The Symfonisk Picture Frame speaker is the first addition to the Symfonisk collection in nearly two years, and while it represents a leap in Ikea’s ability to make speakers less visible at home, its $199 price betrays the mission of making Sonos’ quality audio affordable to more people. [1] But if dropping that much on a speaker doesn’t make you take a pause, the Picture Frame is by far Ikea’s best speaker yet, both in terms of sound quality and utility. 

Figure 1. The Symfonisk Picture Frame speaker

It doesn’t hide in your home at all, but it looks at home on a wall as shown in figure 1. The fabric covers with its “evoking the idea of a sound field” artwork and the power cable are dead giveaways to anyone who’s seen my Picture Frames hanging in my home. Ikea sells two other panels you can purchase separately but neither really suits my style. One is a multicolored splatter art design and the other is a minimalist drawing of a record player. Ikea may roll out other designs in the future if the Picture Frame is popular, but the default is fine for me.

This is marketed as a frame, but there's no place to put a picture. It would be far more accurate to call it wall art that just so happens to have a Sonos speaker built in. Semantics aside, there are different cloth panel covers you can use to customize the "frame" to your liking, and it can rest on top of a side table or other surface, or hang on the wall like a piece of art. [3] The drivers deliver surprisingly robust bass (that might literally rattle your walls), and audio generally sounds strong for the price. With support for Sonos multi-room streaming and Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility, the Symonisk Picture Frame is just as versatile as any other speaker from Sonos, with the added benefit of doubling as a piece of art.

Measuring 22.3 by 16 by 2.3 inches (HWD) and weighing in at roughly 10 pounds, the Symfonisk Picture Frame is quite large. It's available in black or white, with the cloth grille covering the drivers emblazoned with the geometric pattern seen in the photos in this review. There are other, splashier designs available for $19.99 each, including a stylized paint drop design and a turntable illustration. As mentioned, there is no place to put your own art, so these aren't exactly frames. 

The uses of Symfonisk Picture Frame speaker   

1. The speaker is for indoor use only and can be used in temperatures ranging from 0ºC to 40 ºC.
2. Do not subject the speaker to wet, moist or excessively dusty environments, [4] as this may cause damage.
3. Never use abrasive cleaners or chemical solvents as this can damage the product.
4. Different building materials and placement of the units can affect the wireless connectivity range.
5. Never install the product in a confined space. Always leave a space around the product for ventilation.
6. Product shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, heat sources, and fire or similar.
7. No open flame sources, such as candle lights should be placed on the apparatus
8. Do not attempt to repair this product yourself, as opening or removing screwed covers may expose you to the risk of electric shock.

References:

1. https://www.inputmag.com/reviews/ikea-sonos-symfonisk-picture-frame-speaker-review-terrific-sound
2. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/symfonisk-picture-frame-with-wi-fi-speaker-black-40487320/
3. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/ikea-symfonisk-picture-frame-with-wi-fi-speaker
4. https://manuals.plus/ikea/symfonisk-picture-frame-with-wifi-speaker-manual#axzz7YQjI1SOS

Cite this article:

Vinotha D (2022), The Technology of Symfonisk Picture Frame Wi-fi Speaker, AnaTechMaz, pp.129