The Retro-Future Test · New Wave Radio

Guitars & Amps,Tested for 30 Days.

We listen for a living. Your headphones get the same ears. Headphones, speakers, turntables, car audio and guitars, put through The Retro-Future Test with New Wave Radio.

Start here

The Guitars & Amps Crank It Picks.

No Crank It verdicts here yet. The first tests are being picked by your votes now.

Every verdict and every test

All Guitars & Amps, Newest First.

Products on test show their day count. Finished tests show the verdict.

Nothing on test in this category yet. Request a product and it could be the first.

Before you buy

Five Things to Check Before You Spend.

The spec sheet won’t tell you these. Our 30-day tests measure every one.

  • Sound at low volume, not just loud
  • Comfort after 2 hours
  • Call quality outdoors
  • Real battery life against the claim
  • An app and controls you’ll actually use
The Skip It Files

What We’d Skip, and Why.

Every Skip It verdict in Audio & Music Gear, with the reason. It’s the list that saves you money.

Nothing in this category has earned a Skip It yet.

Claude’s Score vs. Your Votes

You Decide What We Test Next.

Every Audio & Music Gear request from all five NextWave stations is counted. The most-requested products go on test first, and only a real 30-day test earns a verdict.

How we score

Three Verdicts. No Fence-Sitting.

Crank It

Top pick. We’d buy it with our own money.

Keep It On

Good, with trade-offs we spell out so you can decide.

What Audio & Music Gear Should We Test Next?

Name it, pick your station and tell us why. The more listeners ask, the faster it moves up the list.

    FAQ

    Audio & Music Gear Questions.

    Which Audio & Music Gear products will you test first?

    The ones listeners request and vote for most, as long as the brand can supply a review unit or we can buy one ourselves.

    How long is each test?

    30 days of real use, in three episodes: Day 1 first look, Day 7 real life, Day 30 verdict. The verdict airs on New Wave Radio first.

    Do brands pay for Audio & Music Gear reviews?

    No. Brands may loan or send products, and every review says how we got it. Verdicts can’t be bought.