About the size of a bowling ball and half the weight (a little under 6 pounds), the speaker is easy to carry, and its green case will blend in with fake rocks and pink flamingos. It works on a 900-MHz wireless frequency; Advent says it'll work up to a distance of 150 feet. I carried the device to the far reaches of my estate (maybe 75 feet), and it still played. It even continued playing while I ran water over it in the sink--the manual says it'll withstand light moisture. A footnote on the box, though, says "not for use in damp locations," and an Advent rep says the unit is not designed for permanent outdoor installation; you're supposed to bring it indoors after use.
A wireless transmitter plugs into a PC, TV, or stereo; I had to fiddle with the frequency settings on both the transmitter and the speaker to tune out static. After I did that, the sound was surprisingly good--about the clarity of FM radio, with a commendable amount of bass. I did hear infrequent loud pops. The speaker puts out monaural sound, but if you buy two you can set them up as discrete right and left stereo channels.
The product runs on either eight D batteries or AC power. Only the AC adapter is included. A set of alkalines is supposed to last 13 hours.
I would probably use the ADVW801 in different parts of the house, or the garage. Whether it's appropriate for drowning out the neighbors and getting the squirrels to back off, that's up to you.
Good sound, but you can't leave this outdoor speaker outdoors--and the neighbors may grumble.
List: $150
Current Price (if available)
