Sonos x IKEA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker overview

In case you’re on the lookout for one thing practical so as to add to your house decor, IKEA is at all times a fantastic selection. The Swedish firm is well-known for its attention-grabbing designs which are function-first, but additionally lean into some quirky items — and a singular, but practical design is the easiest way to explain the IKEA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker. It is a superb mixture of a Sonos-powered speaker with a desk lamp, making for an attention grabbing centerpiece on your desk or a unbelievable occasion starter when outfitted with an RGB sensible bulb.

I purchased the Symfonisk desk lamp two years in the past, as a present for my spouse, and it has been in each day use at our residence ever since. It is unbeatable at creating a fantastic environment, so you possibly can mix moody mild with a little bit of music, creating nice vibes with only one system. With two completely different colours, numerous sorts of shades and surprisingly good sound (contemplating it is also, nicely, a lamp), the Symfonisk speaker lamp isn’t solely a nice-looking supply of sunshine — it is also most likely the easiest way to get into the Sonos ecosystem.

You should purchase the lamp as you’d some other IKEA staple

The second technology Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker was launched in November 2021, as a successor to the mushroom-looking first technology. You will get it straight from IKEA, and the producer presents a number of completely different choices to select from.

The Symfonisk speaker lamp is accessible both as a standalone base, or as a set with completely different sorts of shades.

You may select between two colours of the bottom — there’s a black and a white possibility. Shades, then again, are far more diversified. There are three completely different kinds: glass, cloth and bamboo. The primary two kinds are additionally obtainable in numerous colours, so you possibly can combine and match to create your good set.

Buildable items and costs for various kinds and budgets

The bottom alone prices $190.99, whether or not you select black or white. The shades have two completely different value factors although. In case you go for a glass or bamboo shade, you will must pay $59, whereas a material shade prices $10 much less — $49.

Now you can additionally get the Symfonisk Lamp in a flooring lamp selection. It is solely obtainable as a set and prices $299.99.

A wise design that is nice in concept, however even higher in follow

In case you’re available in the market for a lamp with a built-in speaker, it is possible that residence design or decor is a heavier consideration than it might be in the event you have been wanting merely for a fantastic sounding transportable speaker, for instance.

The two-in-1 speaker and lighting combo is an effective way so as to add a little bit of moody, oblique lighting to your house whereas additionally having some music to additional match the vibe and full your in-home ambiance.

As an aesthetic lounge piece, the IEKA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker is a superb addition to my residence. It has its normal place on a window sill, in order that it might probably present a little bit of a vibe when watching motion pictures on a settee or when consuming a pleasant dinner. Plus, because it’s within the heart of the lounge, it is also a fantastic spot for its musical capabilities, simply filling the room with my favourite tunes.

The lamp itself options an understated fashion that blends properly with my inside fashion. Plus, with mixing and matching shades, it makes for simple customization. Talking of shades, sadly, the lamp is barely suitable with first-party choices, so you will not be capable to throw by yourself lampshade.

I opted for the white frosted glass model and assume it provides such an elevated look, reasonably than a “functionality-first” method. The shade consists of two elements — the interior matte white tube and the outer white frosted globe. It diffuses the sunshine very nicely, making for pleasantly moody and tender lighting.

Transferring on to the bottom — it additionally contains a extra luxurious design. It is lined in a polyester cloth with a visual weave sample, which appears and feels actually top quality. Moreover, it protects from mud and fingerprints, so you do not have to fret about dusting the lamp each different day for it to look good.

On the entrance of the bottom, there’s a single, small button that means that you can activate the sunshine. On the again there are a couple of extra buttons — these are used to regulate music playback and quantity. They’ve distinct textures, so you possibly can simply use them with out wanting.

Nevertheless, to be sincere, I am undecided if I’ve ever used them — you possibly can management playback by the Sonos app as nicely, so you do not have to make use of bodily buttons in any respect.

In an effort to operate as a lamp, the system additionally, in fact, wants a bulb. You need to use any E27 LED bulb that you’ve available, however IKEA doesn’t present one with the system.

Equipping the lamp with an ordinary bulb could be a waste of potential. In case you set it up with an RGB sensible bulb, you will have your self fairly a celebration machine. The lamp won’t solely function your go-to music participant, but additionally present much-needed lighting in your room, and numerous colours will work wonders when mixed with becoming music. Take it from me, it is nice each for a pleasant dinner date and a chill occasion.

A bassy base

After we obtained the Symfonisk speaker lamp, I used to be a bit skeptical about its musical prowess. It is a lamp first, I assumed, so I actually should not count on it to sound that nice. My considering was easy — if it is at the very least enough, I will be blissful. Think about my shock after we first arrange the lamp and it instantly not solely sounded nice, however stuffed the entire room with booming bass and high-quality decision.

… the Symfonisk isn’t meant to be your typical shelf speaker as it isn’t designed for one-dimensional music, however reasonably a 360-degreee encompass sound.

Sonos and IKEA’s partnership gave start to a extremely compelling product with numerous thought put into it. What’s much more spectacular given the home-decor first design is the Symfonisk isn’t meant to be your typical shelf speaker as it isn’t designed for one-dimensional music, however reasonably a 360-degreee encompass sound.

As a substitute, the Symfonisk lamp goes for a 360-degree sound, because of a intelligent waveform magic that IKEA and Sonos got here up with. It actually feels uncanny, however the lamp sounds nice from any nook of the room, and with the power to tune it with TruePlay, you may make it sound even higher by becoming the sound profile to its environment.

Nevertheless, that’s not the one surprisingly benefit of the Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker. It additionally presents a really nice sound profile that may go well with its informal makes use of very nicely. The sound curve is a bit bass-heavy, however contemplating what it’s — an off-the-cuff listening system that’s meant to fill the room with sound, it is precisely accurately.

I’ve to confess, it punches nicely above its dimension with the way it sounds, with full bass and detailed mids. Take into account that the dedication to this bassy profile does end in trebles being a bit muddy, particularly when listening at a better quantity. You also needs to not count on a great deal of very low sub-bass, it’s a smaller-sized speaker.

General, although, it is a fantastic sound profile if you wish to put some music on within the background, or when assembly with some pals. It is neither too mellow, nor overpowering. The 360-degree sound that the lamp gives is a wonderful pairing right here as nicely.

As soon as once more, you possibly can see the thought that Sonos and IKEA put into the operate of such a speaker. It is not a important listening system meant to be extraordinarily impartial and detailed. As a substitute, it is a enjoyable, informal speaker with roomy, spatial sound that gives a enjoyable however nonetheless high quality sound and simply fills a room.

Sonos software program takes some misses

Sadly, nothing is ideal, and this is applicable to this magnificent lamp as nicely. Whereas I nonetheless imagine that the {hardware} of the Symfonisk speaker lamp is top-notch, it is the software program that makes the expertise a bit lower than excellent.

First, although, I will handle the software program positives. The Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker is part of the Sonos ecosystem, so it advantages not solely from the aforementioned unbelievable sound tuning but additionally entry to the Sonos app.

That signifies that the setup is extraordinarily simple, as with all different Wi-Fi speaker from the corporate. You additionally get an enormous quantity of attention-grabbing options by the app, with its potential to create all types of audio setups, together with multi-room setups, and even the power to create a stereo pair for the Symfonisk lamp speaker.

You additionally get TruePlay, which is a characteristic that allows you to configure the sound of your speaker based mostly on its environment. It takes only a few minutes, nevertheless it makes the sound good on your room. Nevertheless, there comes the primary huge caveat — TruePlay is barely obtainable when utilizing an Apple system, so Android customers are out of luck. The identical is true for wi-fi streaming — the Symfonisk lamp helps AirPlay, however Chromecast is nowhere to be discovered. You additionally can’t hook up with the lamp by way of Bluetooth, so in the event you’re utilizing Android, the Sonos app is the one option to play your music by the system.

General, the Sonos app appears to not solely lack some options on Android, nevertheless it’s additionally not that nicely optimized. I’ve encountered a number of bugs when utilizing the app, resembling dropping all my saved streaming companies, or difficulties with enjoying or pausing music. My spouse, who makes use of an iPhone, has by no means had these issues.

A missed light-bulb second

Another minor factor in regards to the app — and this issues each the iOS and Android variations. The Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker does not, sadly, include a light-weight swap constructed into the app, which might not solely simply be a cool characteristic to have however is also extraordinarily handy. It’s kind of of a missed alternative, however nothing a wise bulb can’t repair.

If IKEA and Sonos went for it and built-in a digital assistant into the lamp, it might actually be a centerpiece of your complete sensible residence setup.

One final notice that may make the entire system even higher — why, oh why, is it not a wise speaker? If IKEA and Sonos went for it and built-in a digital assistant into the lamp, it might actually be a centerpiece of your complete sensible residence setup. The flexibility to play your music from the lamp by speaking to the lamp wouldn’t solely be a lot enjoyable — it might make for a fantastic sensible lounge speaker.

Verdict: Is IKEA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker essential for music and lighting?

It must be mentioned that sure, you will discover higher audio system, together with Sonos audio system. You too can discover lamps that suit your aesthetic higher. Nevertheless, the IKEA Symfonisk Desk Speaker Lamp offers you each of those in a single, and does each of this stuff very well, with out fumbling the fundamentals.

My very own IKEA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker might be, after my telephone and my PC, the tech gadget I exploit essentially the most. It is on each day, typically as only a lamp, typically as only a speaker, typically as each. It is an concept that’s each actually easy and very efficient — a staple of IKEA design.

What’s even higher is that whereas utilizing a type issue that is not very speaker-like, the Symfonisk lamp does not compromise on sound high quality. Its sound profile is basically nice and matches its type and performance very nicely, with a enjoyable, room-filling sound.

After all, there are some issues. The trebles are a bit understated, and the Sonos app is mostly not as feature-rich because it might have been, with fairly a couple of bugs and annoyances showing after each replace. There are additionally some missed alternatives: if the Symfonisk lamp had sensible speaker performance and higher Android assist, it might win my private tech product of the yr … yearly.

That being mentioned, it is nonetheless a unbelievable product that has its quirks, nevertheless it takes these quirks and makes them its power. I can’t advocate the IKEA Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker sufficient. It would nonetheless be a distinct segment product, nevertheless it’s a distinct segment that it comfortably mastered.