Ikea quietly gives AirPlay-compatible Symfonisk speakers minor updates

AppleInsider

Ikea has quietly refreshed its Symfonisk bookshelf speakers, which are made in collaboration with Sonos and feature AirPlay 2 support, with several minor updates.

Ikea's new Symfonisk speakers. Credit: Tweakers

The new speakers feature the same general design and form factor as their predecessor, but sport a upgraded processor, additional memory, and better power efficiency when in standby mode, according to Dutch tech website Tweakers.

In addition, Ikea has also added a longer power cable that measures 2 meters and changed the layout of the buttons so that the volume up and volume down controls are now next to each other. They can also be paired with older Symfonisk speakers to create a stereo setup.

Ikea's second-generation Symfonisk speakers, which have yet to be formally announced.

Like the original Symfonisk speakers introduced in 2019, the new generation comes in black and white color schemes. They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

They're currently available in the Netherlands, but there's no word on when they'll become available globally. The second-generation Symfonisk cost about a hundred euros each, or about $114.

Back in September 2021, Ikea also updated its Symfonisk lamps with bigger changes. The new generation of the lamp, which is also AirPlay 2-compatible, features a new design, greater customization options, and an overall upgraded sound experience.

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chadbag

What does this mean?

They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

Please explain the details when you write things like this.  Otherwise the article is basically fluff.  

flydog

chadbag said:

What does this mean?

They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

Please explain the details when you write things like this.  Otherwise the article is basically fluff.  

You need someone to explain the English language? 

Your router cannot be 5ghz only. It must broadcast both 2.4ghz AND 5ghz. 

wcmatt

flydog said:

chadbag said:

What does this mean?

They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

Please explain the details when you write things like this.  Otherwise the article is basically fluff.  

You need someone to explain the English language? 

Your router cannot be 5ghz only. It must broadcast both 2.4ghz AND 5ghz. 

Flydog, no dude, you're incorrect. That doesn't make any sense. The article is extremely unspecific about what is meant, but your interpretation isn't correct. 

elijahg

flydog said:

chadbag said:

What does this mean?

They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

Please explain the details when you write things like this.  Otherwise the article is basically fluff.  

You need someone to explain the English language? 

Your router cannot be 5ghz only. It must broadcast both 2.4ghz AND 5ghz. 

Yeah nah. A router can be 5GHz only. Don't sanctimoniously spout crap you know nothing about.

There's little point in having "compatibility" with 2.4 and 5GHz if it won't work entirely on one or the other. More details are needed. How about it AI?

polymnia

chadbag said:

What does this mean?

They also retain 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility, but won't function entirely on the 5GHz band.

Please explain the details when you write things like this.  Otherwise the article is basically fluff.  

Sonos uses 2 & 5 ghz radios for more than just connecting to your WiFi network. The full explanation is beyond the scope of a short article, but what is written is accurate within its limited scope. 

It's a deep rabbit hole to fully understand how Sonos devices interact with your network & use their radios for both that & operating their sonosnet. One pertinent detail: 5ghz radios in a 5.1 or 5.0 configuration are dedicated to directly feeding the rear speakers.