IKEA's Symfonisk Line Will Include a Table Lamp With Sonos Speaker, Support AirPlay 2

Monday April 8, 2019 9:22 AM PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Ikea today revealed more information about its upcoming line of Sonos smart speakers, which the Swedish furniture company has dubbed "Symfonisk" (via The Verge). There will be two products in the line: The Symfonisk Table Lamp with Wi-Fi Speaker ($179) and Symfonisk Bookshelf with Wi-Fi Speaker ($99).

Image from Ikea/Sonos via The Verge

Each device will be controlled through the Sonos app, and Sonos CEO Patrick Spence suggested that the Table Lamp's audio quality will be similar to the Sonos One speaker. It has two class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, one mid-woofer, and a sealed enclosure. The Table Lamp and Bookshelf can also be stereo paired, used for multiroom audio, and they both support Apple's AirPlay 2.

A brief ad on Ikea's Italian YouTube channel shows off both products. The Symfonisk line aims to produce Wi-Fi smart speakers that also perform some kind of secondary furnishing purpose, such as an extra shelf on a wall and lighting in a room.


The ad showcases two people dancing around to music playing from the speaker, with bright and colorful lights strobing from the Symfonisk Table Lamp. As with any other standard lamp, users will be able to place a smart light bulb into the Symfonisk (such as Philips Hue) and connect the bulbs to their existing ecosystem of lights.

More information about the Symfonisk smart speaker line from Ikea and Sonos is expected to come out of the Milan Furniture Fair, which takes place April 9 through April 14 this year. The products will then go on sale in August 2019.

Tags: Sonos, Ikea
46 comments


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RogerWilco
19 weeks ago

"It has two class-D digital amplifiers"

I've seen a few companies put this in their marketing materials as if it's a good thing. Class D amps are extremely efficient, but sound quality is not their forte. Good enough? Probably for 2019, considering all the compromises we've made in audio quality vs convenience. Nonetheless, I wouldn't put it in my advertisements.

Yet the HomePod uses the same class D amps.
Rating: 7 Votes
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BWhaler
19 weeks ago
Hello every college dorm room.
Rating: 4 Votes
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ohwevad
19 weeks ago
Great! I've always wanted to assemble a wireless speaker.
Rating: 3 Votes
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iMerik
19 weeks ago

Does it directly stream Apple Music? Still too fugly for me.

Yes, it would use the same SONOS app, which streams Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, etc., directly.
Rating: 2 Votes
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macjonny1
19 weeks ago

"It has two class-D digital amplifiers"

I've seen a few companies put this in their marketing materials as if it's a good thing. Class D amps are extremely efficient, but sound quality is not their forte. Good enough? Probably for 2019, considering all the compromises we've made in audio quality vs convenience. Nonetheless, I wouldn't put it in my advertisements.


like a lot of things there are great and mediocre class-D amplifiers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICEpower
Rating: 2 Votes
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MTW
19 weeks ago
Will out sell HomePod life-to-date in the first month.
[doublepost=1554744372][/doublepost]

My first question is can these be paired with the Sonos Beam as satellite speakers for surround sound? That would make them pretty appealing to reduce clutter on the night tables where we currently have lamps. sonos play:eek:nes, a homepod, and various chargers.


That is supported.
Rating: 2 Votes
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BlueCreek
19 weeks ago

Since the Symfonisk speaker doesn't have a microphone how would it work WITHOUT an app?


It has airplay so doesn’t need a dedicated app, just would mean that Siri commands would need to be done through the connected iPhone/iPad
Rating: 2 Votes
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citysnaps
19 weeks ago

Yes, it would use the same SONOS app, which streams Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, etc., directly.


That would be a non-starter for me.

With HomePod I don’t need an app or a device nearby to play music. Just giving HomePod a verbal command within 20 feet is all that’s needed, and works extremely well.
Rating: 1 Votes
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MTW
19 weeks ago

Lost me at having to use the sonos app.
This is still something I don't understand about sonos. There's no such thing as quick pairing or so. For example if I have people coming to my place, every time they want to play some music through their phones, they would need to install the sonos app and so on. Same with computers.
I own a bose speaker, and the bluetooth pairing is awesome. No app required, no nonsense.
And sound-wise it's not that far from Sonos, if not better.


The idea is to prevent random people that are near your house from being able to play whatever they want to your speaker. Regardless, it's not really an issue anymore (if it were was) - you don't have to pair each phone with the app. Once the app is setup once, you can turn on AirPlay. Anyone that is on your WiFi network can AirPlay to the speaker without having to have the Sonos app installed.

Bluetooth is garbage. Plays phone notification sounds, requires the phone to be close to the speaker, is generally gross.
Rating: 1 Votes
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PickUrPoison
19 weeks ago

When i saw $100 airplay speakers i was pumped. Till i saw it was a lamp also lol.

Actually the speaker+lamp is $180; for just the speaker yeah it is $100 :)

It could have be ok for certain uses depending on how good (bad) it sounds. At $100 I’m a little skeptical but who knows? I’d have to hear it.
Rating: 1 Votes
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