Customer Reviews

Audiovox Acoustic Research AW850 Mission Style Wireless Speaker and Light (Bronze)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nice sound for its size & and it is a very attractive fixture (built-in 40-watt candelabra-base bulb <not included>).
With controls on bottom and mounting bracket on back, this works best when mounted on a wall light electrical box (preferably a metal one). With hardware and great instructions provided, I was able to permanently mount it where there was a wall light fixture on my back porch. It took less than an hour.
Inside the house, my music source is the commercial-free Sirius channels on the TV.

i purchased this for a convenient way to have sound on my deck, without drilling holes through my walls and running speaker wire through my house.... that being said, when the speaker worked, it worked well. Getting the unit to acknowledge that it was a speaker, however, is a greater challenge. Rarely would the little blue light illuminate, indicating it was ready to receive a signal, and more rarely would it actually connect and produce sounds.

I have yet to determine how the unit decides to connect to the antenna and function as intended... in addition, the limitation on the lightbulb makes it doubly ineffective as a light source, so it doesn't live up to both its claims. I would therefore recommend any shopper move on to the next item in the hope that a truly wireless outdoor speaker exists.

Very nice looking and sturdy fixture. Easy install into existing J-box, good instructions, everything included. Sound is fine for what it is. Wireless connection is very good even with tons of other wireless things in operation in the house.

Two Negatives: the rubber seal on the bottom that protects the controls is not very snug. It won't last long at all. Takes Type B light bulbs, 40W max. Pretty useless for a light, but ok for just ambiance.

A lot of speakers designed for outdoor use, well, look like speakers. They're rectangular, rigid and too box-like. If you're like me, then you don't want to clutter your beautiful backyard with ugly wires and more importantly an ugly sound system. That's why I love the AW850 outdoor speaker. This speaker set-up is very elegant and stylish and fits in with most any decor. The speaker itself is small enough to be light-wight and portable, but big enough to produce enough sound. The construction of the speaker is beautiful, as the speaker casing is all metal, making it look very classy and well-built. I love that fact that you can hang it up or have it set somewhere. As far as the sound quality goes, it has a very good sound for a less-expensive speaker system, and the quality is quite clear and crisp. Of course it's not the same as Bose, or another more expensive system, but the sound is still very good. This speaker (I only have one set on the "mono" setting) gets plenty loud even with other background noise. The wireless range is excellent reaching about 125 ft. at my house, even through walls and other obstacles.

Now as far as the durability in bad weather goes, this speaker does work perfectly fine in light rain and other poor conditions, just don't leave it outside in poor weather overnight or for extended periods. It's not completely weather resistant but still holds up well. Other notable aspects of this system include the fact that you can hook up another one of these speakers to have a left and right speaker system for fuller, louder sound. I just have one and it works perfectly for me and I have a decent sized 1.5 acre yard. Some people have reported slight sound quality issues with certain audio sources like iPods, but I have hooked this speaker up to virtually every audio source available and have had great sound every time.

All in all this is an excellent outdoor speaker and a great value. I highly recommend this system to anyone looking for a high quality, stylish outdoor audio solution. This a great product and would certainly consider buying a second speaker to add on the one I have. Excellent job Acoustic Research.

I was a bit concerned after reading these reviews, but I took a chance and bought it. It installed very easily, just as easy as installing a light fixture. Once installed, I just plugged in my Ipod to the Transmitter and plugged the transmitter into the wall outlet, and that was it. I had no hiss, no dropped sound, or other issues. The sound quality is very good. And the ability to change the volume on both the speaker and on the Ipod (or other audio device), makes it convenient to change volume from the source too. The only minor complaint would be that the controls are located on the bottom of the speaker where you have to bend down to see them.

This is not a "Wireless" speaker, exactly. The speaker has to be hardwired to the wall for a power source. It does not have a battery or plug-in option. It receives a wireless signal from a music source, ipod etc. But be aware that this is a major electrical installation, intended to be a permanent outdoor fixture, wall mounting is recommended.

That being said, even though I was looking for a different product, I decided to keep and install this and so far we are very happy with it. Sound quality is pretty good, it's done fine against the elements so far and having it wall mounted does mean it turns off and on from a wall switch.

I just installed a pair of these today outside above my deck. Took about an hour for 2 of them but that includes removing the existing fixture that was there.

-Instructions are simple
-Installation went smoothly no "Gotcha's"
-Fixture is nice looking and solid and feels of good quality.
-Sound quality is excellent so far, I am using an ipod touch out to 2 wireless units. I am only 20 ft away.
-Volume is OK, I would like to be able to go up higher but for my purposes, on an 800 sq ft deck it is plenty
-I purchased a CFL bulb for it which works fine but does produce a slight buzzing sound in the speaker, I may swap them out for a regular bulb or look for an LCD that is brighter than a 40 watt.

For me these are perfect they solve the speaker wire and power source for exterios sound, combined with attractive lights. They will not be the only light source so if not terribly brite that will be fine.

Good sound and easy to use. Unfortunately, with our system, when it's hooked up one cannot hear the music on the indoor speakers-- but we are rarely in two places in this part of the house so it's cool.

I wanted music for my backyard without the hassle of wires or needing somewhere to plug it in. This was a perfect fit. Installation can be a little challenging with one person so I recommend two. I also needed to make a trip to the hardware store to get a better fastening system, but only cost about $1.50. I still may drill the holes bigger to replace with stronger screws. The light is not going to illuminate your backyard, but with a good bulb, you can have ample mood lighting on your deck or porch. I first hooked it up to my radio in the garage that is about 90 feet away and immediately they connected. My radio doesn't get great reception so I trip another portable radio in the house and again, no problems. Later that night I tried again and it would connect, but cut in and out. I tried all over the house and even outside near the device and still had the problem. I then tried my ipod and no issues at all. I tried a second Ipod with the FM tuner and it worked fine. The next day tried another portable radio and it also cut in and out. I do not understand why, but it's easy to work around. I've been able to connect via my laptop with internet radio as well as my cable box and the cable providers radio stations. It is a very clear sound with sufficient volume. The range is very good. I have the sensor in my upstairs bedroom on the other side of the house from where the device is. We will see how durable it is over time and weather, but my only regret is that I did not purchase sooner. Anyone that has had issues is either doing something wrong or you have a defective device. This thing works great and I NEVER write reviews!

Outdoor speaker are great but it's hard when it comes to wiring. I bought these for my parents for their patio off the back of their house. I hooked it up to their stereo inside which is about 30 feet away. Simple installation. Replaced an existing light with the speaker light combo. Pumps great music to the backyard and the lights are very nice. Not to bright but more of a decorative lighting. They couldn't be more happy. I wwould recommend this product.