repellant due to their “Liquipel” technology, because let’s be honest, if you’re outside in the summer, you’re likely sweating, even if you’re just sitting still.

Indoor summer sounds

As much as I love being outdoors in the summer, it’s not always an option. Rain, wind, and more rain can easily drive a party indoors, but that doesn’t mean your summer sounds have to wash away as well. Sure, you can bring wireless speakers like the Polk Omni S2 and the Klipsch All Weather indoors to keep the party going, but you can also wow your guests with indoor speaker options that are guaranteed to delight. Case in point, the Sengled Smart LED Wireless Bulbs. I recently reviewed these speaker bulbs, and let me tell you something—they are a crowd pleaser. I mean, c’mon, they are speakers, they are light bulbs; they are speaker-bulbs! Oh, and did I mention that you can control them with an app? So when the party goes indoors, you can use the Sengled app to turn lights on and off, create mood lighting by dimming certain lamps, stream music to one speaker or multiple speakers, and control the volume. Cool factor here is a solid ten.

On the go summer sounds

Headphones are a must all year round, but even more so important in the summer. There’s just something about being able to be active while wearing sunglasses that makes my heart smile. Perhaps I’m alone in that, but summer tunes on the go are always a good idea. My go-to’s are the Intensity ear buds from Monster’s iSport line. They deliver fabulous audio quality and because they come with three different sizes of ear clips, they fit my ears perfectly no matter how much of a sweat I work up. That said, they are wired, which means I’m often adjusting where those wires are going … behind my head, under the strap of my backpack, in my pocket, etc.

If wires aren’t your thing, another fabulous headphone option for summertime activities are the Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones. They are wireless, so no need to contend with wires (hence, wireless), and they are Bluetooth enabled, which means they can stream dynamic sound from any iOS or Android device. And of course, we’re talking about summer here, so these bad boys are sweat-proof, which is an absolute must in warmer weather.

Summer soundtracks

As I’ve alluded to more than once here, summer and music go hand in hand, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to share with you a sample of my summer 2015 playlist. As you will see, I lean towards the pop side of musical spectrum, but I guarantee that each of the songs below will make you feel like summer has officially arrived.