BOSS WAZA-AIR OVER-EAR AMP-PHONES

BOSS MAY HAVE JUST DESIGNED THE BEST PRACTISE AMP(S) EVER. REVIEW BY PAUL RIARIO.

They say that practise makes perfect, but for guitarists, a practise routine can be a dull affair when you’re stuck in a room with just headphones and an amp. Wouldn’t it be far more exciting if you had something that allows you to take your practise and playing anywhere?

Well, following on the success of the Katana-Air, a pioneering product that Boss touted as “the world’s first totally wireless guitar amplifier”, the company have pushed the envelope even further by introducing the forward-thinking Boss Waza-Air, a personal wireless guitar headphone system that integrates spatial technology and a gyro sensor to deliver a virtual and 3D-like “amp-in-room” experience.

Add to that the premium Katana amp and effect tones, Bluetooth audio streaming and sound editing via your smartphone (from the free Boss Tone Studio app), and the Boss Waza-Air may be the ultimate all‑in-one practise-and-play-anywhere solution.

There are no cables to be found because Waza-Air pairs its headphones with a low-latency WL-T wireless transmitter. Both units have built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with an auto standby/wake function to conserve battery life. And it’s a long battery life, too – the headphones last for about five hours of play time, while the transmitter hangs around for roughly 12 hours.

The headphones feature custom-designed 50-millimetre drivers for studio-quality sound, soft conforming earpads and a wide headband for a secure and comfortable fit, plus power and Bluetooth-enable switches, a chrome-knurled guitar volume wheel and two plastic buttons that access the six onboard preset memories and tuner, and which also can control playback when streaming from your mobile device.

Waza-Air’s visceral engine is its advanced 3D algorithms, which provide three separate and spatially realistic environments (Surround, Static and Stage). Surround captures the immersive atmosphere of playing in a virtual recording studio, while Static activates the gyro sensor and places the amp and ambient room sound in front of you and pans it in relation to your head movements. Stage places the amp sound behind you, creating a virtual “live setting” that delivers lifelike sound and feel.

Once they’re fully charged, simply inserting the WL-T transmitter into the Waza-Air’s quarter-inch headphone jack instantly pairs both units for total wireless play. With no cables to get tangled up in, you have freedom to move about as you play while hearing your guitar in three novel environment settings. Surround mode is virtual-reality candy for your ears, but what’s wild is the panoramic effect triggered by your head turning in Static and Stage modes.

The aural sensation is surreal. And with the free Tone Studio app, you have 360-degree rotation control on where to place your guitar and audio positions. The Katana-Air voicings are intrinsically Boss-sounding, meaning they have a digital sheen combined with desirable analog overtones that sound completely organic. It’s the most pleasing high-gain and clean tones, with each sounding incredibly dimensional through these high-fidelity headphones.