If you’re like us, covertly squatting in a model room at the local Ikea and living off of the remains of discarded meatballs, you could probably use some mood-lightening tunes right about now.
Luckily, you don’t even have to leave home (until security figures it out, of course) to find a solution! That is because Ikea dropped two new Eneby Bluetooth speakers — in eight-inch and 12-inch square models, both measuring three inches thick — blending postmodern design aesthetics with contemporary wireless connectivity. The minimalistic speakers are built to fit with Ikea’s shelving units, but their slick, simple look should fit well into most any room (even one in your imagination).
Both speakers (the eight-inch model costs $49, while the 12-inch model costs $89) are equipped with handles for easy portability, and they’re both compatible with dedicated Eneby speaker stands and wall mounts (both sold separately; the wall mounts aren’t yet available online) to help blend seamlessly into the background. By default, the speakers need to be plugged into a power outlet, but if you go with the eight-inch model, you can also get your hands on a $20 battery pack to enable fully wireless playback for up to 10 hours. The 12-inch model is not compatible with the battery pack.
The speakers can connect via Bluetooth or through a 3.5mm auxiliary (cable included), in the unlikely case you’ve got a device without Bluetooth capabilities. The speakers’ only manual controls come in the form of a simple plastic knob on the front, which toggles power and adjusts bass and treble levels. Somewhat oddly, you will need to control playback and volume directly from your source device.
The speakers both feature woven mesh fabric front panels which can be removed for a more industrialist aesthetic, with exposed tweeters and drivers. Both models are available in black and white colorways (the “black” is mostly charcoal gray with true black accenting, while the “white” is a lighter gray with white and black accenting). For those intimidated by the prospects of putting together Ikea products, worry not: The Eneby doesn’t require any assembly, so you can start listening immediately. We will have more impressions when we get our hands on the speakers.
