The Acoustic Research AW822 wireless speaker is not going to win any beauty contests anytime soon but it does supply several nice features at an affordable price. The AW822 is a single wireless speaker that operates in the 900 mhz frequency and is weather resistant so you can safely use it indoors or outdoors. The built-in carrying handle allows you to pick up this little air freshener look-a-like and take it with you from room to room or outside to the deck beside the hot tub with ease. The speaker was clearly designed for location flexibility and is very stable resting on just about any surface you set it on. The portability of the speaker is also enhanced by the fact that it can run on 8 C batteries or you can plug it in using its AC adapter. If you have rechargeable batteries inside the speaker it will even recharge them for you while it is plugged in. The batteries are protected in a compartment that is screwed down underneath the speaker to protect it since it can be used outdoors. All of the design elements that relate to the usefulness of the speaker are solid even if the brown color and odd shape aren’t totally your style.
The sound from this wireless speaker is designed to be broadcast omnidirectional so that you can hear it in all directions from where the speaker is located rather than just in the direction it is facing. It produces 7.5 watts of power through a 5 inch woofer and a 2 inch tweeter housed inside the unit. The sound is solid but broadcast in mono so you will want to add a second AW822 speaker if you want to produce stereo sound using the left-right-mono selector on each speaker. Since the level of volume can sometimes vary song by song on your music source the speaker features an automatic level control that attempts to keep your tunes at a steady volume.
The transmitter for the Acoustic Research AW822 wireless speakers can be connected to your stereo system or MP3 player through a standard stereo mini jack (the standard headphone style connection) or you can connect up your red and white RCA cables as well. There are three channels to select from to help you manage any interference you might encounter and the speaker has a frequency lock that helps prevent static. This speaker also employs phase-locked loop (PLL) circuitry that ensures that you get the clearest signal possible for your environment. At just under a foot high and about 7 1/2 inches wide this speaker makes it easy for you to take your music with you instead of aggravating all the neighbors by cranking your stereo up loud so you can hear it outside through the windows.