Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Just got this TDK A34 within the last few days and I wanted to review it so everyone will know the differences between this and the TDK A33....here's what's clearly evident. First, and I think foremost, the biggest upgrade is the Reverse (Back) - Pause - Forward buttons on the top of this speaker. To skip to the next song or go backward to the previous song is quick and easy to use...It only goes back or forward one whole song not a partial song. It's a nice feature that was missing on the A33. The other upgrade might be battery life because I got a solid 8 hours off my battery charge when others with the A33 seemed to think they weren't getting that; HOWEVER....(there's ALWAYS a however...)...I was using it for the most part at 1/2 volume. I'll explain volume later. Now for my honest thoughts about this speaker. On the top there is a power button, a volume - button and a volume + button, a Bluetooth button, a speaker phone button and then the back button, pause button and forward button. Above the volume - and + buttons there are five (5) volume lights. Each light seems to have six (6) settings when you press the + or - volume button. Or, to be clearer, when you hit the volume the first light will shine and it will get brighter and louder six times then the second light lights up and can go up 6 increments and so forth. It can get loud....I seriously don't think head banging loud as with big accessory speakers but way loud enough for anything I can think of that you would need. As for room filling.....yes.......It can fill a room. The room I've mostly played it in is 25' x 25' with 11" peak ceiling and it fills it nicely and, personally, that's exactly what I wanted. My "comfortable" volume setting in this room is at 2-1/2 to 3 lights if that makes sense......1/2 volume maximum. This is where my good battery life might come into play giving me 8 hours maximum just as stated in the description because it is only at 1/2 volume....I would think the louder the volume the less battery life but there is no way I could listen to it full out in that room for any length of time to test that. I personally think 8 hours is good enough and if you're in the house you can always just plug it in and play from the AC power adapter. If you need louder...there's no way to connect additional speakers, Songs on your phone wrap.......so at the end of your list, they start over again. My corded player doesn't do that....all yours might......mine didn't........so I like that a lot. It comes with an AC power adapter for charging but there is a 1.0A power slot for charging off your computer. Nice to have both options...I prefer the AC power adapter because I have enough of things charging off my computer as it is... Poor thing needs a break......:) Plus if you take it somewhere a computer may not be available. Speaking of taking it somewhere, it is weighty but a good weighty, and solid. Maybe not backpacking long trips but it is small enough to put in a backpack; measures about 9-1/2" long x 4" tall x almost 2" wide. Nice to look at. Rubber feet help keep it sturdy on your surface. I'm not sure if you can do this with all wireless speakers but you can charge it and continue to play at the same time. The instructions/directions about charging are misleading....First.....I found it best to charge with the switch set to off (this switch is on the side of the speaker covered with a rubber "door" for splash purposes). A red light will light but the red light does not magically change to amber when done charging. The red light goes to black when charged. The light WILL turn yellow when it is turned back on however......If I remember correctly the instructions/directions say the red light will turn to amber (yellow) when charged and, technically, it will be yellow but not until you turn it back on. Seriously....A lot of people were making a big thing of this with the A33......not a big thing....... I followed instructions about syncing my phone and it worked like a charm......one thing though.....(I just couldn't say however again...:) a lot of this stuff isn't instantaneous so just give it a full blink of an eye to do it's stuff. I should work effortlessly. Outside listening is good. I didn't and won't try the splash test......but if things ever do get "out of control" and a splash happens I'll let you know...:) NOW......my only.....hmmm.....not complaint......more of a.....learning curve.....is the Power button. Almost everything I own I kind of hold the button down for a second until I hear/see/feel something.......not with this thing. The button is sensitive but not super sensitive. Here's what you have to do....press the power button gently for a second and then take your finger off it and wait......it will take a second for the volume lights to light up and then the Bluetooth to blink a few times and then beep when it finds your phone again. You only have to sync your phone manually the first time. It will then find it on it's own after that. I had a hard time mentally with this power button the first few times....So remember, gently press the power button, take you finger off and wait a second.....This is just different from ANYTHING I have....but that's my biggest issue with this thing and after a few Power Ups, I got used to it......As for distance, I think that is going to be a difficult thing to measure because everyone's space is different and will be just too variable, but I did go through the kitchen, down the hall and then downstairs before it started to get interrupted...... Summary: So, after all that, I have to say this is a really nice speaker. Because I knew I wouldn't be buying another speaker again anytime in the near future I decided in the end I would buy what I wanted the first time so I did compare the TDK to Bose Mini, Jawbone JAMBOX and a Sony Portable Bluetooth with NFC. and maybe....maybe....other than volume, and since I didn't turn the TDK A34 full tilt for any length of time I can't be sure, but I didn't find any difference at all in this TDK A34 when I compared them. Bose is listening to its younger customers (a good thing) who want bass with some more bass and then just a little more bass but that's not what I need for my listening experience and with the TDK A34 being 1/2 the price I know I did the right thing. In my opinion, for overall performance, this a really good speaker. My initial test was on Iggy Azalea's "Fancy", then Pavarotti's "Nessun Dorma", REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling", to good ole Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" and last but not least Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise"....and they all sound about as good as they can with a wireless speaker. If you have any questions that are stopping you from buying this remember Amazon will let you ask questions of people that have purchased these and I believe most people try to be honest and are just trying to be helpful. HAPPY LISTENING......to whatever your music choices are.