Attractive, innovative, slick, and just plain cool are some of the ways you can describe the Grace Aqua Sounder wireless speaker. More than a conversation piece, this floating orb can actually be used in your pool, spa, or bathtub thanks to its innovative waterproof design. Inside the pretty face is a three inch three watt speaker that is powered by six AA batteries. The batteries will typically power the Aqua Sounder for anywhere from six to ten hours depending on how the speaker is being used, what volume level it is at, and whether the included mood light is turned on. The speaker weighs just under two pounds and can actually be completely submerged up to three feet for thirty seconds without damaging the speaker. If there is an excessive build-up of water there is a small cover on the top of the unit that can be opened to dump out any water. Volume controls, power button, mood light button, and autoscan buttons are also available directly on the speaker.
The transmitter device for the Grace Aqua Sounder wireless speaker uses the 900MHZ frequency and is capable of 150 feet of range when used outside. You connect your MP3 player, iPod, or stereo system to the transmitter using a standard headphone plug located on the the transmitter. If you are using an MP3 player or iPod there is actually an area on the transmitter designed for you to rest your player directly on it. You can either plug the transmitter into a wall outlet or if you want to go completely wireless you can power it using 4 AA batteries. Since many people will be using the transmitter on batteries it uses an auto off function to save on battery life. After four minutes without receiving any sound signals the transmitter will go into standby mode and five minutes after that the speaker itself will shut off. If the speaker is just in standby mode and it begins to receive a new signal from the transmitter it will automatically turn itself back on. You can actually add up to ten speakers to one transmitter which means no matter where the party goes the music will be floating right along with you. Another great design feature is that the transmitter for the Aqua Sounders will also work with the Grace Schooners wireless speakers as well.
Setup of the Grace Aqua Sounder is pretty simple. You connect your audio source to the transmitter, and place the volume somewhere around mid-level. There is an LED light on the transmitter that will change from green to blue indicating that it is now transmitting sound to the speakers. The speakers themselves only need to be powered up and an LED on the speaker will also turn blue once it is connected to the transmitter. Generally the devices find themselves, but you do have three channels to select from on the transmitter if you are getting any kind of interference from other wireless devices. Simply hit the autoscan button on the speaker and it should locate the transmitter easily.