As IKEA’s partnership with Sonos ended this year, the SYMFONISK line is being phased out. But IKEA is not about to leave you without a speaker/lamp combo. Enter the IKEA BLOMPRAKT (article no. 006.049.48). Touted as the successor to the SYMFONISK speaker lamp, this new Bluetooth speaker lamp brings to the table a neo-retro design with a hint of Dieter Rams flavor—in my opinion, anyway—and “good everyday sound” delivered through a 10 W, 75 mm full-range speaker driver. The driver boasts a 78–18,000 Hz frequency range and a max SPL of 75 dB.
It does not have a wired connection, nor does it have Wi-Fi connectivity. It plays music from sources like your phone, computer, or other Bluetooth devices via, well, Bluetooth. It supports Spotify Tap, allowing you to pick up where you left off with a press of a button. Spotify Tap also generates tunes based on your listening history—all you have to do is press the button again for random tracks.
Unfortunately, the new BLOMPRAKT is not stereo, but it does support multi-speaker mode, so you can have the same music playing from several speakers for wider coverage. That said, the lack of Wi-Fi may limit how far that coverage goes.
On the illumination front, it features a dimmable light with an 18.5-lumen rated luminous flux and a 2700 K color temperature to create the right vibe for your tunes and mood. Aesthetically, it is definitely a conversation starter. At a glance, it looks like a mushroom. Where the SYMFONISK speaker lamp has the light source up top and a base that houses the speaker, both the light and the speaker on BLOMPRAKT live on the “mushroom head.” So yes, it feels more like a mood or ambient light than a regular lamp serving as a secondary light source.
The speaker promotes flexibility in placement. For starters, it can be positioned at different angles thanks to the adjustable “mushroom head.” Meanwhile, the base rocks two cord slots, letting you reposition the speaker lamp without sacrificing the sleek look, meaning the cable stays out of sight.
For some reason, IKEA also feels the need to tell you that it is IP20 rated, which does pretty much nothing. There’s no protection against liquids or dust. It only protects against solid objects 12.5 mm or larger. Hmmm.
Anyhoo, the new IKEA BLOMPRAKT Bluetooth Speaker Lamp is available in three colors—beige, black, and light blue—priced at US$59.99. Designed by Jon Eliason.
Images: IKEA.
