ASWY Levitating Air Speaker WA-102 – Hardware Review
We’ve had our fair share of Bluetooth speaker reviews on the site, all being quite diverse, yet very much alike when it comes to size and overall quality. Even though many try to do something original with the design of their product(s), most of them still look like a rather conventional speaker, with a few quirks and futuristic touches added to the base design. When ASWY came out with their levitating speaker and offered us the chance to try it out, we were quite stoked to see a company that does something new and cool, but the question remained if design would not overrule the sound quality, making it more into a gimmick than an actual great qualitative speaker. A question that will be answered below.
Design
As expected, this levitating speaker simply looks ‘out of this world’, even though the actual base design is rather sleek, futuristic yet simplistic. Seeing the device consists out of two pieces, the developers had to strive for a certain harmony in order to keep the entire picture attractive and all in all it’s a job well done. The top part is a small circular speaker, that has ‘touch screen’ buttons on it, which light up during actions. The entire top piece is finished with a matte coating, making sure small scratch marks aren’t visible. Other than the simplistic design there isn’t that much to tell.
The bottom half is pretty much the tip of an orb, and it serves as the base that allows the top part to levitate. This part of the WA-102 is also finished with a matte coating, except for the glossy border at the base. Except for the logo and the different connection ports, this minimalistic design does not offer that many whistles and bells, and truth be told it doesn’t need any, especially when the device itself is powered on, it certainly looks like a unique centerpiece you’d like to have in your living room.
Some might be bothered by the fact that the base will always have to be connected to a power source, thus conventional power grid or via USB. Of course this means you don’t have to worry about having the charge the base up first, but some might be annoyed by the cable, that might be a thorn in the side for clean freaks.
Comfort
The device itself proves to be very simple when it comes to its functions, setting it up is a tad harder though. On the device itself you’ll only find a power button, volume controls and multifunctional button to play/pause the music or pick up your phone. Of course, you’ll have to be rather careful not to press too hard when it’s levitating, as you’d might push it out of its course and also keep in mind that the device itself will be spinning, thus it can take some time for you to find the rather dark buttons.
Setting up the device has to be done with a plastic ‘rack’ in which you put the top part of the speaker set and you can simply move it on top of the base, which centers the speaker, thus keeping it in place. When it’s stable you can simply remove the rack and presto. This means that if you don’t put the speaker in the perfect central position, the magnets will not repel one another, but they will attract, seeing the outer layer of the base still attracts, to make sure the speaker stays in the middle. Also, keep in mind, that when you unplug the bottom, the repelling magnet also stops working, thus be sure to remove the floating part when you wish to turn everything off.
Those who travel a lot will be glad to hear that the top part functions perfectly without the magnetic base. This means that the device can serve as a multifunctional tool.
Specs
- Wireless charging
- Levitation technology
- Microphone
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Transmission distance up to 10 meters
- Battery 800 mAh
- Speaker power output 5W
- Input 110v/220v
- Output 15VDC
Overview
Connecting to the WA-102 is extremely simple, seeing you’ll just have to scan for Bluetooth devices with your phone, or other hardware. After that, if no one else is connected to the speaker, you’ll be connected in a matter of seconds, and ASWY’s device will immediately let you know when both devices are paired. Then it’s only a matter of playing music or placing phone calls.
If you always use the device in combination with the base, you’ll be quite happy to know that the speaker’s battery will be charged wirelessly, thus you will not have to worry about the battery dying on you in the middle of your favorite song, or during an important phone call.
The only disadvantage some might experience is that the base does not have its own internal battery, which would allow you to use the device without having to mess around with a cable. That being said, it probably has to do with the fact that when the battery is depleted the repelling magnet stops working, thus immediately attracting the speaker, which might eventually cause some damage to the device if it happens too much.
As this device will take a reasonable bite out of your budget (+-€170/$170 or regional equivalent), it’s only natural that you want decent quality in return. Outside of the many extra functions, you’ll get decent sound quality and volume that easily fills the room with your favorite tunes.
Conclusion
While some might be caught off guard when taking a closer look at the price tag of the Levitating Air Speaker WA-102, it does offer you many nifty features making it worth the investment. Not only will you be treated to rather crisp sound quality, you’ll also get a center piece that simply looks stunning, yet without too many whistles and bells. The wireless charging already wipes battery issues of the table and being able to use the speaker as a standalone device is another plus. If you’re looking for something original, that doesn’t only look good but also does what it promises, this device is probably the one you were looking for.
ASWY Levitating Air Speaker WA-102 - Hardware Review,
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