Just under a year after Ikea launched its first wireless speakers in collaboration with Sonos, the Swedish furniture retailer has announced a new range of party-ready audio devices – including a mini Bluetooth speaker that can clip onto your belt.
The new Frekvens collection (meaning 'frequency' in Swedish) was created with ultra-cool Swedish design collective Teenage Engineering, and comprises a $16.99 (about £14 / AU$25) wireless speaker, a $149 (about £115 / AU$215) subwoofer combo, and a $10 (about £7 / AU$15) light-up speaker base, as well as the $19.99 (about £15 / AU$30) portable speaker with belt clip.
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It's rolling out to US Ikea stores as we speak, but global availability and official pricing outside of the US is still to be confirmed.
Modular music
The new system is all based around modular design; that means individual items can be stacked up and combined as you wish, making it a more personalized experience.
For example, you can stack the larger Bluetooth speaker on top of the light-up base to create a cozy centerpiece that draws attention to your speaker.
The speakers themselves come with either bright red or yellow grilles, with large, almost cartoon-like dials and utilitarian carrying straps and belt clips.
Teenage Engineer founder Jesper Kouthoofd explained: "What we said was 'why do you have to hide speakers. They are furniture in their own right.' Sounds should not be hidden. So when you start to build a modular system and add fronts and accessories on, it’s a more fun way to think about sound."
The new range sits in striking contrast to Ikea's Symfonisk speakers, which were created in collaboration with Sonos. The lineup included a speaker that doubles as a small bookshelf and a speaker lamp – both designed to blend in seamlessly with your existing furnishings.
Neither Ikea or Teenage Engineer have released any audio specs, so we can't speak to the quality of the drivers, materials, or even the battery life of the portable speakers.
As The Verge points out, Teenage Engineering is best known for its music devices like "the iconic OP-1 synthesizer", so hopefully these new speakers sound as cool as they look.
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