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button. Yet, sometimes the re-pairing worked perfectly without having to go near the speaker. I’m still trying to figure that one out. It’s not a major deal—just an occasional annoyance. The speaker relies on its flush physical buttons or regular smartphone controls (volume, play/pause, etc.) for controlling the audio. As stated earlier, the app provides no audio controls—yet. Those flush physical buttons are located along the top edge of the speaker. From left to right are: On/off, Battery indicator lights, Repeat track, Play/pause, Next track, LodgeLINK mode, and Bluetooth pairing. Each button is backlit and easy to see. Installation and Setup Previously I had a setup that was a bit more convoluted. I used a selector by Ugreen–it’s just a KM, not a KVM–to switch the keyboard and mouse back and forth, and I used the joystick on the back of the monitor to switch between the video inputs. This worked perfectly, but it was not very graceful. The KVM switch should be easier and faster. The KVM arrived in a small box, and everything inside was well-protected with cardboard inserts. I removed everything from their plastic bags and then read through the small, five-page manual. The most helpful part for me was the Application image that showed what to connect to which ports. That’s really the key information that I needed to know. Armed with this, I set about connecting everything together. On the back, I connected the MacBook Pro to the USB-C port. I then connected my Mac mini to the USB-C and HDMI ports. Finally, I connected the HDMI out 1 port to my monitor. On the front, I connected my Glorious D mouse and an Apple keyboard. Everything looked great, so the final step was to plug in power to the AV Access KVM. What I like • Great audio • Built-in solar panels! • Weather-proof • Good bass (even without Bass Boost) • Stake provided for the secure base • USB-C charging (if no sunlight) What I’d change • Pricey • The stake could be longer • Bluetooth connection is not seamless Final thoughts Nitpicking aside, I like the Lodge Solar Speaker 4 Series-2 speaker. Combine a weather-proof exterior, clear, powerful audio, and solar panels(!), and you have a speaker that can be an effortless and welcome addition to any backyard. Yes, this is a first-gen version—I can only guess how much improved later generations will be. Maybe by then, Lodge will find itself near the top of Google Search! Price: $449.00 Where to buy: Lodgesound.com and Amazon Source: The sample of this product was provided by Lodge.