Ikea-Sonos Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker evaluate

Ikea-Sonos Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker

MSRP $149.00

“The Ikea Symfonisk Bookshelf is all the pieces we love about Sonos at a value anybody can afford.”

Professionals

Clear, detailed sound
AirPlay 2 appropriate
Versatile placement
Doubles as an precise bookshelf

Cons

No Bluetooth or auxiliary-in
Sound high quality not as full as Play:1

If you happen to’re an everyday Digital Tendencies reader, you already know that we actually like Sonos merchandise. They mix nice sound with probably the greatest software program and setup experiences obtainable to create a whole-home, wi-fi audio resolution that has few actual rivals. So once we discovered that Sonos had teamed up with Ikea to create a brand new line of Sonos-powered audio system designed to mix in with your property decor, we had been excited to strive them.

The end result isn’t only a set of Sonos audio system with an Ikea label — it’s a completely new tackle what a wi-fi speaker could be. There are two Symfonisk audio system — the $99 Bookshelf, and the $179 Desk Lamp. This evaluate is solely centered on the Bookshelf — we’ll additionally present our impressions of the Desk Lamp in a separate publish.

Disappearing speaker

Sonos has at all times hewed to an ultra-minimalist design strategy, one thing that has prompted multiple observer to match the corporate (favorably) with Apple. Its audio system are understated, with shapes and enclosures that decision little or no consideration to themselves to place the main target the place it belongs: The sound. The Symfonisk Bookshelf takes this minimalist strategy to a brand new degree, wrapping itself in a disguise to additional assist it disappear into your room’s decor.

Concerning the top of a roll of paper towels when sitting vertically, the flat, fabric-covered grille is the one factor you see whenever you take a look at it straight-on. Wearing your alternative of Ikea Black or Ikea White (color-matched to Ikea’s furnishings), the partitions of the speaker cupboard are so skinny they’re virtually invisible. Positioned in a bookshelf, amongst a row of tallish books, solely a small Ikea/Sonos cloth label and a tiny white LED gentle on the backside give away its function. You’ll be able to flip the LED off within the Sonos app if you’d like, however don’t lower off the label — it’s truly the pull tab for the detachable grill, a primary for any Sonos-designed speaker.

As with nearly all Sonos audio system, the Bookshelf has no inputs or outputs, no USB, and no Bluetooth, providing only a single Ethernet jack tucked within the again. It doesn’t use an exterior AC adapter (these terrible bricks that accompany most shopper electronics), which implies that solely a slim energy twine stays to be hidden from sight. Even should you can’t utterly disguise it, Ikea’s contribution to the ability twine was to wrap it in a material braid. It received’t magically make it go away, but it surely’s a pleasant contact nonetheless. The again of the Bookshelf speaker has two grooves that allow you to run the cable vertically or horizontally — relying on the orientation of the speaker. A tiny set of rubber ft on the underside and left aspect of the cupboard defend it and maintain it from sliding in both place.

Most Sonos audio system have top-mounted management buttons, and now that I’ve had an opportunity to make use of the Bookshelf’s front-mounted buttons, I can see why. Until the speaker is positioned at shoulder top, or greater, urgent these small, non-touch-sensitive controls is usually a bit awkward.

An actual bookshelf speaker

Regardless of its skill to subtly take up residence on a bookshelf, that’s not why it’s known as the Bookshelf speaker. As a substitute, it’s the speaker’s skill to actually turn into a bookshelf when hooked up to a wall utilizing the non-compulsory wall-mount bracket, or wall hook – a intelligent play on the age-old speaker section.

A completely new tackle what a wi-fi speaker could be.

You’d anticipate a wall bracket made by Ikea to be well-designed, and it’s. Hooked up to the wall with two or extra screws, after which bolted to the Bookshelf speaker with the assistance of 4 tiny hex bolts – that is, in spite of everything, an Ikea product — the $10 bracket lets the speaker seemingly float both vertically, or in bookshelf mode (horizontally). There’s no solution to pivot the speaker when it’s within the vertical orientation, which looks like an oversight, however doing so would most likely undermine its skill to take a seat flush to the wall when in bookshelf mode. An angled model of the bracket can be a pleasant possibility for many who wish to goal the speaker into the room from a nook.

The bracket comes with a skinny rubber membrane that you could place atop the cupboard to guard it from the few objects you’ll have room to retailer there. The directions are fairly particular: No liquids, and no open flames (honest sufficient). With a 10-pound weight-bearing capability, you received’t be utilizing it to show your cherished geode assortment, but it surely must be greater than strong sufficient for a small image body, home keys, and your telephone.

Simon Cohen/Digital Tendencies

Talking of telephones, it could be actually cool if the Bookshelf featured Ikea’s Qi wi-fi charging system, however no such luck, not less than for this primary model. (We anticipate that will add a good bit to the underside line.) One factor you’ll must deal with when wall-mounting the Bookshelf speaker is the ability twine. If you happen to go for the black mannequin, it’s a black energy twine, whereas a white one comes with the white speaker. Given Ikea’s track-record for stocking spare components at its shops, it might even be potential to purchase a white twine later, which might assist it disappear on gentle, or white-colored partitions.

If you happen to choose to make use of the wall mount, be sure you’ve received the suitable screws and wall anchors for the job — the Bookshelf speaker is deceptively heavy, and that weight can be sitting away from the wall. An unintentional downward power might simply rip it out of the wall if it’s not mounted correctly.

True Sonos sound

Can a $99 speaker designed to double as a bookshelf ship the sort of sound high quality we’ve come to anticipate from a Sonos product? Relaxation assured, whereas the Symfonisk Bookshelf could not appear to be your common Sonos gadget, it nonetheless sounds nice.

To be clear, the Bookshelf will not be as highly effective or as full-ranged as a Play:1 or Sonos One. And but, when you’ve carried out Sonos’s Trueplay tuning, adjusted the EQ to your liking, and cranked up the quantity, the Bookshelf effortlessly fills a medium-sized room with clear sound. Is it good? No. It suffers a bit by way of the midrange, and tends to flatten vocals. If you happen to actually push the quantity onerous, some small vibrations from the cupboard turn into obvious.

It might not appear to be your common Sonos gadget, but it surely nonetheless sounds nice.

Extra so than with Sonos’s different audio system, your alternative of music will play a task in how a lot you benefit from the sound. Pop music, particularly tracks like Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk, had been a great match for the speaker’s outstanding highs and lows, whereas classical music and jazz didn’t fare as effectively in testing. As its form suggests, the bookshelf delivers a really directional sound. As such, a single Bookshelf doesn’t create a really extensive soundstage, however when arrange as a stereo pair, two Bookshelfs (Bookshelves?) can place you proper in the course of the viewers at a live performance. It must be famous that you could solely stereo-pair a Bookshelf with one other Bookshelf, however we wouldn’t advocate you do in any other case anyway.

As tempting as it’s to maintain making comparisons to the Play:1, a $149 speaker that prices 50% greater than the $99 Bookshelf, it’s a defective comparability. I’ve by no means heard a powered speaker for $100 or much less that sounds nearly as good because the Bookshelf. Throw in all the advantages of the Sonos app, like its common search, large help for music streaming providers, and simple whole-home audio management, and the Bookshelf comes as near a no brainer as a funds residence wi-fi speaker can get. If you happen to’ve by no means used a Sonos product earlier than, you’re in for a deal with.

Whether or not you’re on the lookout for a dorm-room speaker for back-to-school, a bed room speaker, and even an reasonably priced approach so as to add a pair of encompass audio system to an present Sonos residence theater setup, the Symfonisk Bookshelf’s value, options, and sound make a powerful argument for placing one in each room in your house.

The Symfonisk Bookshelf and Desk Lamp audio system go on sale solely at Ikea shops and on-line at Ikea.com on August 1.

Guarantee data

Sonos audio system include a one-year guarantee.

Our Take

With a extremely accessible $99 value, the Ikea-Sonos Symfonisk Bookshelf brings the comfort of Sonos’s wi-fi sound system to a wider viewers. The truth that it does so and nonetheless retains a lot of what makes a Sonos speaker value listening to — all whereas having the ability to act as an precise working bookshelf — ought to put this speaker on the prime of your checklist for a budget-friendly residence audio possibility.

Is there a greater different?

Not at this value. You might discover $100 wi-fi audio system with options you favor, like Bluetooth, speakerphone capabilities, battery-powered portability, or waterproofing (just like the JBL Flip 4), however you received’t discover the Bookshelf’s mixture of sound high quality and wonderful Sonos wi-fi management. That stated, you might wish to spend extra. The step as much as the $150 Sonos Play:1 is a worthy improve from an audio-quality viewpoint, even should you can’t steadiness your cookbooks and telephone on prime of it.

How lengthy will it final?

If historical past is any indication, the Symfonisk Bookshelf could have a really lengthy operational life. Sonos has an outstanding monitor file for persevering with to help its merchandise lengthy after most producers have lower and run. To place that in perspective: You’ll be able to nonetheless use the very first Sonos ZonePlayer made in 2002 with a present Sonos system.

Must you purchase it?

Sure. If you need the comfort of wi-fi music in a speaker that sounds nice and doesn’t break the financial institution, there is no such thing as a higher possibility than the Symfonisk Bookshelf speaker. It’s an amazing worth.