I really like music. All kinds of music. My playlist ranges from 9 Inch Nails to Niccolò Paganini. From Spice 1 to Gymnopédie No 1. Not a single day goes by once I do not hearken to music. When Teufel shot me an e-mail asking if I needed to present its flagship moveable speaker a hear, I mentioned, “What’s a Teufel?“
Seems, Teufel is a German firm that is been round since earlier than I used to be born (barely, since 1979 to be exact), making a few of the greatest THX house audio methods ze Germans had ever recognized. Enjoyable reality: “teufel” means “satan” in German.
It seems as if I am not the one American to have by no means heard of Teufel (I did an off-the-cuff ballot of music lovers and trade professionals that I do know). That is in all probability what led the German firm to pair up with world-renowned Fender to launch the Fender x Teufel Rockster 2 collection of moveable audio system.
Fender has been round since 1946, when Leo Fender and Doc Kauffman – underneath the model identify Okay&F – constructed the Model 26 “Woodie” amp (that may nonetheless promote for effectively over ten grand). In 1948, Leo took his act solo and cranked out the primary Fender Esquire, which later grew to become the legendary Telecaster. Since then, Fender has just about turn out to be a family identify, even for many who aren’t musicians.
And if we’re being trustworthy, Fender lending its identify to Teufel’s Bluetooth speaker speaks volumes to the credibility of an in any other case unknown firm in some markets. Fender would not simply stick its brand on one thing less-than-stellar, I do not suppose. And the collab has boosted gross sales of the Rockster collection to certainly one of Teufel’s largest hits.
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Now that that is outta the best way, what’s up with the Fender x Teufel Rockster Air 2? Is it definitely worth the currently-listed US$479.99 hype? That is a fairly first rate chunk of change for a transportable Bluetooth speaker … lemme break it down for ya:
This factor ROCKS.
First impression: “It seems like a Fender amp, do like!” adopted by, “Dang, it is heavy!”
I instantly queued up my favourite “test-a-system’s-capabilities track,” DJ Magic Mike’s “Lower the Dynamite.” A 1989 Miami bass monitor of speaker-blowing Roland TR-808 bass with layered E-mu SP-1200 breakbeat samples, critical report scratches, and only a pinch of vocals.
I used to be instantly shocked. Absolutely cranked, the speaker didn’t clip. In any respect. Zero. And it is loud! And it bumps! I am the man who modified my automobile doorways to simply accept 6×9 three-ways and threw a 12″ Rockford Fosgate sealed field within the combine. I am telling you, I actually like music.
I used to be too excited by the loud but clear audio that I could not anticipate the track to complete and I instantly went into musical-ADHD-mode, listening by not less than the primary refrain of songs by Die Antwoord, Baauer, Squirrel Nut Zippers, DJ Snake (Flip Down for What?!?), Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, and so on, looking for a flaw throughout playback. Nothing was instantly obvious.
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I’ve had it for about two weeks now. I hearken to it virtually daily in my home and out within the yard. It is spent roughly half of its life at full quantity (sorry, neighbors), enjoying practically each style of music (besides nation, in fact).
Now that I’ve had a while with it in varied situations, my solely actual gripe: The high-frequency treble from the 1-inch tweeter may be very directional. For those who’re immediately in entrance of the speaker, even dozens of toes away, it is crisp, sharp, and detailed. Take a few side-steps away from the candy spot and the high-frequencies drop off fairly shortly, leaving you with wealthy bass from the 10-inch sub and fewer than good treble.
It isn’t a deal-breaker, in my view, however it’s a bit short-sighted for a transportable get together speaker.
However that additionally results in the truth that it is not only a moveable get together speaker. It is a speaker that pushes the boundaries of prosumer gear and flies simply shut sufficient to “skilled” that it may get the Icarus rap and fall quick.
For those who take a peek behind the Air 2, you will be completely satisfied to see stuff like an XLR enter AND output (for something XLR: mics, mixers, different audio system, you identify it!), a 3.5mm enter (like a headphone jack, however for enter), a 1/4″ enter (for an instrument), and even a USB-C charging port to maintain your telephone or no matter topped up. Oh, and an “eco” button that I am going to get into in a minute.
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There are even quantity stage controls for every enter. Wish to Bluetooth in a backing monitor whilst you jam in your Strat and rip a lead solo? You possibly can. Wanna to daisy-chain your Air 2 into your Fender stack? You possibly can. You need to plug in a mic and serenade your crowd mid-solo whereas the backing monitor continues to be enjoying by each audio system, whereas consuming Cheetos and chewing bubble gum? You completely can.
So, who is that this speaker for, precisely?
Buskers. It is the right speaker for the individuals who cease you in your tracks, cranking out covers of your favourite songs whereas sitting on road corners. The folks doing freestyle raps. Public audio system or announcers at an occasion. The cellular DJs who desires fast setup and simple teardown whereas nonetheless sounding actually, actually good.
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Or wherever that plugging into energy is a matter. The Air 2 has a ridiculously lengthy battery life at FIFTY EIGHT HOURS from its 12-volt, motorbike battery-sized LFP battery. So, marathon-buskers, I assume. The 58-hour determine is achieved by enjoying the speaker at half quantity. However who buys a giant moveable speaker like this to solely play it at 5/10? Not me. Absolutely cranked, it’s going to nonetheless run for 31 hours in Eco mode. That eco button on the again I discussed earlier? It limits the bass to preserve battery-juice, giving it over a day’s value of max quantity playback.
Outdoors of plugging in my Fender acoustic electric guitar from time to time to let my neighbors understand how unhealthy I’m at enjoying the guitar, I in all probability will not use half the features this beast is able to. The Air 2 has the built-in capacity to wirelessly join to a different Air 2 to get a full on stereo expertise, the place one speaker will act because the left and the opposite the correct channel. I haven’t got two to play with, but when I did, I wager my guitar enjoying would sound twice nearly as good.
Knowledgeable artist, however, may discover it virtually ok, however missing in different features: Sure, it technically has DSP underneath the hood, however there isn’t any solution to management it. There isn’t any companion app or parametric EQ – simply a few twiddly knobs on high for bass and treble. And neglect about vocal results. There isn’t any reverb or magic button to make your drunk karaoke buddy sound just like the Celine Dion she thinks she is.
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And let’s not neglect that the speaker does not have an IP-rating for water or mud. That implies that it isn’t in any respect protected towards the weather. All these inputs and outputs on the again? Yeah, there is not even a canopy plate for ’em. Teufel actually missed the mark on that word.
The Rockster Air 2 is just not precisely small for a transportable unit. It is a tad shy of two toes tall, 12.7 in broad, and 13.5 in deep (59x32x34 cm), and weighs a hefty 31.2 lb (14.2 kg). Large enough that Teufel presents a (substantial and never low-cost) backpack accessory for carrying it round in your again somewhat than the off-balance waddle you will be doing utilizing the built-in deal with on high.
There is a ton of information concerning the tech specs behind it on the Teufel website: Bluetooth aptX HD/AAC, 47-22,000 Hz, 80° horizontal and 40° vertical protection space, 80 watt RMS, Class D amp, 115 dB at 1 meter, and so on … however I simply needed to make this a real-world evaluate with my real-world expertise.
So to spherical it off: If I have been out there for a sub-500-dollar, great-sounding, moveable speaker with an unbelievable battery life that I may even jam on? Then heck yeah, the extremely long-named Fender x Teufel Rockster Air 2 can be on the high of my listing. Its enormous sound and lumbering dimension makes my JBL Flip 6 simply appear foolish – although I completely love the little JBL. Nothing compares to its dimension vs sound high quality … However I can take my JBL within the bathe with me, so there’s that …
I believe I’ll purchase one other one.
Supply: Teufel
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