Buy wireless acoustics wave bomber. Review of the ultra-compact wireless speaker Wave Bomber. Design and dimensions

In the winter of 2013, the Wave brand introduced the Wave BOMBER speaker - very compact and quite powerful. This wireless speakers can work with any device: smartphones, tablets, laptops, players, PCs. It has a durable metal body, modest dimensions and a special base design that helps ensure normal bass.
Equipment
Wave BOMBER comes in a small blue and white box. Wave’s main sales market is Russia, therefore both the design and the instructions are in complete order, everything is Russified. The packaging describes the main advantages of the device: Bluetooth, mini-jack, tactile subwoofer, built-in battery. The user manual is quite thick, despite the fact that the Wave Bobmer does not require any intricacies to use. There are no shock-absorbing materials or foamed plastics in the box - apparently, it is believed that the product itself will withstand transportation without any problems.
Under the speaker, in addition to the instructions, you can find an excellent dense black and white double-sided cable with 3.5 mm connectors for direct connection devices to your player or smartphone, as well as a USB cable for charging, a warranty and an interesting rubber mat. It can be placed under the speaker to make it more comfortable for him to sit on the table. This should improve the acoustic properties of the device and ensure that it does not collect dust on the surface. The cable for the mini-jack is about a meter long, so the device does not need to be kept close to the smartphone.

Appearance, materials, connectors

The Wave Bomber has an unusual shape: a cylinder. Moreover, if such elongated speakers generally lie horizontally on the table, then it is assumed that it will stand vertically, on the bottom. This design doesn't come around very often.
The Wave Bomber is mostly covered in metal. Apparently, aluminum - but with a characteristic “industrial”, raw texture, which is so loved by the creators of various mobile devices. Not only are the speaker grilles made of metal, but almost the entire side of the cylinder is made of metal - except for the area at the bottom where the ports and buttons are located. Thanks to this amount of aluminum, the Wave Bomber looks both solid and durable. In addition, fingerprints are not visible on its surface at all.
On top is the speaker, covered with a black glossy metal mesh.
On the bottom of the speaker there are outputs for USB and a mini-jack, a small hole for the built-in microphone, as well as a two-position On/Off switch and a button with a telephone handset sign. The latter is useful for receiving a call from a device connected via wire or Bluetooth. Thus, Wave Bomber is a conference phone. Additionally available on plastic led indicator. It can be used to judge whether the device is turned on.
The gadget is very stable, which is helped by a thick rubber mat and the same slightly rubberized bottom of the speaker. Even on smooth surface Wave BOMBER holds up well: the device can be placed horizontally and it still won’t roll away. The dimensions are also very, very pleasing: the diameter of the cylinder is 6.2 centimeters, the height is 5 centimeters. This is the smallest portable speaker system. Wave Bomber takes up minimal space in your bag or backpack and is convenient to carry. The weight, despite the abundance of metal parts, is very modest: 180 grams.
The assembly turns out to be quite good. The buttons are elastic and click nicely. There are no backlashes, no gaps, the paint does not come off, no matter how hard you try. The metal is thick and does not bend when tapped or pressed.

Features of use

The device has Bluetooth 2.1 (with AVRCP and A2DP standards), but the sound through it, of course, is transmitted with interference - especially if the smartphone or tablet is in another room. Therefore, if possible, it is better to use the standard 3.5 mm mini-jack supplied with the speaker. This way the sound quality will be higher, it will be cleaner, and the bass will be much better. It is advisable to transmit only background melodies via Bluetooth. The maximum range is about ten meters.
To switch to wireless mode, it is not enough to simply turn on the Wave Bomber. The speaker, unlike many other portable devices, saves its own energy and by default works only through a cable. So if you start the device, but it’s not in the list of Bluetooth devices, don’t panic: hold down the call button and hold it for five to six seconds until the LED starts blinking blue and red. Next, the gadget should appear on your smartphone under the name “Wave”.
If there is a call on your smartphone, you can click once on the same button with the handset and answer the call from the speaker. The microphone is good, the caller will hear you normally, even if you move around the room. Well, you will be able to distinguish your interlocutor in the smallest details: the speaker here is still a hundred times better than in any phone. This function Wave BOMBER works both via cable and via Bluetooth.
Sound quality
The surface on which the Wave Bomber speaker is mounted can be used as a bass source. Mini Bass Shaker technology is responsible for this. Of course, we can’t talk about any depth here, but the device really does have bass. It turns out as if the speaker has a small vibrating subwoofer. For a six-centimeter device - excellent. In addition, the device sounds quite loud. The speaker power is 3 W, but the sound here easily covers the audio of any tablet or laptop (including MacBook Pro), which, judging by official data, have 8-15 W speakers.
Much depends on what surface you install the device on. Wood is best suited: the bass becomes deeper and stronger. Glass and metal perform worse. However, the audio level is still decent.
Battery
The device has a built-in battery, so you can easily take it with you outdoors. The capacity is small, only 400 mAh. But the speaker doesn’t require much, so this is quite enough for seven to eight hours of music playback. The device is charged as standard via a USB cable. If you power Wave BOMBER from a PC, the pace is not impressive: it takes at least two and a half hours. But if you find the right one network adapter– the charging speed will increase several times.

The time for vacations and periodic outings into nature is in full swing, and the key to any pleasant picnic can be the right music. Correct in terms of sound quality. And this is where the ambush comes in. Our constant companions in the form of smartphones or tablets cannot yet compete with miniature ones acoustic systems. When we're talking about When it comes to portable audio, names like Jawbone or Monster immediately pop up. However, solutions from these manufacturers are expensive, about 3,000 - 4,000 rubles. Are you ready to shell out that amount for a couple of musical evenings a year in nature? I don't, especially after testing the Wave Bomber, which costs more than half the price!

Design and dimensions

The manufacturer under the Wave brand really cares about the buyer, so he decided not to skimp and dress his mini-speaker in metal armor made of textured metal. By the way, although the surface looks great, it is quite unpleasant to the touch. So I advise you to try to touch the device before buying and how it feels to you.

On the bottom side there is black glossy plastic, which has a terrible seam. Such protrusions are usually formed when joining plastic in production. Of course, this is not a critical point and does not greatly affect the impression of the gadget, but it is still a minus from a design point of view.

The column is assembled perfectly. There are no defects other than those described above.

On the front side, the one with the inscription “Wave”, there is one single button responsible for connecting, accepting or hanging up incoming call, and also for something else. To the left of the button is a microphone hole, and to the right is a multi-colored LED.

The dimensions of the device in comparison with similar models from competitors are clearly presented in the table below. Since we're talking about comparisons, let's also look at the order of prices and the possibilities for connecting similar speakers to sound sources.

Obviously, Wave Bomber is a kind of golden mean in terms of versatility in terms of connections and price.

The kit includes a 3.5 cable for direct connection of a smartphone, tablet to the speaker, a special silicone mat (more on that later), detailed instructions and a microUSB cable for charging the gadget from a computer. The manufacturer recommends charging the audio system from a computer. About connecting to power socket nothing is said through third-party adapters.

Specifications

The audio system has the following technical characteristics:

• rated power 3 W
• reproduced frequency range 120 - 20,000 Hz
• signal-to-noise ratio 80 dB
• built-in microphone
• Bluetooth 3.0 (A2DP)
• NFC (for easier device pairing)
• battery 400 mAh
• 3.5 Line IN
• microUSB (for charging)

Usage

Device pairing can only occur via a Bluetooth connection or NFC assistance. The latest technology only simplifies the first connection of a smartphone to a speaker, since it is impossible to constantly transmit sound using this protocol due to the too short range. In the future, the connection is maintained via the same Bluetooth.

The process of introducing devices is described in detail in the instructions; it is simple, so we will not dwell on this point. Successful connection is confirmed by a blue indicator light and a corresponding beeping sound.

Wave Bomber is able to receive and reject incoming calls, transmit voice using the built-in microphone, and also switch from a speaker to a smartphone speaker.

One battery charge lasts for about 6 hours of sound playback when connected wirelessly. Not bad at all! The gadget charges from a computer in about 2-3 hours.

The HadsFree function works at the proper level. It’s quite convenient to talk through the built-in microphone even at arm’s length from the speaker.

Sound

As we have already found out, Wave Bomber can be connected to a smartphone either via Bluetooth (c using NFC or without), or via a cable via a 3.5 mm input.

WITH wireless connection there were problems. Not with LG G Flex, not with iPhone 5, not with iPad mini the speaker was not really able to reproduce the sound without stuttering, disconnections, etc. The speaker refused to connect to the Korean G2 at all, either with NFC or without it. However, we still managed to check the quality of music transmission via Bluetooth! Came to the rescue MacBook Air 11’’, who went through such a tough selection for sparring on the part of Wave Bomber.

The quality of the transmitted music turned out to be at a good level. The volume is enough to start a modest company in an apartment, but it is still quite comfortable to be next to the speaker - it is not deafening. One should not have any great illusions about similar devices, and, in my opinion, Bomber pulls out sound quite well for its form factor, including low frequencies. The latter can be felt especially well if the speaker is placed on any flat resonating surface. Wood is best, of course.

After I tried to connect the Wave Bomber with a cable to the iPhone via the 3.5 mm port, return to wireless communication there was no more desire. Wired sound is noticeably different better side: The music plays louder, the sound becomes clearer, and the bass appears.

By the way, the low frequencies in the hero of today’s article arise due to a special resonating silicone surface in interaction with anything that can resonate while the speaker stands motionless on it. This technology is called by the manufacturer Mini Bass Shaker.

They say that if you simply install it on the unique silicone mat included in the kit, the speaker will acquire a more interesting sound. This is complete nonsense! This accessory has virtually no effect on the quality of playback, so you can safely forget about it, or put it under a pot of geraniums, for example. Why should good things go to waste?

Wave Bomber and STK SMC950

You may have already read a review of the mini-speaker from STK earlier on our blog. As a result of direct comparison, it was a draw and here's why. Via Bluetooth, Wave Bomber performed much worse, both in volume and bass. The SMC950 sounded much more interesting in terms of sound purity. So, we have 0:1 in favor of the speaker from STK.

However, Bomber still produced higher volume through the cable. Since the SMC950 does not have a 3.5 input at all, there is nothing special to compare it with. We get a 1:1 ratio.

Naturally, I would give preference to the STK SMC950, since I still use the Bluetooth connection more often, and this speaker produces an order of magnitude better sound. There are good home acoustics for the cable, and this is what you should use for a wired connection.

Bottom line

The Wave Bomber turned out to be a very dubious gadget, although on paper everything looks just great.

Is the Wave Bomber worth buying?

I think no. The speaker has an excellent design, convenient dimensions and theoretical omnivorousness in terms of connectivity. However, in practice, the playback quality could be better; in addition, do not forget about the incompatibility with many modern devices, even though the necessary Bluetooth profiles are supported. The same STK SMC950 looks much more attractive compared to the solution from Wave, since it costs about 1,000 rubles, is capable of producing higher quality and deeper sound, and it connects to anything.

Cool thing! Received it as a gift! I couldn't be happier! Everyone around asks what it is and is very surprised at how it sounds.

Advantages:

Lightweight, compact, loud and stylish device! If you put it on a table or cabinet, it produces something similar to bass!

Flaws:

This model does not have a radio.

Period of use:

less than a month

Ultra-compact, bassy, ​​in durable housing- seems to be one of the best miniature audio devices that you can throw in your bag and remember about it only when you need to unwind a little with your favorite music.

Specifications

• Speaker: 3 watts
• Frequency range: 120-20000 Hz
• Wireless connection: with A2DP support
• Audio input: 3.5 mm
• Battery: built-in, 400 mAh, up to 7 hours of operation
• Dimensions: 62 x 62 x 50 mm
• Additionally: NFC, work as a speakerphone

Equipment and appearance

The Wave Bomber's packaging is simple: a compact cardboard box in which you can find the speaker itself, a cord with a 3.5 mm jack on both sides and a special lining for a more stable position of the speaker on the table.

The metal cylinder of the speaker is very compact, the upper end is covered with a speaker mesh, the lower part of the body is made of plastic. There are no special frills, but the Wave Bomber looks pretty nice.

In fact, there are no control buttons on the column - only an on/off slider, yes function button, responsible for activating the pairing mode via Bluetooth or answering/hanging up a call - after all, Bomber can also work as a speakerphone. If the sound source does not have the ability to connect wirelessly, you can use the cable included in the kit. And if your smartphone has not only Bluetooth, but also NFC, then pairing a pocket sound source and a Wave speaker will be as easy as possible.

As for the genres of music that would be more suitable for the speaker, no such genres were noticed; Bomber coped equally well with both classics and noticeably heavier works. Of course, you won’t be able to hear all the subtleties of a concert recording of the London Symphony under the direction of Gergiev, but the goals of the speaker are different, don’t forget this moment.

The capacity of the built-in battery may seem very small, only 400 mAh, but the Wave Bomber is not a boombox with a pair of low-frequency speakers and the size of half a table, which is why, in fact, the speaker is ready to delight the user with fairly decent sound for up to 7 hours. By the way, there is still bass, and for the dimensions of the Bobmer it is quite decent. This is achieved by using a vibrating subwoofer, which uses smooth hard surfaces as a resonator.

Well, traditionally for Wave products, a device called Bomber is capable of performing the duties of a speakerphone, although, of course, in a noisy environment or from a distance of a meter or two, it will be very difficult to use this ability of the device.

At recommended retail price 1290 rubles Wave Bomber is almost the ideal pocket speaker. There may, of course, be a lack of playback control buttons, but for the task of broadcasting a small area around you in nature, in the office or at the kitchen table during breakfast, this accessory is quite enough.