IKEA SYMFONISK table lamp with built-in WiFi speaker review

My initial thoughts about the Sonos compatible IKEA SYMFONISK lamp speaker were: “Great sound, but wow it’s ugly!“. I applaud IKEA’s intent with this product, but the design should be changed if you ask me.

I actually heard someone say that it looks cute, but didn’t understand what it was… Below is the first line of sight pros and cons by taking a look at the specs and pricing.

What’s in the box?

When handing over £150 or ~ $200 you get a WiFi multi-room speaker from IKEA that will integrate well with the rest of the Sonos family. It won’t look like any of the other well-designed Sonos Products and won’t do anything for the interior design in your home.

The speaker/lamp is designed to look like a bulb. The speaker is primarily made of covered plastic and a glass shade – I’m sure it won’t be everyone’s taste. It’s around 40 centimeters tall and got a diameter of 21 centimeters. Most bedside tables will be too small for this lamp to fit and might only (from my perspective) be used as a speaker placed inside the living room next to the couch or on a shelf.

How is the sound in the IKEA SYMFONISK?

Sonos told us to expect almost an identical sound profile in IKEA SYMFONISK as you get when buying the Play:1 and with the same Class-D amplifiers, woofer and tweeter. I got both the old and new Play:1 from Sonos and when positioning them side by side, I must say that the sound is almost identical. The tones a well balanced and make a great sound in the room. When playing at louder volumes, there is no difference which makes them great for a party too because of the built-in light.

You can pair them with your existing Sonos products and turn them into surround speakers for your tv. This gives a great opportunity if you would like to add lights behind your couch and at the same time get great sound when watching a movie. Combine them with the Sub from Sonos and a soundbar, then you got your own home cinema.

Setup and Configuration

Sonos has really made a great app, which makes it very simple and straightforward to add new speakers to your setup. All you have to do is go to settings and click the button “Add Speakers”. A short moment later, your new speaker has been added to your family and might also have been updated with the newest software.

The latest update from IKEA to their Home app gives the ability to control the speakers from the app and connect their remote control to the speakers. I haven’t been testing it that much since I am using the native Sonos app in combination with Home Assistant, but I would like to hear your thoughts in the comments if you have been or are using the IKEA Home App to control them.

Voice Control

I have tried both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa with the IKEA devices and must say it worked perfectly for requesting tracks, albums skipping tracks, and pausing the music. One thing to note: be careful with the naming of your devices. It is very easy to get yourself confused and also confusing the app protocols for controlling the devices.

If you got an iPhone, you will get quick access to Airplay 2 controls. You also got the option to use your iPhone for Trueplay tuning when the speaker has been placed at the correct spot in your room. Sadly on Android, there is no built-in casting functionality across third-party apps and also no Trueplay (yet – I have heard rumors). You are though still capable of using Spotify Connect directly in the Spotify app as it’s using the network discovery.

Conclusion

If you are striving for the best sound at an affordable price, I would recommend you to pick the Sonos One SL. The design is more “normal” you won’t get the built-in lamp, but I’m sure that you will be happier with the sound. On the other hand – if the mouth-blown WiFi lamp makes you happy and the design is okay with you, then I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

The speaker gives you a great sound and got impressive connectivity. I hope this short review of the IKEA SYMFONISK speaker has made it easier for you to decide if the speaker lamp is something for you. If you got any comments, please drop them below, without filling in the review details.