Best new DJ speakers 2024: AlphaTheta Wave Eight
As 2024 draws to a close and we look ahead to 2025, we’re bringing you our picks of the best new gear this year, from synths to DJ mixers.
As part of the ongoing shift from Pioneer DJ, we’ve seen AlphaTheta lean heavily into technological innovation over the last year. Alongside fascinating new DJ controllers and mixers, one release which slipped under the radar a little was the Wave Eight speaker system.
On face value, the Wave Eight looks fairly straightforward: it’s a rugged two-way PA speaker with an eight-inch low-end driver and 1-inch soft down tweeter. Dig a little bit deeper, though, and the portability of the unit is clearly above and beyond most alternatives. Not only is it fully waterproof and equipped with casters and telescopic handle to manage its sub-13 kg weight, but the Wave Eight is equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery, offering up to eight hours operation without plugging in to mains power.
The real USP of the Wave Eight, however, is the inclusion of AlphaTheta’s new SonicLink technology, a lossless streaming format which allows you to connect wirelessly with ultra-low latency and high-fidelity audio transmission. Connect your mixer or DJ controller to the transmitter, hook up wirelessly to the Wave Eight using SonicLink and you have fully cable-free operation.
There’s no denying that the Wave Eight is a niche product. Realistically, the price tag of £859 per speaker prices the Wave Eight well above conventional PA speakers and means that it only really makes sense to those who are going to take advantage of the wireless functionality.
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