(Pocket-lint) - Sonos and Ikea offer two products within their collaborative project - Symfonisk - in the form of a Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker and a Table Lamp Wi-Fi Speaker.

The Symfonisk Table Lamp speaker is the more expensive of the two devices, but it brings the same sound architecture as the Sonos Play:1, along with all its features, while doubling up as a lamp too.

What's it like and should you head straight to the nearest giant Swedish shop to buy one? Here's our review.

Black and white colour options

Physical controls

Speaker in base

On first glance, you'd be forgiven for not realising the Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Table Lamp features a Wi-Fi speaker at its base. The functional design is brilliant for combining the two together, offering a device that could be placed easily into a bedroom or living room without being too obtrusive, even if it is larger than your average bedside lamp.

Frosted glass makes up the lamp shade at the top of the device, which is removed to reveal the bulb fitting. It's an E14 fitting (E12 in the US) and you can use one of the Ikea Tradfri smart bulbs, which then connects the lamp to the Tradfri system for smartphone control, or a standard bulb, giving you a choice.

Below the frosted glass shade is where you'll find the speaker. Acting as the base and sitting on a small plastic disc that features controls, the speaker base is around the same size as a Sonos Play:1. Where the Play:1, Sonos One SL and Sonos One are slightly squarer, the Symfonisk Table Lamp rounds off the edges for a softer finish.

The speaker is covered in a lovely soft-touch material - light grey for the white model (our review unit, as pictured) and dark grey for the black model - rather than the metal grille finish of the Play:1. The material covering of the lamp - which is similar to Apple's HomePod - is a nice touch as it allows the Table Lamp Speaker to blend more seamlessly into the majority of home environments, though it is a little uneven compared to the Play:1's metal grille finish.

Like the Symfonisk Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker, the Table Lamp has three physical controls, which are round in shape. These sit on the bottom disc of the lamp and they are the same three physical (rather than capacitive) control buttons you'll find on the Sonos Play:1 and Play:3 - comprising play/pause and volume up and down. They also offer the same features as the standard Sonos speakers, such as pressing-and-holding the play/pause button to bring the speaker into a group of Sonos speakers already playing music.

For the lamp control, there's a circular analogue switch on the side of the speaker base. It offers a reassuring click when switched on or off - but you can also use your smartphone if you have a smart bulb installed.

Like the Symfonisk Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker, the Table Lamp is mains powered but the lead blends neatly into the design at its rear, like all Sonos speakers. It is a little short though, restricting placement flexibility somewhat.

Controlled via the Sonos app

Apple AirPlay 2 compatible

Trueplay tuning

Stereo pairing

The Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker is setup and controlled through the Sonos app, just like any traditional Sonos speaker is, meaning it offers almost all of the features available on standard Sonos speakers, missing only a couple off the lengthy list.

This not only means the ability to group the Symfonisk speakers - both the Table Lamp and Book Shelf - with any Sonos speaker for a seamless multi-room audio experience, but it's also possible to play different music to different speakers simultaneously.

The Sonos platform offers access to over 100 music streaming services, along with the ability to play music from a local device, such as a phone or PC/laptop.

The Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker is also Apple AirPlay 2 compatible, like the Sonos One and newer speakers, allowing Apple iOS users to send music from their iPhone or iPad to an AirPlay 2 speaker without needing to open the Sonos app. There's no Bluetooth support though like the Sonos Move, so that's worth bearing in mind - as if you're an Android user you'll need to use the Sonos app to play music.

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Sonos Trueplay is also supported, meaning it's possible to tune the Table Lamp speaker to its surroundings, whether that's a bedroom or a living room, using the software feature in the Sonos app and an iOS device. It's quick and easy and it makes a worthwhile difference to the sound performance, especially if you have placed the Table Lamp in a slightly obscure position.

Like the Symfonisk Book Shelf speaker, two Table Lamp speakers can paired to create a stereo pair too. This means, if you had a Sonos Beam and Sonos Sub for your bedroom TV, for example, you could add a Table Lamp speaker to both beside tables to create a 5.1 system.

Though most features the Sonos platform offers transfer to the Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker, native voice control doesn't. Neither the Table Lamp Speaker nor the Book Shelf Speaker feature built-in microphones so there is no Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice control on board, like there is on the Sonos One, Sonos Move or Sonos Beam.

That said, you can still control the Symfonisk speakers through Alexa or Google Assistant with a Sonos One, Sonos Move or Sonos Beam, or an Amazon Alexa compatible device or Google Assistant compatible device like Google Home. We have Google Home and it works just as well as controlling other Sonos speakers so you can have voice control - but you'll need an extra device to get it.

In terms of other features outside of the Sonos platform, the Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker works with the Ikea Tradfri smart home system - meaning control is possible through Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Apple's HomeKit.

The Ikea Tradfri smart home system will also allow you to create Scenes. The Sonos element of the scene creation is not yet available, though it is expected soon. With the scene feature, those with Tradfri smart lights and/or the blind, will be able to schedule a morning scene, for example, which could automatically start brightening your Tradfri smart lights, raise your Tradfri smart blind and turn your music on.

Two Class-D digital amplifiers

One tweeter

One mid-range woofer

The Sonos Play:1, Sonos One SL and Sonos One are excellent sounding speakers for their small size, delivering plenty of punch and a good range. The Symfonisk Table Lamp Wi-Fi Speaker features the same sound architecture as the Play:1, Sonos One SL and Sonos One but re-engineered for the lamp. So while it might look like a lamp, it has all the right ingredients to sound great too. And sound great it certainly does.

There's a good range, great volume, bass levels are punchy, and treble is crisp too. As with most Sonos speakers, it's on the bassier side, but you can adjust the bass and treble through the Sonos app as you can with other Sonos speakers to suit your preferences.

It doesn't deliver the power of the Sonos Move or Play:5, but the Table Lamp Speaker sounds great for its size and price point. It's also more powerful than the Symfonisk Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker.

Verdict The Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker isn't as subtle in its look as the Book Shelf Speaker, demanding more space in your home, but it's a great piece of design and one that should be applauded for its dual functionality. Is it a lamp we would choose for our bedside table if it didn't have a speaker in it? Perhaps not. But with a brilliant speaker on board offering the same architecture as the excellent Sonos Play:1, coupled with all the features the Sonos platform and the Ikea Tradfri smart home system offer, including stereo pairing and AirPlay 2, the Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker is a fantastic device. It sounds great, will look great in the right setting, and it's a brilliant addition to any household that's looking to add a combination of music and light without taking up too much space. This article was first published as a preview in April 2019 and has been updated to reflect its full lived-with-at-home review status.

squirrel_widget_124312 The Sonos Play:1 is the same price as the Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker but it demands less space, whilst still offering the same sound experience. You don't get AirPlay 2 compatibility, however, and you of course don't get the lamp element either. The Play:1 has also recently been replaced by the Sonos One SL, which might be worth considering over the Play:1 for its more seamless design and extra features like AirPlay 2. Sonos Play:1 review The Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker offers the same features as the Table Lamp, apart from the lamp element, but it is £50 cheaper. It can also act as a shelf and it has lots of placement flexibility with horizontal and vertical formats supported, as well as wall-mounted and even rail hung. It sounds great for its price too. Best Bluetooth speakers 2020: Top portable speakers to buy today Sonos Ikea Symfonisk Book Shelf Wi-Fi Speaker review

Writing by Britta O'Boyle.