Boss Waza Air wireless headphone amp

Started by Mrchevy, December 14, 2019, 10:19:16 PM

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phals2002

#25
Sorry if this has been discussed before but I wondered if this Waza Air can be used as regular wireless headphone? I mean plug the transmitter to the phone jack and play the songs from the phone. Can this work?


Mrchevy

#26
Quote from: phals2002 on February 29, 2020, 09:39:09 PM
Sorry if this has been discussed before but I wondered if this Waza Air can be used as regular wireless headphone? I mean plug the transmitter to the phone jack and play the songs from the phone. Can this work?


Anything the transmitter is plugged into will get sent to the headphones, but will go thru the amp modeling signal. That being said, you don't need to do this because the headphones are Bluetooth also, and can receive the signal from your phone via Bluetooth. Unless your phone doesn't have Bluetooth. These headphones receive both, guitar wireless(I think UHF frequency) from the transmitter, and Bluetooth audio from the phone, ipad, etc., at the same time. 
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

phals2002

#27
Thanks Mrchevy ....

Anyone ever tried this?
Actually I am planning to buy this headphone -of course- as my guitar practising tool, but in other hand it would be nice if I can use it also as my 'regular' headphone...  ;)

Will the audio which is passing thru the amp modelling signal sounded terrible? or still acceptable?  :) :) :)


Mrchevy

#28
I have had these since mid December. The Waza Air headphones are a full feature modeling amplifier ( think THR10, Adio air, Katana air, GT40, etc. The transmitter is used for connecting the guitar wirelessly  to the amp(headphones). The Bluetooth is a separate audio input signal ( completely bypassing any amp modeling or effects),  and is for playing any audio from your phone or tablet for jamming along with songs or backing tracks. So yes, excellent audio quality and they can be used as Bluetooth headphones only for listening to audio from your phone. As a side note, you'll also hear phone calls received and can listen to conversation when connected. This is annoying when your rockin Madison Square Gardens during your jam ;D ;).   The only thing shared between amp modeling and Bluetooth music is the AMBIENT settings (stage, static, surround). You can also watch youtube videos on your phone or tablet and listen with these via Bluetooth but, be aware that because of latency in Bluetooth, video may or may not be slightly out of sync with the audio. This is however not an issue with jamming to music tracks because your playing to the music and the guitar wireless has nearly 0 latency. Hopefully I didn't over explain things to the point of confusion. You won't be disappointed :)
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

phals2002

My next question is where you all buy your Boss Waza Air?
All stores seems to have it at April  ;D ;D ;D


Mrchevy

#30
I live in Florida, U.S.. I went to Sam Ash Music to get them. They were sold out. My guy there did a national inventory check and said the closest store that had them was in Texas, U.S., they had 3. He verified they had one and had it shipped to the store here in Florida. I got lucky. It was within a couple of days that they pretty much became a back order item and disappeared. I think the Corona virus is having a major impact on manufacturing and shipping from China and surrounding areas. I'm on the wait list for the Positive Grid Spark amp. Looks like May at the earliest for that.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Pi3141

Quote from: admin on January 03, 2020, 02:24:54 PM
...

I could buy a Boss GT-1 ($193)
https://www.amazon.com/Boss-GT-1-Guitar-Multi-effects-Pedal/dp/B01M03W1HD

and ATH-M40x ($99)
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATHM40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=ATH-M40x&qid=1578458056&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-10

...

Being a dad, I was looking for a compact and battery powered guitar -> modeller -> headphones solution in order to be able to play on the couch in the short time slots when family is not around.
That's why I went for the "GT-1 + headphones" solution and I got a GT-1 really cheap second hand. My conclusion is that it didn't work out as expected.
First of all I had to bring the guitar, the guitar cable, the GT-1 and the headphones to the couch every time before I started to play / practice.
After connecting everything, I always had to fiddle around with the headphone cable to get it out of the way when playing or operating the GT-1.
The AA batteries in the GT-1 had to be replaced / recharged from time to time, meaning, I had to open the case, take the batteries out, recharge etc.
This solution didn't feel productive in terms of using the available time to play / practice.

Recently I got a pair of the Waza Air headphones, again second hand but barely used. It's a whole different world compared to my previous solution.
I take my guitar of choice, plug in the transmitter and hang the headphones around my neck before I head to the couch. This way I have still one hand free to carry a glass of water or to open / close doors on the way.
It's also incredibly relieving to have no cables whatsoever but still be able to play an electric guitar through a modeller and headphones with no latency and the option to run backing tracks wirelessly on top as well.
In terms of sound I believe that the sound engine in the Waza Air unit is more advanced / realistic than in the GT-1. I really don't care about the gyro feature and use SURROUND mode for all my patches which I enjoy more than the direct / less ambient sound from the GT-1.

I agree that the price is quite high when buying new but on the other hand it's a really unique product. I'm a little disappointed that BOSS did not release a single FW update since the release, though. One of the things that should definitely be added is a mute function when using the in-app-tuner. Moreover, the iPad app feels like an up-scaled version of the iPhone app. The unit seems to pair much more reliable with my iOS device than with my Android device where I frequently get a lost connection.

I'm also using a more advanced rig with a fractal AX8 in my kind-of-studio room and am now considering to use the Waza Air in a flat mode to monitor the AX8 wirelessly through the headphones while having the guitar still connected via cable to the AX8. At least it's one cable less in the way and it might be interesting to use the SURROUND mode of the Waza Air for a more "amp in the room sound" when playing the AX8 over headphones.

Some other possible use cases for the Waza Air:
- Taking them to a guitar store when checking out guitars. You bring the amp sound, you're used to in a more consistent manner than using any available amp in the store + its ambiance.
- Going on vacation with a (travel) guitar and nothing more additional than a pair of headphones and a transmitter in order to take all your sounds from home on the road.

That's just some opinions / experiences from me as a happy Waza Air user ;)

It would be nice to see a dedicated Waza Air section in this forum since the technology is somewhat Katana-related. It is also possible to export and import patches so starting a patch exchange / collection here would be nice as well.

admin

#32
QuoteI'm also using a more advanced rig with a fractal AX8 in my kind-of-studio room and am now considering to use the Waza Air in a flat mode to monitor the AX8 wirelessly through the headphones while having the guitar still connected via cable to the AX8.

Good luck with that - post your results 

Quote
It would be nice to see a dedicated Waza Air section in this forum since the technology is somewhat Katana-related. It is also possible to export and import patches so starting a patch exchange / collection here would be nice as well.

Boss Waza AIR - User Patch Exchange
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=28302.0

Pi3141

Quote from: admin on April 10, 2020, 02:01:31 PM
Good luck with that - post your results 

Here is my procedure and my findings so far:
- My reference signal chain was as follows: Guitar via cable into AX8; AX8 out via cables (L & R) into USB audio interface; regular headphones connected to audio interface via cable (the AX8 has no headphone out, that's why)
- I then unplugged the regular headphones and plugged in Waza Air's wireless transmitter into the headphone jack on the audio interface
- In the BTS app for Waza Air I tried to create a "full range" preset which unfortunately seems to be impossible because even in the "FLAT/Bass/Acoustic" amp setting there seems to be a guitar speaker simulation active and cannot be disabled
- There are three cab options in the Waza Air system wide settings (Vintage/Modern/Deep) but I don't hear any obvious difference between these settings
- Playing full range audio over the wireless transmitter therefore sounds very mid-rangy and LoFi in the Waza Air headphones
- Moreover Waza Air accepts audio signals coming only from the tip of the transmitter jack and this signal is interpreted as a mono

In other words: the transmitter is meant to be plugged into guitars, basses or similar instruments but not into full range stereo headphone outs.
It probably would also work well when connected into a mono output of a pedal board, replacing a guitar amp.
There seems to be no actual way to run a signal through the transmitter and the headphones in full range without a cab sim which is confusing because the headphones have a full range sound for BT audio.
So I'm wondering if the frequencies are cut in the transmitter and therefore there would be no point to provide a full range option in the headphones' signal processing  ???
If it is just software related then it would be really nice if Boss provided a full range option in a future FW or app update.
Also, audio signals played through the "right channel" of the wireless transmitter can be heard very silently in the headphones. So they seem to be transmitted but muted in the headphones.

Quote from: admin on April 10, 2020, 02:01:31 PM
Boss Waza AIR - User Patch Exchange
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=28302.0

Thanks  8)

admin

#34
QuoteI then unplugged the regular headphones and plugged in Waza Air's wireless transmitter into the headphone jack on the audio interface

But that Wireless Transmitter is a Mono Audio only Transmitter designed for high-z Instrument connection - no stereo

(As you describe later in your post)

With any luck , by end of month I will have a NUX MIGHTY PLUG MP-2 - as my portable Practice rig that doubles as ASIO USB recording interface


DIY - Waza AIR  1/8" TRS Stereo Recording output mod
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xpmPW0oOEx_f0X7wBOXKn2bNAFlMKAsz

Brak(E)man

How does it sound/work on a low volume?
I'm asking because of my tinnitus and hyperacusis,
My threshold of pain lies about 65Db depending on
the day.
swimming with a hole in my body

I play Country music too, I'm just not sure which country it's from...

"The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist!"
- Lydia Lunch

Mrchevy

It sounds good at any audible level. Bluetooth volume is controlled by your device, and volume of the guitar is controlled on the headphones. Be aware the headphone volume does not maintain setting when shut off, it will be at full when turned on.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Chumly

#37
Is this a firmware upgrade?

WAZA-AIR System Program  https://www.boss.info/ca/support/by_product/waza-air/updates_drivers/a8fdf9f0-fdaf-4a67-9fcb-cebe557e11e7/

UPDATE HISTORY
[ Ver.1.20 ] JUL 2021
Please refer to the "[WAZA-AIR Reference Manual] Using BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR" in the [ OWNER'S MANUALS ] for details.
Additional Functions
The EV-1-WL wireless MIDI expression pedal is now supported.
You can control PEDAL WAH and FOOT VOLUME using the EV-1-WL pedal.
The CTL1 and CTL2 jacks on the EV-1-WL can now be used to switch patches, turn effects on and off, and return panning to its default state.
It is now possible to use the BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR app to set the respective functions of the pedal and of CTL1 and CTL2.
It is now possible to turn off movement of the sonic image by the gyro sensor.
The BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR app is required.
It is now possible to fix in place and to replicate the position of the sonic image when POSITION TYPE is set to STATIC or STAGE.
The functioning described above is possible when using WAZA-AIR version 1.20 in combination with BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR version 1.1.
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

szszoke

Quote from: Chumly on August 20, 2021, 05:45:13 PM
Is this a firmware upgrade?

WAZA-AIR System Program  https://www.boss.info/ca/support/by_product/waza-air/updates_drivers/a8fdf9f0-fdaf-4a67-9fcb-cebe557e11e7/

UPDATE HISTORY
[ Ver.1.20 ] JUL 2021
Please refer to the "[WAZA-AIR Reference Manual] Using BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR" in the [ OWNER'S MANUALS ] for details.
Additional Functions
The EV-1-WL wireless MIDI expression pedal is now supported.
You can control PEDAL WAH and FOOT VOLUME using the EV-1-WL pedal.
The CTL1 and CTL2 jacks on the EV-1-WL can now be used to switch patches, turn effects on and off, and return panning to its default state.
It is now possible to use the BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR app to set the respective functions of the pedal and of CTL1 and CTL2.
It is now possible to turn off movement of the sonic image by the gyro sensor.
The BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR app is required.
It is now possible to fix in place and to replicate the position of the sonic image when POSITION TYPE is set to STATIC or STAGE.
The functioning described above is possible when using WAZA-AIR version 1.20 in combination with BOSS TONE STUDIO for WAZA-AIR version 1.1.


Yes!

Chumly

#39
I figured it was.  It's just that they gave it such a peculiar name.  I know it says "It is now possible to turn off movement of the sonic image by the gyro sensor." and that should make Mrchevy happy, even though he mentioned he has a satisfactory workaround.

I guess in Boss-speak "System Program" means firmware update, and does not simply mean the existing firmware is available for download should you want it, even though the term "System Program" does not imply a firmware update let alone that "System Program" does not necessarily mean firmware.

Roland / Boss should scrutinize their English language usage. Well, there is nothing new about that concern, but it does go the heart of the matter in terms of customer support and the like.
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

Chumly

Come to think of it, I should mention I just bought one, although I'm too sleepy to put it through its paces, I am optimistic about the new firmware.
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

Mrchevy

I havn't done the update yet as I just saw this. Hopefully this will eliminate the drift issue regardless of what settings you use. Yes this makes me happy! However, the drift issue has a satisfactory work around, but BT conectivity IS a real annoyance and maybe they threw a little something in there to address that (if possible). THAT would be the cherries on the banana split.

BIG NOTE: In the update procedures it notes "DO NOT TURN OFF POWER DURRING UPDATE PROCESS. It is not noted in the procedure but, I would strongly suggest CHARGING THE HEADPHONES FULLY BEFORE DOING THIS UPDATE.!!!!! If the battery dies during the update, you may brick the headphones. I will do this update latter today and see how it does and report back.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Mrchevy

Just finished the update and did some jaming (may as well ;)). Procedures and steps are well written and had no issues with the update. The gyro lock works as expected. Just a simple on/off check box at top right of the "ambient" page window. A couple of observations regarding gyro lock....... 1. it locks in where the gyro is at when you check the box. If your looking left and check the box, it stay to the left when you rotate. It can not be adjusted on the touch screen once it is locked, (unlike when in suroundsound). 2. The lock does not stay on if you switch patches. You can however, set the lock and "WRITE" it to the patch and will retain the setting for later use. BT is still a bit buggy as it always has been. i think this issue is dependant on the device, (works better on some than others). Have nothing to report on the foot pedal side of the update as I don't use or have one. The setting for the wireless CTL/pedal are in the SYSTEM tab near the bottom.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Chumly

Best sig ever "Just finished the update and did some jamming (may as well)"
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

Pi3141

I also performed the update. Checking the Version before as described on the BOSS website indicated that my unit was on version 1.03. However, they don't seem to tell us, what's the difference between 1.03 and 1.10. The update history only mentions 1.20.
Somehow I don't understand the point of locking the gyro. Is there an audible difference between locked gyro and a similarly set position in surround mode?

admin

Quote from: Pi3141 on December 30, 2021, 08:20:18 AM
I also performed the update. Checking the Version before as described on the BOSS website indicated that my unit was on version 1.03. However, they don't seem to tell us, what's the difference between 1.03 and 1.10. The update history only mentions 1.20.
Somehow I don't understand the point of locking the gyro. Is there an audible difference between locked gyro and a similarly set position in surround mode?

The locked gyro option was in response to early adopters complaints of spatial drift auto panning the WAZA Air modeled tones front to rear, impacting the sound

Pi3141

Quote from: admin on December 30, 2021, 09:00:20 AM
The locked gyro option was in response to early adopters complaints of spatial drift auto panning the WAZA Air modeled tones front to rear, impacting the sound

Right, but doesn't it duplicate an option, that was already there? Namely, the "surround" mode where you can set a fixed spatial position of the virtual amp.
Locking the gyro in "static" mode seems to defeat the initial purpose of static mode.

admin

Quote from: Pi3141 on December 30, 2021, 10:47:06 AM
Right, but doesn't it duplicate an option, that was already there? Namely, the "surround" mode where you can set a fixed spatial position of the virtual amp.
Locking the gyro in "static" mode seems to defeat the initial purpose of static mode.

Just do a search in this thread for "Gyro" , many had drift issues

Mrchevy

Quote from: Pi3141 on December 30, 2021, 10:47:06 AM
Right, but doesn't it duplicate an option, that was already there? Namely, the "surround" mode where you can set a fixed spatial position of the virtual amp.
Locking the gyro in "static" mode seems to defeat the initial purpose of static mode.
The different modes do have subtle differences in sound and perception. The GYRO LOCK give you the ability to use any mode with out the annoying drift issue. I'm sure it may be a bit of redundancy in some cases. I had presets that used all modes, and hated the drift. I personally, and it seems many others, could care less about the GYRO feature. It is a neat feature, but as a novelty, that wears thin quickly. My personal solution to the drift issue was to limit the panning to maybe 10-20% max. I think it would be a more realistic sensation.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need