Ikea and Sonos have announced the release of the Symfonisk light speaker, to be available from October 12th

Sonos and Ikea officially unveiled the second-generation Symfonisk table light speaker today. The device was originally rumoured to be in the works by The Verge, and its design, which is now more configurable and available in a variety of designs, leaked earlier this month. Starting October 12th, the new Symfonisk lamp will be available in Ikea’s US shops, US website, and “certain markets in Europe.” In 2022, it will be available in all of Ikea’s markets.

Ikea is altering the way the new model is offered; this time, the lamp base (available in black or white) is sold separately from two distinct kinds of lampshades. There is an opaque glass shade that is similar to the original lamp speaker — albeit this one is open-ended on top — as well as a more translucent black glass shade.

The cloth lampshade differs from the glass design and, like the base, is available in black or white. There’s also improved lightbulb compatibility; according to Ikea, the second-generation lamp “supports a larger range of light bulbs owing to the additional E26 / E27 socket.” The controls are now on the lamp itself, as the previous model’s bottom plate is no longer present.

The lamp base costs $140, while the glass lampshade costs $39 and the cloth shade costs $29. That brings the total price of both pieces to either $179 or $189. The first Symfonisk light speaker was introduced for $179 and then increased by $10, so you’re effectively paying the same for gen two.

The new light, according to Ikea and Sonos, has a fully revamped acoustic architecture that, like the Symfonisk wall art speaker I tested in July, employs an unique waveguide to generate sound that can cover a whole room with music. The first-generation device had a sound characteristic comparable to a Sonos One, so I’m interested to see what these internal modifications will accomplish in that area.

The new light speaker, like all other items in the Symfonisk line, may be used alone, but it can also be integrated to your multi room Sonos system. It also supports Apple’s AirPlay 2. The lineup’s concept is to combine technology with a look that is more organically suited to home décor. However, the lamp speaker is more about personal preference than something like the unassuming bookshelf speaker, which debuted alongside the first Symfonisk light and is still available for $99.