If there is one thing that’s for certain it’s that saunas aren’t the best environments for electronics. The heat and humidity spell doom for most pieces of equipment without proper protection and placement. This can make finding the best way to install speakers a challenge, however, a lot of people ask whether installing speakers in a sauna is even safe.
You can install speakers in a sauna. There are specialty sauna speakers built to withstand the heat and humidity. Other solutions, like marine speakers or water-proof devices, can work with specific considerations. Normal speakers will not survive the heat and humidity of a sauna.
Using your sauna can be the ultimate stress-free experience. Additionally, a lot of us would love to bring in our favorite music to make the session even better. In the past, hunting for a quality and durable solution to sauna audio was difficult. Let’s dive into sauna audio and help you discover some speaker options.
Why You Need Weatherproof Speakers for a Sauna
It should come as no surprise that most electronics will not last long in a sauna. The humidity alone can kill most electronics if they aren’t weatherproof. Speakers have more than just electronics that are sensitive to moisture. With speakers, you also have to consider the inner parts like the speaker cone.
Often made of paper, these cones are essential to creating noise and will not function with wet or damaged parts. There are also electronic parts to worry about. Without properly waterproofed wires, you could risk a short circuit. The short can cause damage to the speakers themselves and even your home’s wiring. It is crucial to source weatherproof speakers. Weatherproofing usually means a device can withstand:
- High temperatures
- Extreme low temperatures
- Direct sunlight
- Rain
- Humidity
All this translates to a speaker that can hold its own in a sauna. But be warned, the extreme humidity of a sauna may still wear down even the best weatherproof speakers which is one reason why we don’t recommend wearing AirPods in the sauna. Proper placement and installation are key to maintaining a long life for your speakers.
When it comes to what weatherproof speaker you can choose, there are several routes to take. Keep in mind that there are specific sauna speakers that will do wonders. But there are some other clever options out there.
Using Weatherproof Speakers in a Sauna
Now that we’ve explored why weatherproofing is so consequential let’s discover what options for speakers there are on the market. When looking for sauna speakers, durability is key. Even though a product is weatherproof or waterproof doesn’t mean it will last in your sauna. If you source cheaper and low-quality products, it might mean just a few months of operation. Here are some products to look out for:
- Sauna-specific speakers — Some speaker manufacturers have designed products to withstand the specific conditions of a sauna. Polk Audio RC80i Speakers (on Amazon) sport a rubber-sealed speaker housing and claim to withstand sauna conditions.
- Weatherproof speakers — Products like the OSD Audio Weatherproof Speakers (on Amazon) will offer protection against moisture and heat.
- Marine speakers — Much like outdoor speakers, marine speakers sport weatherproof designs and can handle harsh environments. Luckily, there are plenty of marine speaker options to cater to boaters. There Herdio Waterproof Marine Speakers (on Amazon ) can be a great option with proper placement.
As you can see, there are plenty of options. Choosing the right one for you is going to depend on your budget and particular sauna setup. There are also other options to consider for sauna audio. If you are looking for the best products, try and find sauna-specific speakers.
There are manufacturers out there that produce speakers intended to face the heat and humidity of a sauna. These speakers, from Superior Saunas’ website, feature a rugged, waterproof design, a polyurethane cone, and Teflon coated wires.
Another thing to be mindful of is minimum depth. Ceiling speakers, in particular, need to be flush with the wall. This is even more important with waterproof speakers as humidity can enter the speaker through poorly placed units. Since sauna walls are usually not as deep as, say, drywall, you need to make sure the speakers you are choosing will fit correctly.
Where to Install Your Sauna Speakers
Speaker placement is very important when it comes to sauna audio. Think about how heat is dispersed throughout your sauna. You also need to consider where the heater is in relation to any electronic equipment.
In any situation, you want to avoid placing your speakers in a place where they get the brunt of the heat and humidity. But you want to balance this with placing them in a place where the audio will be well dispersed. Here are some tips:
- Avoid high placement — Heat rises, so try and place your speakers closer toward the ground or middle of the wall to mitigate heat risks. Some sauna speakers will void their warranty if you place them higher than two feet off the ground.
- Room for wiring — Think about the fact that you will need to run wires to each speaker. These wires need to be hidden and safe from the heat and humidity.
- Sound quality — You don’t need to be an audiophile to know where speakers sound the best. Think about finding proper placement that sounds good but doesn’t heat up too much.
One area you certainly want to watch out for is the heater. More than other parts of your sauna, the walls around the heater can be exceptionally hot. You might source speakers that can handle this type of heat but try and avoid the space if you can.
You want your speakers to last. This means being conscious of where you are placing your speakers. Some speakers are rated weatherproof or sauna-specific, but that doesn’t give you free rein on placement. You want to help your speakers by finding an appropriate spot.
Remember, a weatherproof rating or sauna speakers means the speakers can handle some heat and humidity. But, putting them in an environment where these ratings are tested is not a great strategy. Even with the best speakers, you can shave off years of use with improper placement. Lastly, think about the fact that heat rises.
The hottest part of your sauna is going to be toward the ceiling. Consequently, the coolest part of your sauna is going to be toward the floor. Generally speaking, the lower you go, the better the environment for electronics like speakers. How low you decide to go is going to depend on two factors including sound quality and whether it’s safe to have your speakers at a particular level.
Like we touched on earlier, you are going to have to choose between these two factors. The lower you go, the longer your speakers will last, but the sound quality will suffer. In contrast, the higher you go, the better your sound will be. But this will also expose your speakers to more heat.
What About Bluetooth?
All this talk about speaker placement, and you might be thinking: what about Bluetooth? Using a Bluetooth setup would help alleviate some of the issues with traditionally wired speakers. Additionally, you can rearrange the speaker as many times as you want if using a portable unit. But before you decide on the best waterproof Bluetooth speaker, there are some things to consider:
- Using your phone in the sauna — As we’ve already discussed in our guide all about phones and saunas, since your speaker needs a source, you will most likely have to bring your phone or other devices into the sauna. Phones and heat just don’t mix, and while this can work, it will have some effect on your phone.
- Heat-proof — You can find waterproof speakers, but most will not weather the heat of your sauna.
- Connectivity — Unless you have your phone in with you, your Bluetooth speaker will have to connect through your sauna’s walls. Since sauna walls are insulated, this might mean less than stellar connectivity.
Waterproof Speakers
You might be able to get away with using a waterproof speaker, but you may have issues. Since they are not rated to withstand high heat, you are cutting the lifespan short. This is a similar issue for Bluetooth speakers.
Products like this JBL Flip (on Amazon) can handle the humidity. When it comes to heat, though, they often fall short. Not only will they not last, but they have Lithium-ion batteries. These types of batteries can be dangerous when exposed to excessive heat.
Wrapping Up
You can install speakers in a sauna, but there are some things to keep in mind. First, you want to make sure you are sourcing quality speakers that are up for the task. Using just any speaker will make for a short lifespan of your sauna’s audio system.
Sauna-specific speakers and weatherproof speakers are your best bet. Just make sure you are doing your best to find the correct placement. Make sure they are as safe as they can be in the environment. While Bluetooth and waterproof speakers can do the trick for a while, they won’t last forever. These types of speakers can even be dangerous if they are battery-powered.
