Thanks for supporting the channel we just made it to 150k subscribers! I want to thank everyone for their support. I hope you like my little skit at the start. 🤣 There's a thank you message in the timestamps below as well. Timestamps: 0:00 - What? 1:08 - Jam Track (Katana) 2:39 - About this video 3:58 - Gear Setup 4:49 - Waza-Air Test 7:14 - Katana 100 7:48 - Final Thoughts 10:15 - 150K Subs Thanks Get the gear here: ►Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/qbBKO ► Thomann - bit.ly/3jM7T9A (affiliate links - these help support the channel at no extra cost to you)
The headphones are without doubt the best thing I’ve ever owned from a music point of view. Why? Because you just play. Bandcamp, TH-cam or wherever your favourite backing track comes from and you jam along happy as Larry. Minimal fuss, just plug and play! I was forever tweaking my Kemper and I spent my 1h per day practice tweaking. The recent lockdown and these headphones have made me a better guitarist. Good vid as always!
I live in a flat, I used a roland 15xl for years which is not the greatest but it served my purposes. At the beginning of this year I purchased a waza air and I like it! Sometimes I play guitar at 1 or 2 am and no one hear it so its really practical, plus it sounds great for me!
Honestly I just bought them, 449, and I absolutely love them!!!!!!!!! Love love love them. Can’t believe how good they sound. And I live in a two bedroom apartment so it’s just nice for everyone around me too.
i think for me the Headphones would be a better choice. Family of 4, my amp prohibits me from practicing with any kind of volume. I can plug a set of headphones in, but the wires tend to get in the way a lot. It would allow me to take my guitar where ever i could in the house and play without someone else in the room.
I tried that but soon got ear problem. Then bought roland microcube seems like this all i needed, wasted my money for nothing on steinberg ur22 and a pair of audio technica headphone.
Just be resonable with the volume, I got permanent ear damage from using headphones, also don't use them for prolonged periods of time. Perhaps you can try a yamaha thr amp, they sound extremely good at very low volumes.
I'm glad someone brought this up, I'm in the same situation. I would usually practice late at night after the baby is asleep using my laptops interface and headphones. Firstly, I spend way too much time dialing the tones, there are 2 cables strangling me and then there's the ear fatigue which eventually will become a huge problem. I couldn't find any solution rather than practicing unplugged and wait for a better time in my life to play electric guitar.
I was bought the WAZA-AIR-Air headphones for Christmas by my wife - think she’s trying to tell me something! They are awesome!!! Great tones and blutoothing to my phone makes practice anywhere way more enjoyable. It really is like you’re part of the band rather than an added guitar over a backing track. They are very expensive, but if you don’t need another amp but do like to practice at loud volumes in a flat etc. they really are superb. I even use them when I could crank the amp up because they’re so convenient. I’ve never played through a Katana amp but if the tones are as good as the Waza’s they must be great amps and I can see why they are so popular. Right, I’m off to sit in the garden with my Strat and blast through some rock and blues tracks in the sunshine with my Phones on.
I've had the Boss headphones since December '19. To me worth every penny, I love jamming/playing along to my favourite songs/backing tracks through bluetooth, while it feels like I'm on stage. But the best part is that I'm not bothering anyone in the house, while I have my "amp" cranked, even at midnight.
I live in the sticks in QLD, can crank anything i own to 11 without problems. But i purchased these headphones while i was spending a night with my good mate Jack Daniels. They showed up, couldnt remember buying them, plugged em in and started using them, Loved them and still do. Then i saw how much i paid for em, While my jaw did drop a bit, it was quickly replaced by a thought of, yep these are worth it.. They sound just lovely, and being able to grab my guitar and headphones and sit out on the porch or out the back in my shack with near 0 setup time has given me so much more practice time and its inspiring practice time. Ive never been inspired by headphone practicing before. These are a different story.
100% agree with you Shane! All the questions/arguments as to what’s better this or that the answer really is not what’s better but what is better for your application! One mans Kemper is another mans tube amp etc. If you work with your gear and know what you want you should be able to get your tone out of anything to a decent level that’s inspiring to you! And that’s all that matters! Not that you have the latest/best gear available but that you have the right gear for you and you know how to use it!
What appeals most to me about the Waza Air is the sound quality and wireless aspect of it. Maybe none better for "quality tone" in a silent, simple, comfortable practice solution. What kills me is the price. If these were under $250 US I'd already own them. I do own a Katana 100 MK2 and I don't believe there is anything better for the price. A few months on with the amp now and it still continues to amaze me, on a daily basis! In place of all the internal options and effects I prefer to use a small effects board with it. I'm not much for USB's and editors, etc.
Slightly different thoughts on this. Don't think at all it is a one or the other type option. Most will have and amp that buy the Waza Air. For silent practice, a thousand reasons why this is useful. The big versitlitly is the Waza Air is Wireless. Put on the headphones, set up your presets plug it in and WOW!! FREEDOM!! can walk anywhere in the house, go outside, practice anywhere. With very little gear to deal with. IMO the Waza Air sounds better than any amp via headphones. Can't say the same for the Kantana. Give me my Tweed, JCM, Magnatone, or whatever anyday. Two points, with the Katana you're still going to be Headphone cord bound (even if the Guitar is wireless. Lastly and most imortant Folks should remember, The Waza Air is NOT just apair of headphones!!! See that a lot, it is a complete amp and effects, wireless guitar system ALL rolled into one unit. Takes more to shrink a Katana amp and effect into the size of a set of headphones that are powered too. A number of reviews point out more that the Waza Air are Headphones and minimalizing the rest. For what it is, it's very good. Have multiple small amps that sound great in a house at lower volume. However the Waza Air gives a person freedom of VOLUME!! if you want to crank it, no issue, nobody will care, not the GF, Babay sleeping or neighbors. Best of all doesnt even matter what time of day or night you want to play and listen loudly. Sure it's a private only for you thing. Sometimes, well most of the time, that is what players do, practice by themselves. With the WAZA there are no restrainsts of where or when.
Get binaural earmics and its not private. I got SonicEssence earmics and it sounds studio quality. Just slip them on your ears, throw the WAZA AIRS on, pick a stereo recording capable app of your choice (on Android I use ShurePlus Motiv - good aesthetic, user friendly, completely free) and it sounds exactly as I hear it in the Wazas.
I have the WAZA AIR headphones AND an amp. I have the headphones for when I'm away from home, but still want great tones and for when I'm home but can't play my Amp at the volume I'd like. Yeah they're a little pricey, but I've been really happy with them.
Yup, but my practice time doubled since i got them. I can just put them on and have 4 solid hrs of battery time to practice, the best headphone sound i heard at least till now, no cables no fuss, not even having to be plugged in. And i can play guitar at midnight without anybody complaining.
Theyre really not expensive. Save up money, guitar is one of the cheapest instruments out there. A decent piano or violin would cost you thousands, where as a good guitar can be 900 dollars.
I bought the bass version of the Waza phones. Winced at the price, slight bluetooth issues on Android seem to be fixed in Oct 22 update. Like others, I find them fantastic because I can just pick up and play. No worry about cables, bugging neighbors, getting the room right, etc. So, imo, pricey, but *well* worth it to me. Think I'll buy the amp, too. It's only money. 💸
Are you still enjoying them after your comment 4 months ago?? I'm thinking about to get them also, I already have the Katana mk50 amp, Im just not sure because I can't see an improvement compared to use the Amp and plug regular good pair of headphones in?
I have both and the headphones are the best for sure for someone with a family or neighbours or doesn't want hearing impairment. The amp is sooooooooooooooo loud and the headphones are easier to dial in sounds and they sound amazing. You can mirror your phone to the TV so you can do a TH-cam tutorial and play the guitar and blend them so you can hear it all at once it's a game changer in my opinion
I am a Waza owner since March of this year and I‘ve got to say they are more than what I have expected. I mean why in hell would I want to buy another amp that I don‘t need!? There are a few issues with the Waza though namely the gyro drift, single cable charging (you‘ll either need a split cable or two cables) of which , for the price, I think Boss could have fixed. Battery lasts approximately 3 hours but thats more than enough for any practice session and the neighbors don‘t hear all the wrong notes that I‘m playing ;)). Any of my friends that have tried mine are totally impressed. They are a bit pricey but if they make me practice more well..........
I have a set of the WAZA-AIRs and really like them. I only have time to practice at night after the kids go to sleep and the wife doesn’t want to hear me repeating the same song, lick, etc over and over. Personally I don’t use the gyro effect - it was fun at first but quickly lost its appeal. What I do like is the convenience - plug in, turn on, and go. No cords, no amps to bring out, etc. My situation is different though - my gear is in the bedroom so I done leave amps out and plugged in. The ease of use has led to more practice on my part. Another bonus is that if I need to practice in another room it’s easy to move (my wife’s office is in the bedroom so if she’s working I’ll go to another room). These are pricy though; I think they should’ve dropped the gyro and cut the price. I agree with your conclusion - these are totally dependent on your situation; I’d still buy them if I did it again because of the convenience. It def has led to increased practice for me.
They are brilliant. Love mine. Crazy money but worth every cent. Tried for ages to make my kemper work with headphones and it sounds great but the wires are hell. These just make life really easy and easy means more time practicing.
I travel daily and carry a vox headphone amp. About the size of a pack of gum. Plugs straight into the guitar. Great tones. They make a few different models, rock, blues, metal etc. to fit your style. It has clean, dirty and crunch settings as well as fairly decent effects. ( chorus,delay,trem ) Runs approximately 17 hours on 2 aaa batteries. Aux in for your phone or other 3.5 media for backing tracks. Headphone jack for earbuds or headphones of your choice. At 40$ US it's totally affordable, great for travel and a must for late night silent play. I do not work for this company and I'm not endorsed. But for me this is the most invaluable piece of gear I own! Love your channel Shane, thanks for all you do!
Wow, VERY interesting comparison. I never even thought about choosing between the two. If it’s for home use only, seems like the headphones would be awesome
I own both and I really love them both equally. The one thing I miss at the Waza is that I can't download user patches on it. Only the ones from the library.
Best intro ever 😂. If you have the money, they are great, but there are options out there to cover quiet practice that cost less, even if less convenient!
I might get the headphones since I'm going overseas in the next couple of months and will be staying at least a year. I'll bring just one of my electric guitars with me that isn't too expensive. Thanks for demonstrating these headphone because I didn't even know they existed.
I think you would never purchase these headphones instead of an amp, only in addition to owning an amp. I have both, and the speed in which you can get up and running with the headphones is a game changer and means you practice more frequently. The sounds are great too.
I have both the Waza headphones and the katana MKII. Both awesome in their own world. Best thing about the Waza...wireless and jam all over the place....no strings attached....sounding awesome and able to jam along with tracks on stereo.
I don't think that price is excessive. They are hardly just headphones. You don't want. to know how many $400 EQD pedals I have. If I needed a silent playing solution, they would be top of my list. I checked out the Boss Tube Expander, which is twice the price.
I would like to try them coming out of the WazaTAE and using them like a pair of in ears. Problem I heard is that the auto shut off if not in motion, if the had that as an option to turn off i would pry try it. Andertons used them at the end of the pedal board and it seemed to work well.
I'm using a Vox Amplug2 Classic Rock headphone amp for 6 months. Has Volume, Gain, Tone, an FX button with 3 settings each for Chorus, Reverb and Delay. The gain has 3 button settings Clean, Crunch and High Gain as well as the usual gain knob. Breakup / gain sounds very amp like. It only costs $65 in Canada. Couple it with a half decent budget headphone it's still under $120.
I downloaded bandlab for free, bought the bandlab link interface for £40 and a set of behringer headphones for £20. I find this to be more than acceptable for playing at home (and recording) although obviously it's not as good as more expensive systems.
Well done man on 150k. This wazza mad video 😂 I own the amp and it’s awesome but am a beginner and really need the headphones for night time playing and not pissing off my neighbours. Wireless being the key there.
You completely missed the point, Shane. The headphones are wireless so you can walk around, jam, and not bother anyone else when you want to play, and not be tied to your amp. They are, however, radiculously priced and don't come with a case.
Not really. They do one thing. What's to stop people from buying the amplifier and plugging in some headphones? I know exactly what the point was. The price is ridiculous for something that only does that one thing well. The amp on the other hand, can do multiple things really well.
concerning the price of this item, I just went to a major online retailer's site to make sure I wasn't full of crap and sure enough I found 13 headphones over US$1000, 14 between $500 and $1000, and 30 between $300 and $500. Sure they're a little pricey, but not out of line with any other high end headphones. This is not a "which is better" situation, they are two completely different products made for different uses.
The stereo part of those seem cool, but I imagine its like VR for guitars. Spinning around to hear where the sound is coming from and just walking your guitar into everything.
Congratulations on the milestone! Well deserved. As for the headphones, I would think it would make sense for high bill players that want to practice in a hotel room, that would be it, I think the average player would be better of with buying a Katana 100 and a NUX Mighty LT or something similar for a low volume portable solution.. cheers!
Had the headphones and returned them as I could not cope with the giro drift. Very annoying given the price. I picked up the Yamaha THR30ll instead as I already the Katana amp.. 👍🇦🇺
Thanks for a great channel and congrats on the 150k subscribers, no mean feat! The headphones “amp in the room” feature seems like a direct dig in Kemper’s rigs (whether on purpose or not). I’m sure they have a place, but will probably die a quick death, there just too many options available to today’s guitarists.
Love your vids, Shane. I’m glad to have helped you get to the 150k subs level. This was a funny video because we couldn’t hear what you were hearing, but I’m with you on the amp over the headphones. So much functionality in those Boss Katanas!
Do the ‘phones include effects? I got my Katana when I went looking for a multi-effect pedal, but found I could replace my low-end practice amp AND get a digital Boss pedal collection for the same price. When the family is asleep, I run the amp through the ear buds I use on stage for the in-ear system, then I put my Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones on top to get the backing track. That works pretty awesome.
Hi Shane, anyway you could have recorded the headphones? Kind of hard to understand a sound comparison with only one of the two "amps." Thanks for the (continued) great content.
A another good option is PG mini or go, then use with/without phones. They sound killer with a nice set of non-eq'd phones. I will say the speaker on the Go is underwhelming, but it's super portable.
I did not finish the video and maybe you addressed it later, but I feel that right out of the gate you missed the point: one is meant to used with a full sound, maybe with pedals, and the headphones are for quiet practice. One thing I like about these new mini practoce amps (I have the Yamaha THR) is that you can use headphones. These headphones allow you to go stright from the guitar to your ears.The Waza are way too expensiven but besides the iRod (which isn't wireless and require headphones) there's no real competition out there.
Brutal lead! Awesome! Blown away! One of the best I've ever heard. Hell with the equipment; you are too much! Rock on! - Keep listening to it over and over; perfection with the addition of the bit of the Chuck Berry lick. Rock on! (Did I mention that I really like the lead? Rhetorical question...)
Just a quick question for anyone who has the Waza Headphones. After having lived with the headphones, would you still be just as happy with a budget Waza headphone that was without the panning, amp in the room simulation?
I have both the WAZA Air and Katana 50. Main advantages of the headphones relates to my bad back and not having a dedicated practice room. Also sounds awesome with phone based ap to set up. Don't use the surround sound feature much. But do use the music streaming to play along. Too expensive, maybe. But can't find similar cheaper option.
Beats headphones are the biggest money racket in decades, 500 bucks for 50 buck headphones. Boss would be better I imagine however for that crazy price they should come with a waza vocal mic built in!
I bought both for $650. USD Total , crazy they is so much mark up in Australia (,I know the difference in AU $ but still !) I love both but my neighbors surely prefer the head phones.😁 I feel the head phones make my playing sound better somehow ? Great episode mate ! Congrats again on the subs ! 😎👍
they are not cheap but when you look at what a good pair of just plain wireless headphones costs, its not outrageous and then when one factors in that there's a whole amp/effects loop included, that sort of makes it pretty acceptable.
if it had a removable cable instead of a bluetooth plug (danger of loss,malfunction)and an exchangeable battery...maybe....I think the Katana go (Vox amplug style) is the better/more variable/simpler concept
Hi, I'm in doubt between buying a Boss Waza Air or a Fender Mustang Micro + Audio-Techinica ATH-M50X Headphone. Where I live there are none of them for me to test! Which option do you think is better? Help me Thanks.
I play through GarageBand or Logic 90% of the time because I can change between several very refined amp/can/mic/effects with full EQ and pre/post processing with 1 click through my senheiser headphones. Of course it’s more fun to have real speakers pumping out serious volume, but the modern guitarist will opt for a headphone-based setup. These waza air headphones look and sound awesome: I got my Mac for free so I’ll be using that for a little while longer.
Sorry I wasn't quite clear, so the headphones contain the Katana amp hardware? So the headphones can operate as if it was a regular set of headphones plugged into an actual katana amp?
Sorry Stan, I cut out the explanation from the video because there's a lot of videos about it. Basically you use your phone to customise the tone in your headphones but it will work without the phone too. It has a selection of different tones pretty similar to those found in the Katana amps. The regular headphones were plugged into the back of the Katana amp.
I've never tried these, but they appeal to me a lot. I think people need to stop thinking of it as a replacement for an amp and/or headphones. For me it does two things well, wireless, and audio VR. Yes it's expensive, and you can't gig with it, but I don't think everyone playing guitar is gigging, or recording. Plus maybe you want a tube amp, but don't want to get some sort of load box/cab sim (for example).
I have headphones that cost what the Bose cost and it still blows them away. Absolutely no comparison. Factor in the portability and Bluetooth and it’s not even worth a discussion. They are incredible. I am using them right now.
Yo los tengo y tienen problemas de conexión de audio, me conectan en un tablet huawei sin problema audio y midi pero en mis telefonos motorola no conectan ni a palos me los quedo por que conectan con el tablet pero con los celulares no conectan ya no se que hacer, eso me deprime, tengo 5 auriculares inalambricos y ninguno da problemas conectan a la primera estos me matan, la guitarra o bajo suena, audio NO
I think these are a great niche market item, for people that travel (pre Covid) but want to still practice in a hotel room for example these are easy to pack in a normal suitcase with a travel guitar, silent and no leads or cables other than a standard phone charger which you would probably have anyway.
I have amps and the headphones you did not mention that the headphones are wireless headphones to an amp aren’t. Love the headphones well worth the money.
I love my Katana 100w MkII. Those headphones might be good if you travel a lot or live in an apartment. I like my amps in my house, so not for me, but they are a cool technology.
I got a pair of the headphones back in May after they'd been out of stock forever. I don't really care about the 3d sound thing. Kind of gimmicky. Plus I have an android phone which was a huge pain to get working consistently. But, I really like them. They're never going to be as versatile as a real amp, and they're pretty pricey, but for practicing in silence or on the road, I haven't come across a better option. It would be kind of cool if Boss could squeeze in a line out somehow.
I have a fender super champ x2. Love the amp but it does not have a head phone option. I solved this with a hotone mojo diamond amp and a set of head phones. The mojo diamond is a 5 Watt head that I can plug into the speaker of my amp and it will take pedals. Now, I don't annoy my partner with repetitive guitar playing 😎
Interesting comparison Shane! Nice! Not sure I would fork out the money for those cans but hey, everyone is different! Any plans to demo the PG Spark amp yet ;-)
Hey Shane congrats you deserve it. It's weird that coming from an affordable line of greats amps come a pair of headphones that cost more then the actual amps. I'm sure they sounds great but they are way too much. I'd pay $199 concidering what line they come from.
Hi Shane, love youŕe video 's man. I know you love fender amps too. Me too. And I own a katana for grap and go and home use. But I'm looking for a tube amp to play my pedalboard.After owning several fender hotrods with good results btw. I like having a tube amp and a solid state (with tube feel). Now , my eye and ear felt for a Brunetti singleman head. 50 Watt tube power in a small head. They also make a 16 watt and a 30 watt combo. In the price range of a fender deluxe reverb and with even better build quality and sound. Portable, great looking too. Nice clean and blues amps. but it covers a lot of vintage music.They are a sort of replica (soundwise) of the Fender blackface sound. Great value for money and really good quality. I was wondering if you know these amps. I think it would be a great idea to demonstrate . Don 't know if they are available in youre country. Brunetti singleman 16, 30 or 50 watt head (the perfect pedal platform amp with a basic clean fendery sound and nice spring reverb. I thought,,,I share it with you. Great amps! Regards Mike (the Netherlands) Maby a video on these???
Thanks for supporting the channel we just made it to 150k subscribers! I want to thank everyone for their support. I hope you like my little skit at the start. 🤣 There's a thank you message in the timestamps below as well.
Timestamps:
0:00 - What?
1:08 - Jam Track (Katana)
2:39 - About this video
3:58 - Gear Setup
4:49 - Waza-Air Test
7:14 - Katana 100
7:48 - Final Thoughts
10:15 - 150K Subs Thanks
Get the gear here:
►Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/qbBKO
► Thomann - bit.ly/3jM7T9A
(affiliate links - these help support the channel at no extra cost to you)
Congrats!
Thanks mate!
since a few weekend you really Care about your video editing and sequence shot, nice work ! And now actor studio.😉
Well deserved..... Hands down some of the funniest and best live streams ever with Dr. Rick. 🎸
Why the m20x aren't the higher number m series audio technica headphones better?
The headphones are without doubt the best thing I’ve ever owned from a music point of view. Why? Because you just play. Bandcamp, TH-cam or wherever your favourite backing track comes from and you jam along happy as Larry. Minimal fuss, just plug and play! I was forever tweaking my Kemper and I spent my 1h per day practice tweaking. The recent lockdown and these headphones have made me a better guitarist.
Good vid as always!
Great when you travel
They are awesome!
I agree with you, I finally found a pair to try to make sure they fit my head and after a month of using them they have made me a better player.
I live in a flat, I used a roland 15xl for years which is not the greatest but it served my purposes. At the beginning of this year I purchased a waza air and I like it! Sometimes I play guitar at 1 or 2 am and no one hear it so its really practical, plus it sounds great for me!
Honestly I just bought them, 449, and I absolutely love them!!!!!!!!! Love love love them. Can’t believe how good they sound. And I live in a two bedroom apartment so it’s just nice for everyone around me too.
If the Waza Air price drops in half, I’d definitely buy them. I can wait.
i think for me the Headphones would be a better choice. Family of 4, my amp prohibits me from practicing with any kind of volume. I can plug a set of headphones in, but the wires tend to get in the way a lot. It would allow me to take my guitar where ever i could in the house and play without someone else in the room.
I tried that but soon got ear problem. Then bought roland microcube seems like this all i needed, wasted my money for nothing on steinberg ur22 and a pair of audio technica headphone.
Just be resonable with the volume, I got permanent ear damage from using headphones, also don't use them for prolonged periods of time. Perhaps you can try a yamaha thr amp, they sound extremely good at very low volumes.
@@Silkaz7 , i already have permanent damage from years of the military, bands growing up, and amps from more recent. Constant tinnitus is a blast.
I'm glad someone brought this up, I'm in the same situation. I would usually practice late at night after the baby is asleep using my laptops interface and headphones. Firstly, I spend way too much time dialing the tones, there are 2 cables strangling me and then there's the ear fatigue which eventually will become a huge problem. I couldn't find any solution rather than practicing unplugged and wait for a better time in my life to play electric guitar.
I was bought the WAZA-AIR-Air headphones for Christmas by my wife - think she’s trying to tell me something! They are awesome!!! Great tones and blutoothing to my phone makes practice anywhere way more enjoyable. It really is like you’re part of the band rather than an added guitar over a backing track. They are very expensive, but if you don’t need another amp but do like to practice at loud volumes in a flat etc. they really are superb. I even use them when I could crank the amp up because they’re so convenient. I’ve never played through a Katana amp but if the tones are as good as the Waza’s they must be great amps and I can see why they are so popular. Right, I’m off to sit in the garden with my Strat and blast through some rock and blues tracks in the sunshine with my Phones on.
I've had the Boss headphones since December '19. To me worth every penny, I love jamming/playing along to my favourite songs/backing tracks through bluetooth, while it feels like I'm on stage. But the best part is that I'm not bothering anyone in the house, while I have my "amp" cranked, even at midnight.
I live in the sticks in QLD, can crank anything i own to 11 without problems. But i purchased these headphones while i was spending a night with my good mate Jack Daniels. They showed up, couldnt remember buying them, plugged em in and started using them, Loved them and still do. Then i saw how much i paid for em, While my jaw did drop a bit, it was quickly replaced by a thought of, yep these are worth it.. They sound just lovely, and being able to grab my guitar and headphones and sit out on the porch or out the back in my shack with near 0 setup time has given me so much more practice time and its inspiring practice time. Ive never been inspired by headphone practicing before. These are a different story.
That intro is just... marvelous. It made me smile on a Monday morning. Well done, Sir.
100% agree with you Shane! All the questions/arguments as to what’s better this or that the answer really is not what’s better but what is better for your application! One mans Kemper is another mans tube amp etc. If you work with your gear and know what you want you should be able to get your tone out of anything to a decent level that’s inspiring to you! And that’s all that matters! Not that you have the latest/best gear available but that you have the right gear for you and you know how to use it!
What appeals most to me about the Waza Air is the sound quality and wireless aspect of it. Maybe none better for "quality tone" in a silent, simple, comfortable practice solution. What kills me is the price. If these were under $250 US I'd already own them. I do own a Katana 100 MK2 and I don't believe there is anything better for the price. A few months on with the amp now and it still continues to amaze me, on a daily basis! In place of all the internal options and effects I prefer to use a small effects board with it. I'm not much for USB's and editors, etc.
Slightly different thoughts on this. Don't think at all it is a one or the other type option. Most will have and amp that buy the Waza Air. For silent practice, a thousand reasons why this is useful. The big versitlitly is the Waza Air is Wireless. Put on the headphones, set up your presets plug it in and WOW!! FREEDOM!! can walk anywhere in the house, go outside, practice anywhere. With very little gear to deal with. IMO the Waza Air sounds better than any amp via headphones. Can't say the same for the Kantana. Give me my Tweed, JCM, Magnatone, or whatever anyday.
Two points, with the Katana you're still going to be Headphone cord bound (even if the Guitar is wireless. Lastly and most imortant Folks should remember, The Waza Air is NOT just apair of headphones!!! See that a lot, it is a complete amp and effects, wireless guitar system ALL rolled into one unit. Takes more to shrink a Katana amp and effect into the size of a set of headphones that are powered too. A number of reviews point out more that the Waza Air are Headphones and minimalizing the rest. For what it is, it's very good. Have multiple small amps that sound great in a house at lower volume. However the Waza Air gives a person freedom of VOLUME!! if you want to crank it, no issue, nobody will care, not the GF, Babay sleeping or neighbors. Best of all doesnt even matter what time of day or night you want to play and listen loudly.
Sure it's a private only for you thing. Sometimes, well most of the time, that is what players do, practice by themselves. With the WAZA there are no restrainsts of where or when.
Get binaural earmics and its not private. I got SonicEssence earmics and it sounds studio quality. Just slip them on your ears, throw the WAZA AIRS on, pick a stereo recording capable app of your choice (on Android I use ShurePlus Motiv - good aesthetic, user friendly, completely free) and it sounds exactly as I hear it in the Wazas.
@@DygitalDystopiaRecords Nice
I have the WAZA AIR headphones AND an amp. I have the headphones for when I'm away from home, but still want great tones and for when I'm home but can't play my Amp at the volume I'd like. Yeah they're a little pricey, but I've been really happy with them.
These are great. But mayyyyyyyan they are expensive.
Yup, but my practice time doubled since i got them. I can just put them on and have 4 solid hrs of battery time to practice, the best headphone sound i heard at least till now, no cables no fuss, not even having to be plugged in. And i can play guitar at midnight without anybody complaining.
valebliz and that is why they are just so good. I wish they were £200 not £400.
Theyre really not expensive. Save up money, guitar is one of the cheapest instruments out there. A decent piano or violin would cost you thousands, where as a good guitar can be 900 dollars.
Glorious Forever I disagree. And your comment was slightly patronising. Oh well.
They are expensive because they are headphones and an amp which comes with a transmitter
I bought the bass version of the Waza phones. Winced at the price, slight bluetooth issues on Android seem to be fixed in Oct 22 update. Like others, I find them fantastic because I can just pick up and play. No worry about cables, bugging neighbors, getting the room right, etc. So, imo, pricey, but *well* worth it to me. Think I'll buy the amp, too. It's only money. 💸
Are you still enjoying them after your comment 4 months ago?? I'm thinking about to get them also, I already have the Katana mk50 amp, Im just not sure because I can't see an improvement compared to use the Amp and plug regular good pair of headphones in?
150K? WOWWWW!!!! Congratulations, Shane, and Thank You, ITBers!
I have both and the headphones are the best for sure for someone with a family or neighbours or doesn't want hearing impairment. The amp is sooooooooooooooo loud and the headphones are easier to dial in sounds and they sound amazing. You can mirror your phone to the TV so you can do a TH-cam tutorial and play the guitar and blend them so you can hear it all at once it's a game changer in my opinion
Congratulations, Shane!
Well deserved.
You’d be a great guy to be in a band with.
I am a Waza owner since March of this year and I‘ve got to say they are more than what I have expected. I mean why in hell would I want to buy another amp that I don‘t need!? There are a few issues with the Waza though namely the gyro drift, single cable charging (you‘ll either need a split cable or two cables) of which , for the price, I think Boss could have fixed. Battery lasts approximately 3 hours but thats more than enough for any practice session and the neighbors don‘t hear all the wrong notes that I‘m playing ;)). Any of my friends that have tried mine are totally impressed. They are a bit pricey but if they make me practice more well..........
I agree that they are expensive. However I live with my family and the headphones saves them from my playing/practice. The cordless is a plus.
I have a set of the WAZA-AIRs and really like them. I only have time to practice at night after the kids go to sleep and the wife doesn’t want to hear me repeating the same song, lick, etc over and over. Personally I don’t use the gyro effect - it was fun at first but quickly lost its appeal. What I do like is the convenience - plug in, turn on, and go. No cords, no amps to bring out, etc. My situation is different though - my gear is in the bedroom so I done leave amps out and plugged in. The ease of use has led to more practice on my part. Another bonus is that if I need to practice in another room it’s easy to move (my wife’s office is in the bedroom so if she’s working I’ll go to another room).
These are pricy though; I think they should’ve dropped the gyro and cut the price.
I agree with your conclusion - these are totally dependent on your situation; I’d still buy them if I did it again because of the convenience. It def has led to increased practice for me.
They are brilliant. Love mine. Crazy money but worth every cent. Tried for ages to make my kemper work with headphones and it sounds great but the wires are hell. These just make life really easy and easy means more time practicing.
I travel daily and carry a vox headphone amp. About the size of a pack of gum. Plugs straight into the guitar. Great tones. They make a few different models, rock, blues, metal etc. to fit your style. It has clean, dirty and crunch settings as well as fairly decent effects. ( chorus,delay,trem ) Runs approximately 17 hours on 2 aaa batteries. Aux in for your phone or other 3.5 media for backing tracks. Headphone jack for earbuds or headphones of your choice.
At 40$ US it's totally affordable, great for travel and a must for late night silent play.
I do not work for this company and I'm not endorsed. But for me this is the most invaluable piece of gear I own!
Love your channel Shane, thanks for all you do!
Wow, VERY interesting comparison. I never even thought about choosing between the two. If it’s for home use only, seems like the headphones would be awesome
I just got them from a friend used. And I have to say that they are fantastic. They sound amazing and they are comfortable.
Congrats on the 150K!
I own both and I really love them both equally. The one thing I miss at the Waza is that I can't download user patches on it. Only the ones from the library.
Best intro ever 😂. If you have the money, they are great, but there are options out there to cover quiet practice that cost less, even if less convenient!
I might get the headphones since I'm going overseas in the next couple of months and will be staying at least a year. I'll bring just one of my electric guitars with me that isn't too expensive. Thanks for demonstrating these headphone because I didn't even know they existed.
Did you end up buying them? Hope everything’s great wherever you are atm :]
I think you would never purchase these headphones instead of an amp, only in addition to owning an amp. I have both, and the speed in which you can get up and running with the headphones is a game changer and means you practice more frequently. The sounds are great too.
Incredibly helpful video thank you for much for making this video.
I have both the Waza headphones and the katana MKII. Both awesome in their own world. Best thing about the Waza...wireless and jam all over the place....no strings attached....sounding awesome and able to jam along with tracks on stereo.
I don't think that price is excessive. They are hardly just headphones. You don't want. to know how many $400 EQD pedals I have. If I needed a silent playing solution, they would be top of my list.
I checked out the Boss Tube Expander, which is twice the price.
I would like to try them coming out of the WazaTAE and using them like a pair of in ears. Problem I heard is that the auto shut off if not in motion, if the had that as an option to turn off i would pry try it. Andertons used them at the end of the pedal board and it seemed to work well.
I'm using a Vox Amplug2 Classic Rock headphone amp for 6 months. Has Volume, Gain, Tone, an FX button with 3 settings each for Chorus, Reverb and Delay. The gain has 3 button settings Clean, Crunch and High Gain as well as the usual gain knob. Breakup / gain sounds very amp like. It only costs $65 in Canada. Couple it with a half decent budget headphone it's still under $120.
I downloaded bandlab for free, bought the bandlab link interface for £40 and a set of behringer headphones for £20. I find this to be more than acceptable for playing at home (and recording) although obviously it's not as good as more expensive systems.
Well done man on 150k.
This wazza mad video 😂
I own the amp and it’s awesome but am a beginner and really need the headphones for night time playing and not pissing off my neighbours.
Wireless being the key there.
You completely missed the point, Shane. The headphones are wireless so you can walk around, jam, and not bother anyone else when you want to play, and not be tied to your amp. They are, however, radiculously priced and don't come with a case.
Not really. They do one thing. What's to stop people from buying the amplifier and plugging in some headphones? I know exactly what the point was. The price is ridiculous for something that only does that one thing well. The amp on the other hand, can do multiple things really well.
concerning the price of this item, I just went to a major online retailer's site to make sure I wasn't full of crap and sure enough I found 13 headphones over US$1000, 14 between $500 and $1000, and 30 between $300 and $500. Sure they're a little pricey, but not out of line with any other high end headphones. This is not a "which is better" situation, they are two completely different products made for different uses.
The stereo part of those seem cool, but I imagine its like VR for guitars. Spinning around to hear where the sound is coming from and just walking your guitar into everything.
Congratulations on hitting 150k subscribers, Shane. Onwards and upwards :)
Congratulations on the milestone! Well deserved. As for the headphones, I would think it would make sense for high bill players that want to practice in a hotel room, that would be it, I think the average player would be better of with buying a Katana 100 and a NUX Mighty LT or something similar for a low volume portable solution.. cheers!
Congrats on 150K subs! I’m late to the channel but enjoy your videos
Congrats on the 150K! "Good on ya"
Had the headphones and returned them as I could not cope with the giro drift. Very annoying given the price. I picked up the Yamaha THR30ll instead as I already the Katana amp.. 👍🇦🇺
Shane your face-pulling cracks me up.
Well done, Keep up the good work.
Thanks for a great channel and congrats on the 150k subscribers, no mean feat! The headphones “amp in the room” feature seems like a direct dig in Kemper’s rigs (whether on purpose or not). I’m sure they have a place, but will probably die a quick death, there just too many options available to today’s guitarists.
Love your vids, Shane. I’m glad to have helped you get to the 150k subs level. This was a funny video because we couldn’t hear what you were hearing, but I’m with you on the amp over the headphones. So much functionality in those Boss Katanas!
Thanks for this frank comparison. It was just the video I was looking for.
congrats on hitting the 150K. Your doing a fine job Shane!
Do the ‘phones include effects? I got my Katana when I went looking for a multi-effect pedal, but found I could replace my low-end practice amp AND get a digital Boss pedal collection for the same price. When the family is asleep, I run the amp through the ear buds I use on stage for the in-ear system, then I put my Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones on top to get the backing track. That works pretty awesome.
Hi Shane, anyway you could have recorded the headphones? Kind of hard to understand a sound comparison with only one of the two "amps." Thanks for the (continued) great content.
As explained in the video. No line out and hundreds of sound reviews on You Tube .
One of the best channlsl on TH-cam keep up the great work. I always value your reviews and knowledge.
A another good option is PG mini or go, then use with/without phones. They sound killer with a nice set of non-eq'd phones. I will say the speaker on the Go is underwhelming, but it's super portable.
What is like to find is a one ch clean amp. No onboard effects just a simple eq
I did not finish the video and maybe you addressed it later, but I feel that right out of the gate you missed the point: one is meant to used with a full sound, maybe with pedals, and the headphones are for quiet practice. One thing I like about these new mini practoce amps (I have the Yamaha THR) is that you can use headphones. These headphones allow you to go stright from the guitar to your ears.The Waza are way too expensiven but besides the iRod (which isn't wireless and require headphones) there's no real competition out there.
I got both, but you’re absolutely right physical amp is much better value!🤘
Brutal lead! Awesome! Blown away! One of the best I've ever heard. Hell with the equipment; you are too much! Rock on! - Keep listening to it over and over; perfection with the addition of the bit of the Chuck Berry lick. Rock on! (Did I mention that I really like the lead? Rhetorical question...)
But can you use the WAZA wireless headphones with the Katana MKII amp together???
Congratulations on the 150k!!! Well deserved.
Many thanks for the support :)
Well done on the 150k Shane! You have an outstanding channel, congrats.
Have you ever played a Duesenberg guitar (59 er) perhaps for playing the lovely blues? Would love to see a video...
150 thousand! Yayyyy Shane. So happy for you. You inspire me every day, I'll get there eventually hehe. Much love x
Just a quick question for anyone who has the Waza Headphones. After having lived with the headphones, would you still be just as happy with a budget Waza headphone that was without the panning, amp in the room simulation?
For the money the choice seems obvious. Still cool though. Really dig your reviews. Hello from Nebraska USA
It’s the best way to test guitars in store! I mean it’s really good for that.
Joyo American overdrive into £50 headphones is my practice rig. 😊
I actually use the joyo American pedal with it's speaker cabinet Sim for recording bass guitar and it's freaking great !
I absolutely love that strat. So clean.
I have both the WAZA Air and Katana 50. Main advantages of the headphones relates to my bad back and not having a dedicated practice room. Also sounds awesome with phone based ap to set up. Don't use the surround sound feature much. But do use the music streaming to play along. Too expensive, maybe. But can't find similar cheaper option.
The markups on Headphones must be unreal.
You ever heard a pair of Beats by Dr. Drek? TERRIBLE! OMG hurt my ears!
Beats headphones are the biggest money racket in decades, 500 bucks for 50 buck headphones.
Boss would be better I imagine however for that crazy price they should come with a waza vocal mic built in!
@@johncollins5552 WTF Rapper has a degree in acoustical engineering? PLEASE! Those things are atrocious!
Doubt it, the cost in something like the waza air isn't in materials.
I bought both for $650. USD Total , crazy they is so much mark up in Australia (,I know the difference in AU $ but still !) I love both but my neighbors surely prefer the head phones.😁 I feel the head phones make my playing sound better somehow ? Great episode mate ! Congrats again on the subs ! 😎👍
they are not cheap but when you look at what a good pair of just plain wireless headphones costs, its not outrageous and then when one factors in that there's a whole amp/effects loop included, that sort of makes it pretty acceptable.
I know you're not a bassplayer but how is your Harley Benton J Bass that you use in this video? Do you recommend it?
Really cool vid! I think the Waza Air would be great for touring musos and practicing on the road, but my money would def be on the real amp.
3rd option, the katana air, I love mine, wireless is invaluable
The intro was just hilarious!!
if it had a removable cable instead of a bluetooth plug (danger of loss,malfunction)and an exchangeable battery...maybe....I think the Katana go (Vox amplug style) is the better/more variable/simpler concept
Are you seriously rocking a Cobra movie poster? That's a baller move.
Hi,
I'm in doubt between buying a Boss Waza Air or a Fender Mustang Micro + Audio-Techinica ATH-M50X Headphone.
Where I live there are none of them for me to test!
Which option do you think is better? Help me
Thanks.
Wazza air Are not good for just listening music, And the battery is not for More four hours. Bur😮 damn they sound great with distortion!
I play through GarageBand or Logic 90% of the time because I can change between several very refined amp/can/mic/effects with full EQ and pre/post processing with 1 click through my senheiser headphones. Of course it’s more fun to have real speakers pumping out serious volume, but the modern guitarist will opt for a headphone-based setup. These waza air headphones look and sound awesome: I got my Mac for free so I’ll be using that for a little while longer.
Sorry I wasn't quite clear, so the headphones contain the Katana amp hardware? So the headphones can operate as if it was a regular set of headphones plugged into an actual katana amp?
Sorry Stan, I cut out the explanation from the video because there's a lot of videos about it. Basically you use your phone to customise the tone in your headphones but it will work without the phone too. It has a selection of different tones pretty similar to those found in the Katana amps. The regular headphones were plugged into the back of the Katana amp.
I had the katana 50 which I used with headphones and I sold it and got the Waza Airs. Worth. Every. Penny.
I've never tried these, but they appeal to me a lot. I think people need to stop thinking of it as a replacement for an amp and/or headphones. For me it does two things well, wireless, and audio VR. Yes it's expensive, and you can't gig with it, but I don't think everyone playing guitar is gigging, or recording. Plus maybe you want a tube amp, but don't want to get some sort of load box/cab sim (for example).
I have headphones that cost what the Bose cost and it still blows them away. Absolutely no comparison. Factor in the portability and Bluetooth and it’s not even worth a discussion. They are incredible. I am using them right now.
How are the Waza' for 60 cycle hum etc?
Can you do a boss katana 1x12 vs 2x12 video?
Yo los tengo y tienen problemas de conexión de audio, me conectan en un tablet huawei sin problema audio y midi pero en mis telefonos motorola no conectan ni a palos me los quedo por que conectan con el tablet pero con los celulares no conectan ya no se que hacer, eso me deprime, tengo 5 auriculares inalambricos y ninguno da problemas conectan a la primera estos me matan, la guitarra o bajo suena, audio NO
Can you hook up you hook up another device at the same time, to play along with backing tracks.
Yes. bluetooth music streaming
Too much expensive...
I agree with all your comments Shane!
Interesting video
I think these are a great niche market item, for people that travel (pre Covid) but want to still practice in a hotel room for example these are easy to pack in a normal suitcase with a travel guitar, silent and no leads or cables other than a standard phone charger which you would probably have anyway.
I have amps and the headphones you did not mention that the headphones are wireless headphones to an amp aren’t. Love the headphones well worth the money.
I love my Katana 100w MkII. Those headphones might be good if you travel a lot or live in an apartment. I like my amps in my house, so not for me, but they are a cool technology.
I got a pair of the headphones back in May after they'd been out of stock forever. I don't really care about the 3d sound thing. Kind of gimmicky. Plus I have an android phone which was a huge pain to get working consistently. But, I really like them. They're never going to be as versatile as a real amp, and they're pretty pricey, but for practicing in silence or on the road, I haven't come across a better option.
It would be kind of cool if Boss could squeeze in a line out somehow.
Congrats Sir 🤘🏽 your channel is awesome, I like the headphones but I’d get the amp , cause it’s got a headphone out too !
I have a fender super champ x2. Love the amp but it does not have a head phone option. I solved this with a hotone mojo diamond amp and a set of head phones. The mojo diamond is a 5 Watt head that I can plug into the speaker of my amp and it will take pedals. Now, I don't annoy my partner with repetitive guitar playing 😎
Interesting comparison Shane! Nice! Not sure I would fork out the money for those cans but hey, everyone is different! Any plans to demo the PG Spark amp yet ;-)
Hey Shane congrats you deserve it.
It's weird that coming from an affordable line of greats amps come a pair of headphones that cost more then the actual amps. I'm sure they sounds great but they are way too much. I'd pay $199 concidering what line they come from.
Those audio tech hp are my favorite
Hi Shane, love youŕe video 's man. I know you love fender amps too. Me too. And I own a katana for grap and go and home use. But I'm looking for a tube amp to play my pedalboard.After owning several fender hotrods with good results btw. I like having a tube amp and a solid state (with tube feel). Now , my eye and ear felt for a Brunetti singleman head. 50 Watt tube power in a small head. They also make a 16 watt and a 30 watt combo. In the price range of a fender deluxe reverb and with even better build quality and sound. Portable, great looking too. Nice clean and blues amps. but it covers a lot of vintage music.They are a sort of replica (soundwise) of the Fender blackface sound. Great value for money and really good quality. I was wondering if you know these amps. I think it would be a great idea to demonstrate . Don 't know if they are available in youre country. Brunetti singleman 16, 30 or 50 watt head (the perfect pedal platform amp with a basic clean fendery sound and nice spring reverb. I thought,,,I share it with you. Great amps! Regards Mike (the Netherlands) Maby a video on these???