When it comes to summer fun, there should be no strings attached.

Who doesn’t like the idea of spending a warm summer’s evening out on the deck, with the grill fired up and your favorite tunes filling the airwaves? While the idea is nice, the execution often leaves us a bit intimidated.

Only the ambitious DIYer is excited by the thought of running speaker wire outdoors or configuring the second-zone function on his A/V receiver. A professional installer can set up a fantastic outdoor sound system, but that may come with a higher price tag than many of us can afford.

The good news is, Soundcast Systems has just made outdoor audio a whole lot easier…and more affordable.

This wireless audio system consists of two pieces: the iCast transmitter and the OutCast weatherproof speaker. The iCast is basically an iPod docking cradle with a built-in wireless transmitter. Just pop your iPod into the dock, and the audio signal is transmitted over the 2.4GHz frequency to the OutCast, a self-contained audio system that features a 100-watt amplifier, an 8-inch woofer, and four 3-inch high-frequency drivers.

When designing the OutCast, Soundcast remembered the first rule of wireless audio, oft forgotten: It’s nice if the product is actually wireless. The speaker houses a rechargeable NiMH battery pack on its underside that allows it to operate completely wire free; a detachable power cord is also included to power the unit and recharge the battery.

Outdoor speakers tend to be more industrial and utilitarian in the design department, and the OutCast follows suit. It looks like a giant humidifier, thanks to its tall, round cabinet that’s constructed of beige, water-resistant plastic. The speaker measures about 26 inches tall, has a diameter of 11 inches at its base, and weighs 28 pounds. The down-firing woofer resides in a sealed chamber near the bottom of the cabinet, while the four high-frequency drivers are located near the top, firing out to the sides in an omni-directional pattern.

The top panel features backlit, weather-resistant buttons for power, volume up/down, forward/reverse, play/pause, and mood lighting, as well as LEDs to indicate power and battery status. The Safety-Mood Lighting button turns on a blue light that emanates from the woofer chamber. Soundcast wisely includes plastic plugs to cover openings like the power port and auxiliary input, and the top panel sports a built-in handle to help you move the speaker.

I’ve auditioned a number of wireless audio products that proved challenging to set up, usually because the transmitter and receiver didn’t establish or keep the handshake they way they should. That wasn’t an issue here. In truth, the most challenging part of the setup process was figuring out how to position the OutCast’s battery pack in its compartment. The manual says it can only fit one way, but it neglects to mention which way that might be. Once I powered up the iCast and OutCast, the two products immediately established their handshake, indicated by a blue light on the top panel of each.

Soundcast uses frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology in which the transmitter searches for open channels in the 2.4GHz band and jumps to them to avoid interference with other 2.4GHz products, like microwaves and cordless phones. This proved effective; I did experience a few split-second audio dropouts during my time with the system, but not enough to be distracted by them.

As for the wireless range between transmitter and receiver, Soundcast estimates up to 150 feet indoors or 350 feet outdoors. With the iCast anchored in my living room, I moved the OutCast all over the house, both indoors and out—from the kitchen to the downstairs office to the garage to the back deck and finally to a far part of my backyard—and the unit successfully communicated with the iCast from every location. It just works, which is exactly what you want in wireless system.

If you’d like to leave your house entirely—say, take the OutCast to a park or campsite—the inclusion of an auxiliary input on the side panel allows you to connect an iPod or other audio device directly to the speaker, so you don’t need to mate the product with the iCast for it to function. Soundcast estimates 10 hours of operation on a fully charged battery; my review sample got about 18 hours on one charge, although I did conduct my longevity test at a fairly low volume.

I was impressed with the OutCast’s sound quality. Sonic compromises are inevitable in these all-in-one iPod systems, but the Outcast’s unique form factor offers some clear advantages for an outdoor environment. The larger cabinet and 8-inch woofer give the speaker very good dynamic ability and solid low-end presence, both of which are crucial if you want the speaker to have any real impact outdoors.

I’ve got a fairly large backyard, and this unit ably produced a full, dynamic presentation from one side to the next. Bass notes in Ani DiFranco’s Little Plastic Castle had nice presence and definition, but the speaker couldn’t quite reproduce the deepest rumbles in Peter Gabriel’s Sky Blue. Of course, you don’t get the airy highs and full midrange you’ll hear in a great traditional speaker, but the OutCast produces a well-balanced sound that doesn’t veer too bright or too muddy.

The circular cabinet design and omni-directional driver array help the sound emanate evenly around the open space; I placed the speaker up on my deck and walked all the way around the backyard, and the tonal quality remained fairly consistent. Of course, the tradeoff is that the system lacks stereo imaging, which is more noticeable if you listen to the speaker indoors, where vocals occasionally had an echoic quality if I placed the speaker near a wall. It’s better suited for an open area.

Soundcast also sells an indoor speaker (SpeakerCast), an iCast transmitter/receiver combo, and a basic audio transmitter/receiver combo (AudioCast). These products are all designed to work together. I had a SpeakerCast and second iCast on hand to test interoperability, and the devices worked together seamlessly. I configured a single iCast to transmit to both the OutCast and SpeakerCast at once, and I set up two systems to play different iPod streams, which is as simple as changing the channel allotment (channels 1–3) on one iCast/speaker combo, and it worked without incident.

The iCast charges your iPod while docked and includes an auxiliary input to wirelessly stream audio from other devices to the speaker. I like the fact that the OutCast always resets to a low volume when you power it down. Unfortunately, there’s one crucial omission: The system lacks a remote control. The indoor SpeakerCast comes with a tiny IR remote, so why not the OutCast? Soundcast’s answer is that infrared does not work outdoors in the daylight and that using an RF remote would require that they give up one of the two channels that allow the system to support two devices. The company may rectify this in next year’s product line, but for now I must knock a few ergonomic points off of a system that’s otherwise very user-friendly.

At $699, the OutCast isn’t exactly a budget product, but its price tag accurately reflects its performance—better and more robust than a tabletop audio system or boom box, but not meant to replace a dedicated outdoor speaker system. Add in a $399 SpeakerCast system, and you’ve got a two-zone indoor/outdoor audio system for less than $1,100.

The goal of any successful audio system is to add enjoyment without adding frustration. Many wireless products have missed that mark, but not the OutCast. It’s an easy, flexible way to add the perfect soundtrack to your outdoor fun.

PRICE: $699
CONTACT: Soundcastsystems.com