Ikea SYMFONISK Picture Frame Speaker Review

[RndmLstner]

Is it impractical for this to have had a battery powered option? For those that havn't looked at pics other than those posted in the review, the speaker is much larger than it initially appears. There are plenty of much smaller (total area) bluetooth speakers that are battery powered and provide decent usage time and cost a fraction of this speaker.

As an item marketed, in large part, for its aesthetic appeal, and, in many uses, for hanging on a wall, requiring that it be plugged in a power outlet defeats much of its marketed purpose. Looking at a few of the demo pictures on the product page plainly evidences this. "Oh look...a speaker hidden among a picture collage. Oh wait... why is there a ghastly cable infiltrating the nice picture collage."

With the significant limitations on the placement resulting from the need of a power outlet, Ikea is losing a lot of prospective purchases that may otherwise consider it.

Guess I will not be replacing the Salon2's....

 

[MrOtto]

When I go past Ikea speakers in the store, the sound is always ruined by the too dominant bass. But this is different?

Is this mono? Can two speakers be paired to stereo?

 

[Thomas_A]

There is only power in and out and Ethernet. No line in unfortunately.

You did not happen to pick up the IKEA Eneby generation 2? That one has line in.

 

[Lewzke]

It uses some lengthy port to enhance the low end. This thing is amazing considering the price and the form factor. Wife factor 10/10, tech factor 7/10. This is a genius product.

 

[markanini]

I like that the design is minimizing boundary interference, and in a mainstream product that's competitively priced.

 

[theshade]

Maybe because it is on wall the frequency response cancellations due to sbir may have made the frequency response in room more or less linear compared to traditional speakers. I have measured my genelec 8030c in 18 different speaker positiions to find out its most linear position in the space i have available. The peaks and dips were drastically large and it is somewhat underwhelming cause i expected good in room measurements given this is one of the best measured speakers ever. Granted i probably have a bad untreated room as it is just a bedroom. Perhaps exploration of more in wall and on wall speakers are warranted.

 

[Thomas_A]

Nice to see a review of speakers from IKEA. I was for sure suprised when I hooked up my Eneby (12 inch) speaker. Not as thin as the Sonos/IKEA wall speaker but comes with more power and line in. It is our main kitchen mono speaker and sounds really fine. Some even use several of them stacked as main speakers in their main systems.

 

[Dennis_FL]

Also, as an aside this could make some amazing Atmos height channels while fitting into whatever room's decor your in.

True - if you can figure how to get the receiver to recognize a Sonos speaker.

I have the new Sonos Arc which delivers Atmos quite nicely. I've tried various other configurations in the same place including some high end sound bars (passive and active) and the Arc blows them all away.

 

[MZKM]

This would make a very nice speaker for my bathroom. May get one to try mostly because I can use it with Roon!!

I would worry about moisture when taking a shower.

 

[Ein]

Not to mention they will work as Roon and LMS endpoints, including stereo paired. Sonos app covers FAR more music services than any competitor.

It works also in Vox Player (more integration options), and some other apps. So, this is ecosystem - better than audio HiFi/high-ends (compatibility, options, integrations, included all services, works in stereo and also multichannel).

I have sonos/ikea setup and I must say: 70% vs 30 % (typical everyday use Sonos vs HiFi/end). Only headphones sometimes change this relation.

 

[tecnogadget]

See that's where you and I are different. A speaker in the bathroom. But that's fine, I get it.

I don't even like any outdoor speakers unless it's a concert. Speakers at a BBQ, the beach or those wretched Bluetooth boom boxes people take to pristine rock pools near us and blast the rainforest.

But I guess you can sing along in the shower.

Im also in the ballpark of those who don’t need or care about music in the bathroom...
But then my loved one usually leaves the booth open, and watches some YouTubers with smartphone and stand...and sometimes she even pairs a portable Wonderboom to compensate for the shower noise...So yeahh, there’s ton of crazy people who could benefit from this in wall speaker on their bathroom. But not sure if they will withstand the continuous humidity...

 

[Ein]

Sonos' TruePlay room correction will also work with these...

Yea, and works brilliant in hard places like bathroom for example. My One play music, not distortions there.

 

[Ein]

How can you turn it into an LMS endpoint?

Daphile for example with easy with plugin. Many options here. Fantastic stuff.

 

[tecnogadget]

Isn't this an amazing thing? I keep saying that a good speaker sounds great in mono and people don't know what I am talking about. Here, it sounds even better than a typical bookshelf speaker.

Im totally with you about listening to mono.
First because the theory behind makes sense (already discussed over million of threads here).
Second: Because of my own experience. I’ve tricked so many visitors into thinking the sound they were hearing was from the multy thousands audio system, but in reality it was coming from a tiny Ultimate Ears Wonderboom mono speaker hiding behind the AVR at 80% volume...

 

[Frgirard]

Maybe because it is on wall the frequency response cancellations due to sbir may have made the frequency response in room more or less linear compared to traditional speakers. I have measured my genelec 8030c in 18 different speaker positiions to find out its most linear position in the space i have available. The peaks and dips were drastically large and it is somewhat underwhelming cause i expected good in room measurements given this is one of the best measured speakers ever. Granted i probably have a bad untreated room as it is just a bedroom. Perhaps exploration of more in wall and on wall speakers are warranted.

this speaker demonstrates the nuisance due to the diffraction of enclosures that do not have a large baffle, ie all commercially available enclosures.

 

[Tks]

Thanks. Sadly they come at a high cost. They are part the new revision of the Klippel software that costs 2000 Euros to get! I have a temporarily license which expires next month. Combine this with the 4000 Euro cost of baffle measurement option for Klippel NFS and I am feeling mighty poor again!

Go back, they're not THAT good (actually it's not a straight upgrade tbh, the gradations between the colors has fallen substantially).

 

[restorer-john]

I would worry about moisture when taking a shower.

It's not in the shower, just on the wall. The enclosure is plastic and the drivers most likely polyprop, so it'll last more than enough years to give a reasonable lifetime. Unless... the power cord falls out and drops into the bathtub. zzzzzt.

But seriously, if I start taking my HiFi into the bathroom, you can all kick me out of ASR for good. Perma ban.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Man, that main woofer is tiny at 3.5 inches/9 cm. Wonder if it uses some kind of transmission line to get that low.

No wonder directivity is wide and good.

I find this thing quite baffling (sorry!). It's 22" x 16" x 2". Its internal volume must be minute, it has a tiny bass/mid driver*, and there have to be one or 2 amps in there. How can it possibly do what it does?

*At first I thought it might be a flat panel speaker of the Mission/NXT type but clearly it's not. What happened to NXT anyway?

 

[restorer-john]

Isn't this an amazing thing? I keep saying that a good speaker sounds great in mono and people don't know what I am talking about. Here, it sounds even better than a typical bookshelf speaker.

I have a Sangean ATS-803A PLL radio like that. It's insanely good for a shortwave radio. Fills a room.

 

[Frgirard]

JMR EMP nano. Discontinued model