Sound QualityThe Altec Lansing VersA has overall fair sound quality. Bass is subdued, has little impact and lacks deep bass. Midrange is constricted, somewhat nasal and grainy. Treble is subdued, somewhat smeared and upper treble is muted. Doesn't do a good job of recovering room ambience and is somewhat constricted and congested. Wifi and Bluetooth sound quality are similar. Provides an adequate volume level for a small to medium sized room. Can sound compressed at louder and maximum volume. We noted that approx. the 1st second of Bluetooth content cuts off at start of playback.
Versatility
Versatility is fair. It's a stereo speaker, which lacks Multi-Room support. Wireless: WiFi supports only 2.4Ghz and it has Bluetooth. Communications: Lacks support for calling, texting and messaging features. Digital Assistant Muting: It has an ambiguously labeled dual function button control to disable the digital assistant by muting its microphones. Audio Connections: Lacks analog audio inputs and outputs. Audio Tailoring: The app provided feature did function during our tests - tone controls, EQ or selectable presets. OS Support: iOS, Android. Other connections and features: Lacks a USB device port. Streaming by voice command: Supports voice command of common streaming services such as Amazon Music, Tune-In and iHeart Radio streaming services. Voice ID: Lacks support to setup voice identity using this speaker, although it can use a voice print stored in a user's Amazon account trained from an Amazon speaker. This feature allows the account holder to access personal information with their voice print.
Ease of Use
Overall ease of use of the Altec Lansing VersA is Poor. Wireless setup: Setup requires two apps downloaded to a device, subsequent steps - not easy, unintuitive and or ambiguous and involving the use of a unlabeled multi function button for Wifi (Bluetooth button). Console controls: Volume controls are prominent (+/-) buttons but low contrast, lacks a graphical position marking but a specific volume level can be given by verbal command. Audio mute: Unlabeled multi-function button (Power button) not involving volume buttons, well placed, clear indication when it is engaged but it is not persistant. Microphone mute: Ambiguously labeled multi-function button, not well placed on side of unit, clear indication when it is engaged. Source selections: Bluetooth takes priority Wifi source input; and disables the digital assistant. Button on unit must be pressed to switch between Wifi and Bluetooth. App remote: Volume control has graphical position marking but lacks specific index markings. Mute: (Remote) Well marked, well placed, clear indication when it is engaged. Voice transport controls: This model and a second unit showed erratic behaviour to verbal commands. Often failing to respond to the digital assistant wake word at normal listening levels and very unlikely to respond to wake word at highest volume.
