An enclosure hidden in a shelf. This is how we could present one of the two devices launched jointly by Ikea and Sonos in April 2019. This parallelepiped (30 x 10 x 15 cm) sold 99.95 euros displays a very basic shape which allows it to be discreet for be placed just about anywhere. It can for example find its place in a library or on a shelf; or even become a shelf itself.
For this, Ikea markets a wall mount for 10 euros, delivered with a silicone mat to protect the enclosure from the objects placed on it. The Swedish brand also offers a pair of hooks at 6.99 euros to hang the speaker on the support bars generally dedicated to the storage of kitchen equipment. As often with Ikea, these systems are well thought out and practical. Here we clearly feel the advantage for Sonos of associating with the Swedish expert in interior design.
The discreet charm of Sweden
Despite the fact that this speaker is now the most affordable in the Sonos universe, the manufacturer has not cut corners on the manufacturing quality. Here we find a matte plastic of good quality with a grain significantly larger than that used by the Play: 5. On the front, the fabric covering masks a midrange speaker, another treble speaker and a vent allowing the bass reflex system to produce bass frequencies. An openwork part in this covering makes it possible to bring out three physical buttons (volume up, down and playback pause) and an indicator light.
Simple installation
For installation, the Sonos system is always that simple. By following the step-by-step procedure, it takes less than five minutes, Trueplay sound calibration depending on the configuration of the room included. This makes it possible to adapt the equalization of the enclosure to the acoustics of the place in which it is placed; enough to significantly improve sound quality. If you already have a Sonos system at home, this Ikea model fits into it like any other classic Sonos speaker from the brand. You can thus play different sources on the different speakers of your home: Spotify in a bedroom, a radio in the kitchen and television in the living room.
Remember that Sonos’s software platform allows you to connect nearly a hundred streaming services available on the market. Reading is done directly from the speaker, the application installed on your smartphone or tablet (iOS and Android) only serving as a remote control. Note also that Symfonisk are AirPlay 2 compatible, to stream music directly from your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
Mono, stereo, home cinema: the configuration is flexible
And the possible configurations are numerous. Two Symfonisk speakers can be used to pair them into a stereo pair. Even better, if you already use a Playbar, Playbase or Beam for your TV, we can add two Symfonisk as rear satellites rather than two Play: 1 or two One. A choice that has the merit of being much more economical: 200 euros for an Ikea pair, against 358 euros for two Play: 1 and 458 euros for two One.
Read also : He hacks the Symfonisk speaker from Sonos and Ikea to make a cheap Wi-Fi amplifier
And the sound result is also quite convincing. Even if we do not reach the quality of the two compact Sonos models mentioned above, the rendering is still very close. Despite its limited size, the bass is present. On styles such as rock, hip-hop, soul or electronic music, the Symfonisk proves to be quite comfortable, despite a compression typical of the sound signature of Sonos. On the other hand, it turns out to be less effective on styles requiring more dynamics, such as jazz or classical music. There, we clearly lack breathing to hear all the nuances necessary for these two genres.
