Ikea SYMFONISK Picture Frame Speaker Review

[Thomas_A]

I really wanted this Ikea loudspeaker to sound good, but it did not. It would have been a nice tv-loudspeaker. In my view, the Ikea Eneby 20 ( which I own ) and Eneby 30 sounds a lot better.

However, I dont want to be critical against those who like the sound , sound quality is ofcourse a very personal thing.
And this speaker don´t cost much.
My comparison and reference are my Genelecs with digital input.

I agree that the Eneby speaker is excellent. Regarding the IKEA/Sonos, I have only heard the Symfonisk book-shelf speaker and while it can produce som decent sound, it cannot compare with the Eneby30.

Overall SQ is however a different question than the technical aspects of conventional speakers vs. flat on-wall speaker with large baffles.

 

[beagleman]

Just ran over to Ikea today to hear it again...........

For what it is, it is quite hard to fault. I mean no perfection or super detailed sound, but for such basic small drivers in a plastic box, it just sounds quite good.

Hard to compare to a bookshelf honestly, but it just "Impressed" me again, in a way that is hard to explain.

Fairly decent bass, no ice pick treble, and just relatively decent smooth enough sound.

 

[beagleman]

There is no "maybe" here. I did like the sound. And when I do, I report it, any conflict with measurements be damned. As I have said repeatedly, I can't lie in my reviews. You are welcome to just put priority on the measurements. I can't solve all of these complex problems. I wish the measurements were 100% instructive and then I would not even need to listen. But we are not there.

Maybe you are like me, it just sounds "Good to me" in that way that makes it pleasing and no major mistakes in the sound.

 

[buzwork]

IKEA is about the worst place to go if you know exactly what you want(at least the ones near me are). The whole store seems designed to make you shop for an hour. It's an experience.

I always go in through the exit and through the big racks of boxed items. It's always way faster and I can skip the stinky scented candle section.

 

[marcello252]

IKEA is about the worst place to go if you know exactly what you want(at least the ones near me are). The whole store seems designed to make you shop for an hour. It's an experience.

OT: I don't know if it's the same in other countries but in IKEA stores here in Italy there are a lot of shortcuts to jump from one place to another, with clear signs

 

[maxxevv]

OT: I don't know if it's the same in other countries but in IKEA stores here in Italy there are a lot of shortcuts to jump from one place to another, with clear signs

Its the same in my part of the world.
I have tried the one at Emeryville, California too, its the same.

There are shortcuts to jump between different areas if you look out for them.

 

[Darwin]

Is there a way this could be used as a stereo pair for a TV?

If you have an Apple TV you can airplay these to them in stereo

 

[Thomas_A]

Has anyone tried and compare these flat IKEA SYMFONISK speakers with the IKEA Eneby 30 ?

 

[Marakk]

Does this review also bode well for Sonos soundbars?

Sonos Arc Review

The Sonos Arc is the manufacturer's flagship soundbar released in 2020. It's a smart soundbar with built-in voice assistant capabilities designed for easy integr...

www.rtings.com

Looking at the measurements there are similarities in the measurements, including the slope and then the dip at 6-9 kHz and then the rise after that.

 

[amirm]

Does this review also bode well for Sonos soundbars?

No. It is a completely different animal.

 

[Marakk]

No. It is a completely different animal.

Bummer! Coz I bought Sonos Arc with IKEA Symfonisk bookshelf rears. lol.

Well, the quest holy grail of sound along with convenience and overhead bells will continue. Maybe if someday Sonos can launch something like their Amp but with support for a center channel and Atmos, even if virtualized, that would be great. I was divided between picking up the Amp and get JBL Stage 130s with Symfonisk rears, but then no center channel and Atmos made it less suitable for consuming content. How bad can it be though, right? The similarities in the response throughout Sonos' lineup convinced me that they would've tried their best to make their premium soundbar sound at least decent.

Soundbar v1.0 - Graph Tool

www.rtings.com

Looking at the response for center channel there are definite similarities (Sharing Sonos Arc entire setup as the other one has Trueplay elevating treble further as it can at times), even if the Rtings' measurements aren't as accurate and revealing as yours. For example, slight boost, response above target line, from 400 hz to about 600Hz, check. Dip between 700-800 Hz and then somewhere after 900 Hz, present in both. Slight boost in response from 1.3 KHz to about 6 Khz, check. Dip from 6-9 KHz, check. Slope having elevated treble and not dipping down overall after 1 Khz, check. That's something that's actually happening in Playbar and Beam too. To me it's clear, Sonos have an in-house sound they try to which they try to tune each product.

 

[gags11]

If you have an Apple TV you can airplay these to them in stereo

Correct me if I’m wrong, but AirPlay from Apple TV comes up as temporary streaming, so you need to go and set these as your output device each time.

On the brighter note, these can be stereo paired. I just bought one. If it sounds any decent, will consider adding a stereo pair.

The question is where do I or anyone else put these? For example, I have 3 rooms with speakers: 2.1 set up with KEF R11s & Rythmik sub, family room TV with a 5.1 set up, and a dedicated HT with a 7.1.2 set up. Forgot the outdoor Revel & Monitor audio speakers.

I think these will make awesome office speakers for music. I’m thinking home office for sure. If I like it, my work office will get one too. I pray I like them though, as I have learned the habit of liking speakers with high Harman preference scores.

 

[Boaz_000]

It’s just one data point, but the first Symfonisk speaker, released in 2019, is still around.

Hey,
I hope you are doing well. I just want to let you know that you can return the IKEA product purchased within 365 days if you are not satisfied. They will give you a full refund if you return the product unused with the original receipt. For more information About IKEA Return Policy, you can visit the given site.
Thank You !

 

[DanielT]

Smart to use the wall as a baffle.

That one actually looks really interesting. Ikea, who could believe it. Although when it comes to Hifi, anything can happen, it seems. Speakers that are expensive, like? .. Wait, how does this Ikea speaker stand against this high-profile Hifi manufacturer's model of speakers?

Wilson Audio TuneTot Review (high-end bookshelf speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Wilson Audio TuneTot stand-mount/bookshelf speaker. It is on kind loan from a member and costs around US $10,000 (varies due to color). I am not a fan of the way the front looks without the grill. The sides though sport probably the best...

audiosciencereview.com

Then this one, from Kef, who normally makes good speakers:

KEF T101 Review (Thin Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEF T101 slim/wall mountable home theater speaker. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $650 for a pair. This is a very solidly built thin speaker: It is clear a lot of engineering has gone into it. KEF developed a very shallow...

audiosciencereview.com

Edit:
Hm, they have audio / Hifi products. Have not thought about. This is a bit of an eye opener for me.
How their other products are, preformance, I do not know. Now it will be more fun to buy lampshades and other knick-knacks at Ikea. A little fun to watch when you are still crowded with everyone else in the department store.

Speaker - Speakers - Portable Speaker - Portable Speakers

Browse our range of speakers to enjoy your favourite tunes. Find portable speakers and built-in speaker designs with a modern looks. Shop online and in store now.

www.ikea.com

 

[cbracer]

Hey,
I hope you are doing well. I just want to let you know that you can return the IKEA product purchased within 365 days if you are not satisfied. They will give you a full refund if you return the product unused with the original receipt. For more information About IKEA Return Policy, you can visit the given site.
Thank You !

The return policy states un-opened items are eligible for 365 days. Once you open an item, the return policy is left up to the individual at the store you speak with and it's their decision I've been there plenty of times and seen opened items go both ways.... some accept return others don't. I've also been there when a large couple brought in a mattress 10 months after purchase saying it was no longer supportive, and ikea would not return or exchange it since it was not a manufacturer's defect..... go figure.

 

[Guerilla]

New version on swedish Ikea homepage
Cheers!

 

[DanielT]

Tips, regarding IKEA:

Sound, HiFi related products from Ikea

There are a few miscellaneous from Ikea. Seems interesting. Anyone have/ tested Sound, HiFi related products from Ikea? Experiences?:) Example: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/gunnlaug-sound-absorbing-curtain-white-60500170/ https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/cable-management-accessories-16195/...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[svinyard]

Hey is there a cheap way (less than 50-100$) to get a turntable connected to these Sonos speakers? It seems like they force you to buy an F'ing 450$ port lol.

 

[somebodyelse]

Hey is there a cheap way (less than 50-100$) to get a turntable connected to these Sonos speakers? It seems like they force you to buy an F'ing 450$ port lol.

There's an explanation here for using a Pi to turn analog into a streaming source the Sonos app can connect to.
https://www.instructables.com/Add-Aux-to-Sonos-Using-Raspberry-Pi/
The Fun Generation UA-202 is a cheap interface with a MM input. A Pi Zero W should be able to handle the streaming and keep it all below budget. Spend more on nicer hardware as you wish - the concept scales to better interfaces. With some effort the software side could be turned into more of an appliance like piCorePlayer - assuming someone hasn't made a similar option for it already.

 

[TomekNet]

Has anyone tried to hack / make Symfonisk Picutre Frame a passive speaker? I have several Sonos speakers and I like Sonos system in general, but in new location I'd like to use two of those IKEA wall speakers as a part of my whole house multi-room system (that has it's own amps). I really like the form factor (very low depth) and low price of those speakers.