These speakers from IKEA and Sonos save space and sound great

With smart devices crowding your home, space is at a premium. That Google Home Mini is small, but it still takes up space. So does the Echo. 

Ikea and Sonos says it has a solution: SYMFONISK. Put what amounts to a Sonos One speaker into a lamp and you create a versatile piece of decor. Or turn those bookshelf speakers into shelves that you can use for storage. As an added bonus, SYMFONISK can be the start or expansion of your Sonos experience.

More than just a lamp

The SYMFONISK lamp is basically a Sonos One in disguise. You can choose from white or black. The base is a knit fabric while the shade is made of glass. The white version comes with a frosted glass shade while the black version features a gold/bronze glass shade. There’s a small panel at the bottom with play/pause and volume buttons. Or you can control the table lamp with the Sonos app.

While a matte glass finish would’ve looked nicer, the knit enclosure blends in seamlessly enough. It’s a better alternative than plastic.

The SYMFONISK lamp is compatible with IKEA’s line of smart bulbs and switches if you want to have even more control. Or, you can turn the light on or off with a simple switch.

Set up was simple. I downloaded the Sonos app, synced up my WiFi, and connected the lamp. Next, I added Spotify and the various voice assistants.

If there’s a streaming service, Sonos supports it. Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, and over 100 others can be added to the app. You can also pair your SYMFONISK lamp or bookshelf speakers to Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control. Lastly, Sonos also supports AirPlay 2 for iOS devices.

The Sonos app, for the most part, offers a seamless representation of your favorite streaming service. There were times when I couldn’t find a playlist I created on Spotify, but everything worked as it should.

As for the sound quality, it’s similar to that of the Sonos One. Inside you can find two class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, and one mid-woofer. Music sounds rich with enough space for the little details to be heard. You can definitely make it the main speaker for any room much like the Sonos One. If you have two lamps, you can pair them to create a stereo experience. And iPhone owners can use the Trueplay Tuning feature to adjust your speaker to the room using your phone’s microphone.

While it’s more versatile than other lamps in your home, but you may not want to pay $179.99 to save some space.

Book AND shelf speakers

Image:  Charles Poladian

Bookshelf speakers are functional in that they don’t take up as much room as floor speakers and provide a much better experience than computer speakers from a bygone era. And while you can use them as bookends to make them marginally more useful, you’re usually just sticking them on a shelf — making them another object that takes up space in your home. 

With the SYMFONISK bookshelf speakers, you can do all of that and a bit more. The speakers are rather nondescript on their own: they look like classic rectangular speakers. But you can mount them to serve as shelves. There are mounting brackets, sold separately, that you can use to place your speakers on the wall. Each speaker can hold up to 15 pounds. At 11-inches long, you’ll be able to hold a fair number of tchotkes, books, or anything else you have in mind.

Both the SYMFONISK table lamp and bookshelf speaker can serve as the primary speaker or complement your existing Sonos setup. One bookshelf speaker could suffice, but you could also pair two speakers to create a stereo experience. Or they can act as the rears of a home theater if you pair them with a Sonos soundbar.

As stereo speakers, the SYMFONISK bookshelf speakers sounded great in harmony. Music moved between them to create an immersive experience. While I didn’t mount them, I could see these as a compromise between fun and function. I love the idea of a home theater with all the receivers, amps, wires, and speakers that come with it. But, I also know I need that space to have a functional home. The ability to use my walls to create extra space AND create that experience is good feng shui.

A connected home

SYMFONISK is a smart entry point for anyone looking to upgrade their home audio. You can easily create a multiroom experience with the lamp or bookshelf speakers and add more functionality with existing Sonos products. Add a Sonos soundbar and create a home theater. Add a Sonos One to the kitchen or bathroom to expand your multiroom options.

The same can be said for IKEA products. The speaker and lamp blend right into their existing products. If you own a KALLAX shelving unit, these items would seamlessly integrate into your existing decor. You can also hang the bookshelf speaker on a KUNGFORS rail or rack.

Luckily, all of this interconnectivity hinges on the Sonos app. I usually don’t love a product-specific app because they’re too clunky or barebones. I don’t want to download another app just to control the volume. 

Sonos’ app makes the multiroom experience a painless one. Adding a new speaker is easy and happens in just a few minutes.

It’s intuitive enough with enough features to do everything I need to do. I can group all of my speakers together to create a unified musical experience. I can walk from room to room without missing a beat or shocking twist from my favorite podcast. Or, I can just have music playing in one room. Similarly, I can choose from my streaming service of choice.

I do wish the Trueplay feature was on Android, but that’s a complaint that can be levied against many apps with iPhone-only features. 

Connected

The Ikea and Sonos collaboration is a successful one. With the SYMFONISK table lamp and bookshelf speakers, you’re getting two solid home audio products with the added benefit of decluttering your space. 

With everything vying for your attention today, multi-functionality is a great asset to have. Tech consolidation may become a new trend. Do I necessarily want a couch or loveseat with built-in speakers and an assistant? I’m not quite ready to talk to my sofa. 

But, I am ready for products like the SYMFONISK table lamp and speakers. It’s a smart collaboration from two well-known brands. You know what you’re going to get ahead of time and they deliver. As speakers, they sound great. As pieces of furniture, they’re functional and blend seamlessly into your existing home decor. That’s especially true if you already have IKEA furniture. 

At $179 for the table lamp and $99 for the bookshelf speaker, they’re nicely priced and what you’d expect from premium speakers. They’re also less expensive than any other Sonos speaker. So, if you were hoping for a price drop on the Sonos One, this could be your next best option.