11. Advantek Networks Wireless Bluetooth Speakers

by Barry Gerber

Advantek Networks' ABT-SPK-A8 rechargeable wireless Bluetooth speakers are full of functionality. The speakers can play music and other types of sound from a Bluetooth enabled music or video player or a computer with A2DP/AVRCP Bluetooth capability. With their built-in microphone, the speakers can wirelessly turn your cell phone into a hands-free device. Hands-free also works with voice over IP services such as Skype. You can even plug a microphone into the unit to ensure better sound input during hands-free operation. And, if that's not enough, you can hardwire plug the speakers into any sound device with a line out jack to play music. You can do all of this on a battery charge that lasts up to 10 hours.

I had no problem pairing the ABT-SPK-A8 with an Acer Ferrari 1000 laptop running Windows Vista. I was sure to set Bluetooth Stereo Audio as the default in the Windows Vista Sound, Control Panel applet. The sound was quite good. The bass was far from perfect, but I could hear high- and mid-range sound with good clarity. Rock and jazz sounded very good. Even classical pieces sounded pretty good. On Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major the full sound dynamic from very quiet to heroic was there.

Because the two speakers are pretty close together, I could discern only modest stereo separation, but I appreciated what I could hear. When I plugged the speakers directly into the Acer's headphone out jack the sound quality was the same as when music was transmitted to the speakers wirelessly. And how cool was it when I was able to use the media player control buttons on the Advantek Networks' speakers (see the photo below) to start, pause and move forward and backward through music selections on the Ferrari.

I also had no problem pairing the speakers for hands-free voice dialing with my Blackberry Pearl. In this case, I was careful to set Bluetooth Hands-free Audio as the default in Windows Vista's Sound, Control Panel applet. The button with the phone icon in the photo above initiates hands-free operation on a paired phone, and the phone, through the speakers, asks for the name or number of the person you want to call. Your input is received through the ABT-SPK-A8's built-in microphone and transmitted to the phone. The speakers come with a clip to hang the unit on a car sun visor, which is just where you want it for hands-free voice dialing operation.

I have not had much luck with voice dialing on the Pearl whether I use a Bluetooth headset, a hardwired headset or speak directly into the Pearl's microphone. Sometimes the name of the person I want to call is recognized. Sometimes it's not. Maybe it's me; maybe it's the Pearl. But, I was not surprised when the Advantek speakers did no better with voice dialing than headsets and direct voice input. I can't fault the speakers here. They should work just like any other voice dialing input method on a specific phone.

The speakers are supported by a flip-out stand that holds them in an upright position.

Advantek Networks' ABT-SPK-A8 wireless Bluetooth speakers pair easily with other Bluetooth devices. Music sounds quite good on the speakers in wireless or hardwired mode. Hands-free voice dialing works just as well with the speakers as it does with other voice input methods. One thing I didn't try was hanging the speakers in my car and transmitting music to them from a Bluetooth enabled portable music player. This should work well when an FM transmitter isn't available to send music to the car radio. The ABT-SPK-A8 has enough features to make it quite attractive at the current street price of $99.