Review: Monitor Audio Climate 60

Monitor Audio Climate 60 is more square and feels more old-fashioned than the other outdoor speakers. On our pair, the white color has a yellow stitch reminiscent of the original Macintosh computer. Or that they come from a home where they smoke indoors.

To help with the bass register, Monitor Audio has placed an oval, passive radiator bass on the back of the speaker. This does the same thing as a bass reflex port. But without the port distortion.

Installation is not difficult, just mount the wall brackets with screws, with or without the 15 degree wedge that can angle the speakers 15 degrees downwards. Remove the magnetic covers on the top and bottom of the speakers and secure them with the supplied clamps. Replace the covers. A hook on the back holds the cable.

The sound of Monitor Audio Climate 60

In terms of sound, these speakers have a lot to offer. Especially in the midrange, there is a rhythmic drive that distinguishes them positively from Sonos Outdoor. The violin picks on Good News by Mac Miller have a good touch, as has the edge beat on the snare drum in Ariana Grande’s Break Up With Your Girlfriend. The bass, on the other hand, is worse. The deep, huge bass that is supposed to explode in the beginning is hardly a faint hint. This is not how you fire up a garden party; Monitor Audio is more for background music.

We also notice a rather dark sound in the violins that surround Luka Sulic’s cello during Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. They have a drive, compared to Sonos, but Sonos in turn has more air in the harmonics. In the end it is a matter of personal taste, but when you let the price decide, there is no doubt that we would recommend Monitor Audio Climate 60 rather than Sonos Outdoor. However, this is not quite enough to place them in the top tier, when you hear how much better – and more – sound Focal 100 OM 8 gives for only a little more.

Conclusion

Monitor Audio Climate 60 has a lot of engaging features. The midrange in particular comes out with good drive, and violins and snare drums literally sparkle! Some more airiness in the treble would be needed to completely convince in the harmonic range, and the bass is far from being a powder keg. While being a bit better than the smaller Canton XL.3, in many ways we are in class with Sonos Outdoor here, and at a much lower price. GBP 350 is still far from cheap, and you can definitely get even better sound for the money. But the speakers radiate a joy of playing that is easy to like.