Today, as I was cleaning my pool, I was just enjoying a long-needed innovation/upgrade to our outdoor stereo system.
Now I don't need to upgrade the components or the sound quality. I don't need to spend thousands on a Technomad speaker system.
I'm perfectly happy with Boston Acoustic Voyager 6's (7's weren't easy to get at the time but 6's were).
The amp is an ancient Dynaco 200 watt per channel power amp.
The pre-amp is a nearly-as ancient NAD small amp, but NADs were designed to be used as pre-amps as well.
There's also an ancient Nakamichi uni-directional auto-reversing cassette deck (It actually flips the cassette at the end rather than running backwards.
There's also a CD changer and aTivoli "Pal" set up to act as a tuner.
Plus a line to plug in an MP3 player.

So you are always either running in and out or running the MP3 player line.

I might just retire everything but the amp. Today I hooked up a motorola A2DP stereo Blue Tooth adapter. My new Android phone can broadcast to it from outside, even adjusting the volume. An iPhone could do the same. But the adapter is designer for longer range applications, and a closed door to the inside is no problem.
VOILA! Problem of controlling the source and volume easily solved!

Next thing I know my wife and I are doing the Mambo on the pool deck! Fun!

So...what other solutions have people come up with for music-by-the-pool, besides the obvious boom box?

Several companies make outdoor speakers. What luck have people had? I'm delighted with my B/As. Niles have an EXCELLENT reputation. I've heard recently that Bose don't stand up as well to weathering as others. Anybody splurge and get Technomads?

Any other ideas, comments, etc?

Carl