INTRODUCTION

   What would be the very first things you'd put in your backpack right before going away on a trip someplace far away from home? Most people i know first pack a power bank and a wall charger so they are able to keep their portable devices like a smartphone and/or a tablet powered on at all times. I know some who even pack a Bluetooth wireless headset or a plain wired headset so they are able to listen to music and even watch their favorite movies and TV series without disturbing everyone around them. Personally i like to cover every possible scenario so aside the devices already mentioned i always pack a Bluetooth wireless speaker since i enjoy listening to music without having to wear a headset (at least not when it's not necessary). Antec made their debut in the wireless speaker market a while back with the unveiling of their A.M.P line of mobile products and today with us we have their brand new WAV model.

   Antec Mobile Products (A.M.P) is a global consumer electronics company committed to putting state of the art mobile and audio technology into the hands of every user. As a division of Antec, the world-renown market leader in PC hardware, A.M.P. is committed to bringing Antec's winning VIP principles of Value, Innovation and Perfection to the mobile world. Technology is taking on an increasingly greater role in our lives and changing the relationship between user and device. People are not only demanding products that make their lives easier, but are also seeking devices that let them use, share and interact in new ways. By harnessing new technologies, Antec is changing the way people experience life through their mobile devices. A.M.P. understands that mobile products are more than just devices, they are extensions of ourselves: our tastes, habits and curiosity. a.m.p. is committed to the concept of fashion technology by providing you with devices that are not only attractive, but reflect your own unique personality.

   Unlike other previously released models by A.M.P (like the quite good SP1) the WAV Bluetooth Wireless Speaker features a vertical design enclosure (much like the BOOM by Ultimate Ears) inside which Antec has placed two opposite 52mm drivers (3W RMS each) which feature a frequency range of 100Hz–20kHz with 78db sensitivity. The WAV also features an integrated microphone, Bluetooth v4.0 (EDR), aptX, Near-Field Communication (NFC) and a 1000mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery which can power the device for up to six continuous hours. Unfortunately Antec doesn't provide more in-depth information regarding the microphone used with the WAV (speaker/driver information is also limited) so chances are that it doesn't feature noise-cancelling technology (up to us to find out).

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The WAV arrived inside a vertical cardboard box with a large product image at the front and rear, the company logo and the model name.

Moving on the left and right side of the box we see the features, specifications and bundle contents lists in two languages.

At the top of the box you can see how the 6 touch buttons light up once the device is turned on.

Inside the box we were supposed to find the WAV Bluetooth wireless speaker, microUSB charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable, user guide and warranty information paper but our sample didn't have any of the mentioned cables inside (probably an isolated case).

THE WAV

The body of the WAV is made out of hard plastic and aluminum, weighs 456g and measures 165mm in height, 80mm in depth and 77.5mm in width.

As you can all see in terms of size the WAV is not the smallest portable wireless speaker in the market but hardly the largest one either.

The top of the device is where the media control buttons are placed along with the Bluetooth pairing LED and the NFC sensor.

A.M.P has placed the product name vertically right between the two 52mm drivers (the drivers also have exhaust ports on each side) and above the microphone.

At the lower rear end we see a 3.5mm auxiliary audio in port (for use with MP3 players and other compatible devices), on/off switch and the microUSB charging port.

The media control buttons (including the answer/end call) light up with the help of blue LEDs placed beneath them (when paired with a compatible device the mode/bluetooth activity LED is also turned on).

CONCLUSION

   Vertical design enclosures have lots of potential when it comes to portable wireless speakers but so far not even the BOOM by Ultimate Ears took complete advantage of that so we didn't expect the WAV to either and we were right. Even the WAV has enough space inside to squeeze up to 4 drivers firing on all 4 sides (or two drivers and a passive bass radiator) but as you can see A.M.P decided on using just two (imagine what they could do if they had used a slightly larger enclosure like the BOOM). Unfortunately the cost for one such device is what gets in the way and so it may take long before we can see affordable solutions making the most of vertical enclosures. With that out of the way the WAV is actually pretty good and manages to produce clear mids and highs without any distortion even at full volume. Of course it's not as loud as the BOOM or the ROAR but the real issue is the lack of bass and that's something which will disappoint potential buyers who like listening to Jazz, Heavy Metal and other bass-rich music. As for the battery well A.M.P states up to 6 hours at medium volume levels but since we used the WAV almost at full we never passed the 5 hours mark (it usually ran out of batter at 4 hours and 35/45 minutes) and although we've seen worse numbers with some speakers we've also seen many more better ones. Finally the microphone used doesn't feature noise-cancelling technology (or at least not a good one) since we had a hard time answering calls in places with noise. This is not particularly bad however since we've yet to see a microphone worth mentioning used in a wireless portable speaker so we can't really blame A.M.P for not paying much attention to that detail.

   Sometimes the price of a product is what really saves it and that couldn't be more true for the WAV by Antec Mobile Products since its current price tag of USD39.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 50Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) is so low that we can actually "forgive" the apparent lack of bass and mediocre microphone used. Of course if you want a portable wireless speaker with plenty of bass or if you want to answer calls without having to worry about background noise the low price of the WAV will obviously not be enough to win you over in which case you'd be better off with the BOOM by Ultimate Ears or the ROAR by Creative Labs. If however plenty of bass and answering calls is not at the top of your priorities list the WAV represents a good bang for your buck which is why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Design
- Size/Weight
- Audio Clarity
- Good Volume Levels
- NFC/aptX Support
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Battery Life
- Bass Levels
- Microphone