The whole point of new iterations is to improve on the previous model, and that’s exactly what IKEA is doing with their speaker lamp, the Symfonisk. In fact, one upgrade that started out as bad news actually turned out pretty well. The Danish home design and flatpack furniture icon has just unveiled the Vappeby, the latest model in its stunning lineup of mixed-use tech products.
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Image: IKEA
Looking back at the previous Symfonisk, there were improvements to be made, namely in the deletion of the dial on the original. Many people thought that was supposed to be a dimmer switch but it was actually the on-off switch. That was replaced with an actual on-off button. The lamp now also comes as two pieces—the speaker base and the lampshade. That makes it easier to change things up, including replacing the fabric lampshade with a glass version that is available in either white or black glass. The base is also available in either black or white, so mixing the lamp components is possible.
Speaking of the base, it is much more neutral in design and is about six inches in diameter and eight inches in height. When you do purchase the speaker lamp, you’ll be a bit underwhelmed by the included bulb, but that’s now more easily rectified as the new lamp has been redesigned to accept the standard E26 bulbs (though you are limited to a maximum output of 15W, so no incandescent bulbs). The controls for the speaker are located in the back, but you can also control the speaker lamp via your phone.
Sonos is onboard to provide the sound for this lamp, and they’ve promised “room-filling” sound. Using the Sonos’ app, you can handle all the setup and gain access to over 100 music services. The lamp supports AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. It will also work paired, such as pulling duties as a wireless rear speaker in a Sonos home theater setup. As far as a next generation of a product line, the new Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker does exactly what you would expect it to do—improve on the original.
Image: IKEA
Image: IKEA
Image: IKEA
