Design & Construction

Three years in the making, the Sonos X IKEA Symfonisk range have been received well, leading to both companies launching its next iteration of speakers. This time, we have both the symfonisk table lamp speaker as well as the Symfonisk Picture Frame speaker in this new series. Today, we will be taking a deep dive into the Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker. Right off the bat, we can tell that the new table lamp speaker looks way more modern and aesthetically pleasing to the general eye. Recalling that the previous generation had a bulbous glass top, the new table lamp speaker now features one of the best things yet, an interchangeable lampshade. Currently. the lineup has 3 offerings, a rounded glass lampshade, a textile lampshade and a bamboo lampshade in a natural tan finish. However, do take note that now Ikea does not bundle any lampshades with its speaker base. Not necessarily a bad thing since now we have the freedom to mix and match different colours and styles of lampshades to fit our interior space. Moving down to the speaker base itself, the previously eccentric oval shape is now streamlined into a rounded cylinder covered with a typical speaker fabric mesh. At the back of the speaker is where you will find the controls for playback and volume. A single press on the multi-function button will play/pause while a double press will skip forward and a triple press will skip backward. The respective volume buttons will allow you to control the volume as well. I know what you are thinking at this very moment, why would Sonos or Ikea decide to put these buttons at the back of the speaker and the least I could think of is to not disrupt the design language. But still, I would have preferred if they put it in the front instead. In place of this, a much more important on/off button for the light fixture is there for us to control the light from the front easily. Last but not least, the power and Ethernet ports are found underneath the table lamp speaker to keep its design as clean as possible. In terms of light fittings, the Symfonisk table lamp speaker now uses the more common 15W E27 bulb fixture. As seen here in our review, a Philips Hue E27 bulb is used to complement the entire smart home experience. Of course, you may also use any other brand of smart light bulbs like Ikea's very own TRÅDFRI version. I have tested it with other non-smart bulbs too; just that you will have to physically go to the table lamp speaker to press the on/off button each time and you wouldn't have brightness control. The current lampshade offered by Ikea have also been very generous in terms of spacing, providing ample room on the insides of the lampshade to fit even large sized lightbulbs. To change or remove the lampshades is as easy as screwing the cap on after installing the lampshade until it is tightly locked in place and vice versa.

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Sound Quality

Moving on to sound quality, the Symfonisk table lamp speaker features a 180-degree sound output. Overall, I would describe the sound as boomy and bass-heavy with a hint of treble clarity. When compared to the previous generations of Symfonisk speakers, the new ones sounds way too tame for a Sonos speaker though, a 40% volume is enough to fill up a medium-sized room. The bookshelf speaker that I have been using for years now has a super bass-heavy sound signature to the point that it rattles windows and doors just by itself in a bedroom. The bass on the new table lamp speaker is strong but it doesn't hit as deep as speakers of the same price point. It does feel a little constricted and trapped somewhat like what you would hear outside a club than the subwoofer in the trunk of your car. The mids do also take a backseat and sit further back, enhancing the classic V-shaped sound signature we hear on most speakers today. The treble and higher frequencies are somewhat boosted with the upper treble being its strongest suit, fortunately retaining its crisp details with sufficient left and right channels being heard clearly. The soundstage however, may disappoint some as we have gone through earlier that the sound output seems held back and tamed but having a pair of Symfonisk Table Lamp Speakers will allow you to stereo pair them together for more distinct stereo separation. Long-term Sonos users will know that when a Sonos product doesn't sound the way it should, not all hope is lost. Yes and that is because we have the Sonos S2 app, available in the App and Play Store. In the app, you will first see the option to pair your Symfonisk table lamp speaker if you have not done so before. A set of simple instructions will walk you through to use your existing Wi-Fi settings and add your smart home speaker. Thereafter, there should be a software update that takes a couple of minutes to install before your unit is ready. Like all Sonos speakers, the Symfonisk table lamp speaker can be used as the only sound source in a room or complete with your existing products from the Symfonisk or Sonos series to expand your sound system. Onto the app itself, you will first see your My Sonos tab where you can access your Recently Played playlists, Artists and more. Next, in the Browse tab, you have all your music services such as Sonos Radio, SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and thousands more. Since Sonos supports one of the most music services, you can definitely find your desired and frequently used options and add them via the settings. One such free option is Sonos Radio where you can access thousands of live radio stations across the world and you may opt for a paid subscription to remove ads, gain exclusive access to over 60,000 fresh content and listen at a loseless audio quality. Sonos Radio also houses different genres, playlists with moods and even Sleep Sounds curated for your listening experience. In our use case here, Spotify works seamlessly and in tandem with the Sonos Connect. We could access any playlist previously done on the Spotify app and launch it to play without issues. The Wi-Fi connection on the new Symfonisk speakers is way more stable too, playing almost instantaneously when we hit the button. Moving on, there is the System tab, where you get to categorise your speakers according to different assigned rooms in your home, so as to enable you to play the same content across the entire home or have different songs ongoing in different parts of the home. Alongside all of that, you have your classic music player built-in where you can play/pause, skip songs, adjust the volume and shuffle songs in your playlists. Of course, with many services in the app, it is easy to get lost, that's why the there is a tab dedicated to Search where you can key in what you want and in a moment's notice bring up results from all the services you have. In the settings tab, you have several notices to help you get started and understand your new speaker. Your account should also be logged in alongside other settings to help you log out or reset passwords. The systems setting is the most important part here as this is where you add your new Sonos products and edit various settings in regards to each individual product. Over here with the Symfonisk Table Lamp, you can change the room it is assigned to, change whether it uses an Ethernet connection, change the EQ, loudness and volume limits. The EQ is particularly important here, since the out-of-the-box sound signature is too tame. As seen, I have set it to have Bass at a +5 level and Treble at a +7 level to compensate. It is recommended to further tailor the sound to your room with TunePlay too; using your IOS device's mic. The process takes about 3 minutes and works like a 'set-it and-forget-it' process if you have decided to leave your speaker in the same spot. You may also enable or disable the Status Light and Touch Controls on the speaker too. In more settings, you can find out more information in the About tab, control AirPlay 2, change the Audio Compression from Automatic to Uncompressed or Compressed depending on your Wi-Fi strength, set the Time Zone of your region, Create Speaker Groups, edit Media Servers, Music Library, Networks, add Parental Control, check for System Updates and lastly Transfer System Ownership. A plethora of settings to go through to fix any problems easily. Lastly, one of the accessories compatible with the Symfonisk range is the Symfonisk sound remote that works via the TRÅDFRI gateway and IKEA Home smart app to provide for quick and convenient volume and playback control. The remote runs on a single CR2032 battery and the battery can easily be replace by unscrewing the back housing of the sound remote. The rear of the sound remote is attached with a magnet to the included wall bracket and can be stuck to any wall or surface at your convenience using the included 3M tape or screw. Of course, to set up the remote, pairing with the TRÅDFRI gateway is needed and a set of simple instructions will be prompted when you have the Ikea Home Smart app downloaded. You will need to press and hold a button inside the remote for 10 seconds to enable the gateway to find the remote. Thereafter, you may screw on the back housing and use the sound remote as intended. Onto the controls, a single press will play and pause your music, a double press will skip forward and a triple press will skip backward, Adjusting and controlling the volume is done via the turning the knob. This setting control can be configured to control one speaker or a group of speakers from anywhere in your home and it works seamlessly as long as the sound remote is not too far from the gateway so that the actions can be recognised and registered instantaneously.

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Connectivity & Portability

In terms of connectivity, you may only use Wi-Fi to play music or podcasts. There is no Bluetooth support or any 3.5mm audio-in port for wired use. If you find that the Wi-Fi connection is particularly weak, you may opt to connect the speaker via wired Ethernet to your router. Media playback can be done in 3 ways of the Sonos S2 App, Spotify Connect or AirPlay 2. The table lamp speaker is powered using wall power via its a removable and replaceable textile braided power supply cord with a long 200cm length. If you need extra length, a 3,5m cord is available for purchase to extend the table lamp speaker away from a wall socket. Pairing another Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker to become bedside lamp speaker is very much recommended as it functions well as a pair in both the sound and interior design fittings.

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PROS​​

• Iconic, Modern Design

• 180 Degree Sound

• Smart Bulb Integration

• TRÅDFRI Accessories Compatibility 

• Comprehensive Sonos S2 App Support

• Stereo Pair/Expandable Smart Home System

• A Range of Replaceable Lampshades

• Two Colours Available

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CONS​

• Tamed Sound Signature

• Hard to Access Physical Playback Control 

• No 3.5 Audio-In Port

• No Speakerphone Function

 

The Bottom Line

In all, the Symfonisk table lamp speaker is a promising step in the right direction showcasing the prowess of a smart home speaker paired with interior-friendly furnishings. Although the sound signature of the speaker isn't as well-defined and energetic as previous generation, the new sound signature will appeal to a wider audience as much as its rounded cylindrical shape and interchangeable lampshades. The Table Lamp Speaker comes in both black and white colours and have lampshades of similar colours but of different variations to match with even more designs in the future to spruce things up.

WE RATE IT!

8/10