Ikea Sonos Symfonisk picture frame

Wall of sound

Picture/speaker brings the art of noise

A smart speaker that’s disguised as a work of art

This picture-frame speaker is the third collaboration between Ikea and speaker manufacturer Sonos, and follows on from the bookshelf speaker (£89 from www. snipca.com/39369) and the table-lamp speaker (£150 from www.snipca. com/39370). It’s aimed at anyone that wants decent-quality music in their home, but doesn’t want to spoil the look of their home decor with an ugly speaker.

The picture frame measures 570x410x60mm (HXWXD) and looks smart, but might not be quite what you expect. To us, a picture frame is a blank space into which you insert the photo or art print of your choice. This isn’t the case with the Symfonisk, which comes with geometric art (pictured above right) that clips on to the speaker’s frame.

The artwork is designed by British artist Jennifer Idrizi and printed on a thin mesh fabric that resembles the amalgamation of a spider’s web and a constellation of planets. You can remove it and replace it with one of two alternative panels, which are sold separately for £17 each. The panel below is called Splash; to see the other, called Vinyl, visit www.snipca.com/39383.

Everything else is as you’d expect. You can mount it on the wall, in landscape or portrait orientation, or simply sit it on the floor or other surface, and lean it against something flat (such as a wall). The frame and the art panel that clips on to it are made of plastic and sturdily constructed.

Setting up the speaker is as simple as any Sonos device, performed using an app on a smartphone or tablet. You can then use this app to play music, and it’s well integrated with all the radio stations, podcast providers and streaming-music services you’re likely to wish for.

We were impressed by the Symfonisk’s sound quality. The 102mm woofer and 25mm tweeter delivered a well-balanced sound, particularly on tracks featuring lots of vocals. It’s loud enough to fill a room with sound, without vibrating when you turn the bass up.

Given the choice, we’d opt for a £179 Sonos One speaker over this, because it’s easier to move around and provides better sound. However, if you prefer to hide your speakers in home furnishings, this is a useful option.

SPECIFICATIONS

1x 102mm woofer • 1x 25mm tweeter • 570x410x60mm (HXWXD) • 4kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/39386