Asta Wolf Retro and Retro Ultra Review
The Asta Wolf Retro and Retro Ultra offer excellent value for their price, featuring a stylish design, premium build, good battery life, and impressive sound quality. They are durable and suitable for everyday use, despite some minor drawbacks like the outdated Type B port. If you seek aesthetic, reliable speakers in this price range, these models are highly recommended.
The Good
- Premium Look
- High Durability
- Long Battery Life
- Good Bass
- Balanced Treble
- Compatible
- IPX4 Rating
- Phone Holder Feature
The Bad
- Outdated Type B Charging Port
- Poor Radio Range
- Potential Water exposure affecting the Wood Build
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Design10
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Build Quality9
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Durability9
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Phone Holder Feature7
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Connectivity8
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Sound Quality9
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Battery8
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IPX4 Rating8
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Value for Money9
Last year, a new brand called Asta Wolf entered the Nepali market and created significant hype. We have been using many of Asta Wolf’s products in our daily lives for the past year. In this article, we will discuss our overall experience with their products, including the good and the bad aspects. In this article, I will be reviewing the Asta Wolf Retro and Asta Wolf Retro Ultra. Let’s get started.
Asta Wolf Retro and Retro Ultra Review
Design & Built
First things first, even though we have been using the speakers since last year, We did not have any complaints about this product’s durability and battery life. In our use, it has fallen many times, been used outdoors, and aside from a few scratches, it is still working fine. The design of both speakers is very classic and in the other audio setup too, the Asta Wolf Retro and Asta Wolf Retro Ultra versions stand out a bit more than other products.
As for build quality, the product feels quite premium. Regarding portability, the small Asta Wolf Retro is just the right size to carry around normally, whereas you need a slightly larger backpack to carry the Retro Ultra.
READ: Asta Wolf Rock wireless earbuds | Initial Impression
Durability & Phone Holder Feature
Regarding durability, both speakers are still working. The dents and scratches mostly appear on the front mesh design, and apart from a few spots where the wooden color has come off due to being bumped, they still look new.
In real-life use, the phone holder mentioned above is used to hold the phone while listening to music or watching content, but it only allows the phone to be placed at a fixed angle and cannot be tilted. So, it is easier to watch if the speaker is placed at a level position. Phones up to around 6.3 inches can be easily placed in the phone space on top of the Retro. Although the overall size of the Retro Ultra is larger, the space on top remains the same.
Speaking of connectivity, there are no particular issues with these speakers. I have connected them to Android, iPhone, Windows laptop, Mac, and TV, and have not encountered any issues so far.
Sound Quality
The main point now is about the sound quality: the Retro speaker has a 5W mono speaker, while the Retro Ultra has two 5W speakers. The sound quality and loudness of both are quite satisfactory for regular use, and there hasn’t been any disappointment with extensive use. These speakers are also more than sufficient for small parties.
Both speakers are embedded with a good bass and a well-balanced treble. The vocal clarity is quite good, and there is no noticeable distortion even at the loudest volume. The instrument separation is clear in both speakers. Overall, the audio listening experience is quite enjoyable, and I haven’t encountered any problems with my usage. Although it doesn’t have extremely heavy bass, the sound quality during music listening and movie watching, even for prolonged use, is very pleasant. They are both worth its price value.
Battery & IPX4 Rating
When discussing the battery life of these two speakers, the retro speaker has an 1800 mAh battery, while the retro ultra has a 2500 mAh battery. Both speakers last comfortably throughout a day of regular use. If not used heavily, their impressive standby time allows them to go 3-4 days to a week before needing a charge.
These speakers are IPX4 rated for water and dust resistance, meaning normal splashes and dust haven’t significantly affected them during use so far. Since these speakers have a wooden finish, I was concerned that exposure to water might cause swelling like with normal plywood, but so far, there have been no such issues.
Buttons & Connectivity
The speaker has a power button, mode button, next buttons (which can be used to increase and decrease the volume), and a play/pause button on the top. For connectivity, it includes a USB port, a Type B charging port, and a micro SD card slot. The part I dislike the most about this speaker is the Type B port, which, according to the company’s description, is meant to give a retro feel. However, in today’s time, Type B cables are somewhat outdated.
The radio connectivity range of this speaker is not very good. To listen to the radio, using an old-style Aux cable gives a slightly better range, whereas, in radio mode alone, channels are not found very well. I have tested the USB and microSD card slots for review purposes, but in my regular use, they are not used much, and this depends on individual usage.
Conclusion
So, overall, at the current price of Rs. 2800, the Astawolf Retro and at Rs. 3850, the Asta Wolf Retro Ultra are good for the price. They offer an aesthetic and premium look, good battery life, good sound quality, and most importantly, durability. One aspect of this speaker that I find somewhat disappointing is the inclusion of a Type B port; having a Type C port would have been better in today’s time. For these speakers, you get a 6-month brand warranty and if you buy from Daraz, you get a 14-week free and easy return policy.
So, in conclusion, if you’re looking for aesthetic design, premium looks, good battery life, and excellent sound quality in a speaker lineup, then the Asta Wolf Retro and Retro Ultra in this price range could be one of the best options.
If you’ve used these speakers or plan to buy them, feel free to share your experience in the comments section. And please share your thoughts on the review in the comments. Also, remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
