Honest Review of WAZA-AIR After Using It for 2 Years - The Great and the Not-So-Great Parts About It

I’ve been using the BOSS wireless headphone guitar amplifier, the WAZA-AIR, for nearly two years now, so I would like to share my honest thoughts. Ultimately, I’m glad I purchased it, but there are a few aspects that didn’t live up to my expectations, so I’ll be giving my honest review on it.

BOSS / WAZA-AIR

The price is around 45,000 yen (tax included), which isn’t exactly cheap, so I’m sure many of you may be hesitant to buy it. Since there aren’t many stores where you can try it out beforehand, it can be difficult to judge whether the gear suits you or not. If you’re one of those who are unsure, I hope my review will help you in making your decision.

■ The Awesome Aspects of the WAZA-AIR

○ It Feels Great to Play

The best thing I’ve noticed after using the WAZA-AIR is how enjoyable it is to play. Whether it’s clean or distorted, the sound has a presence, so just strumming a chord feels satisfying. Normally, you wouldn’t get a chance to play guitar at full volume unless you’re in a studio, but with this, you can play loud at home without disturbing anyone, and it’s amazing to be able to do so with headphones.

○ No Sound Leakage, So You Can Use It Freely in an Apartment

Since it's a closed-back headphone, there’s essentially no sound leakage to the outside. Of course, the sound of the guitar itself will still be audible, but unless you're in a very thin-walled apartment, you won't be disturbing anyone. I can practice with an amp even in the middle of the night, so my guitar practice time has increased.

○ Play While Streaming External Audio via Bluetooth

It's fantastic that you can connect via Bluetooth to a PC or smartphone and play music while jamming along. I found it to be so enjoyable to get lost in the sound with headphones. The button on the headphone itself lets you switch between the six effect patches, which is really convenient. If you set up your sounds in the app beforehand, you can easily change tones while playing.

○ Quick Setup for Instant Practice

Setting up the WAZA-AIR is incredibly easy: ① Plug the transmitter into the guitar's jack. ② Turn on the headphones and put them on. That's it! While you do need to connect with the smartphone app to customize your sound, it's also quick and easy. Being able to connect and start practicing right away is super convenient. Plus, the app has a built-in tuner, so no need to set up a separate tuner.

○ No Hassle with Cables or Shielding

With a traditional guitar amp, you sometimes get frustrated with the shielded cables. The same goes for using wired headphones with an amp. WAZA-AIR is completely wireless, so there’s no hassle with cables. Without the cables, you can move around the house freely while holding the guitar. I can play in the living room and then switch things up and go play in the kitchen, all because it’s wireless.

○ Compact, So It Doesn’t Take Up Much Storage Space

WAZA-AIR is incredibly compact, as it only requires the headphones and transmitter. Traditional amps and effects pedals can take up a lot of space, and if you like to keep the boxes for storage, that can add to the clutter. On the other hand, WAZA-AIR is compact, making it ideal for people who prefer a minimalist lifestyle and don’t want a lot of stuff taking up room. It’s also a big advantage when moving, as it reduces the amount of luggage you have to deal with.

○ No Latency

Latency is a big concern when using wireless equipment. At first, I was skeptical about whether there would be any delay with WAZA-AIR due to its compact design. However, after using it, I realized that there was absolutely no need to worry. While there may technically be some latency, I couldn’t perceive any. It’s truly impressive.

○ Lightweight Headphones

The weight of the headphones is 320g. I initially assumed that the headphones would be heavy because they incorporate the amplifier, but I was surprised by how light they actually are when I tried them on. They’re light enough that wearing them for long periods of time doesn’t cause any discomfort. The transmitter, which attaches to the guitar, weighs only 43g, so it’s not noticeable either.

○ Good Sound Quality for Wireless

Sound quality can be subjective and depends on personal preference or use, but I believe the sound quality for wireless is quite good. Compared to a real amp, the sound quality might be slightly inferior, but for equipment that only consists of headphones and a transmitter, the sound quality is surprisingly good. Despite being a lightweight, integrated headphone amp, WAZA-AIR delivers high-quality sound, which speaks to BOSS’s advanced technology.

■ Things I Don’t Like

○ The App is a Bit Difficult to Use

To create sounds with the WAZA-AIR, you use the BTS for WAZA-AIR app. Once you get used to it, it becomes easy to use, but it’s not very user-friendly. The fact that it is not localized into Japanese and is entirely in English might be one of the reasons it feels difficult to use.

○ The App’s Effects Features are Hard to Use

The BTS for WAZA-AIR app has various effects such as distortion, space effects, modulation effects, and filters. However, they are difficult to use. The interface shown in the image below is not very intuitive, and you cannot make detailed adjustments for each effect. The quality of the effects themselves is also not very good, so personally, I find them lacking.

○ I Don’t Use the Gyro Sensor Much

The WAZA-AIR has a feature with 3D sound technology and a gyro sensor that changes the sound localization based on the movement of your head while playing. At first, the sensation of sound moving as if you're performing in a live venue was impressive, but it becomes difficult to practice when the sound localization keeps changing. While it’s a cool effect to experience, I honestly think it’s unnecessary for practicing.

○ Few Stores Offer Trials

Due to the nature of this product, it’s hard to find places that allow you to try it out. I didn’t have a store nearby where I could test it, so I ended up buying it without trying it first. In the end, I’m happy with my purchase, but buying a ¥45,000 (tax included) product without trying it first does require some courage. If you could experience it in-store, it’s a product that would make you want to buy it, but without the opportunity to try it, it’s hard to pull the trigger.

○ No External Output Function, So Can't Record

The WAZA-AIR doesn’t have an external output function, which means you can’t record with it. It’s a bit disappointing. If you come up with a cool phrase and want to record it on your phone, you can’t output the sound externally. Personally, I just take off the headphones and hold the phone speaker close to record it... (Of course, this method doesn’t allow me to monitor the sound while recording.)

○ Can’t Use the Headphones While Charging

As I mentioned in the official Help page, you can't use the headphones while they’re charging. With a full charge, they last about 5 hours, so I don’t feel too dissatisfied with this, but it’s a bit inconvenient when I forget to charge them and can’t use them while charging.

■ Who Should Consider the WAZA-AIR

• You have trouble practicing with an amp due to living in an apartment
• You live with family and can’t make loud sounds with an amp
• You don’t have space to place an amp (or effects pedals) in their room
• You find it troublesome to connect an audio interface to their smartphone
• You want to play wirelessly with no delay
• You find cables annoying and want to practice wirelessly

While there are a few points I personally find a bit lacking, overall I’m glad I purchased the WAZA-AIR. It’s especially useful when I want to practice late at night. I’m hoping that future models or app updates will address the areas that could be improved.

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