Today’s Bluetooth speaker market is more flooded than a convention center parking lot on American Idol audition day. For a newcomer to stand out, a fresh idea is essential. Upstart Om Audio’s bid to stand out from the crowd comes in the form of a funky little pyramid-shaped device it calls Mantra. It’s hand-carved from real walnut, and offers a few other tricks up its sleeve that got us to take notice.

At $100, the Mantra stands at the pinnacle price point for entry-level wireless speakers. The little wooden pedestal packs a decent feature set, including a 13-hour battery, an on-board speakerphone, Bluetooth 4.0, and an included carrying case. But perhaps the Mantra’s most notable feature is its ability to pair with a companion unit for stereo sound.

There are few speakers available at the Mantra’s price point that can accomplish this feat of wireless stereo pairing – the UE Mini Boom comes to mind – but while we find the Mini Boom’s exterior a little bland, the Mantra’s is anything but. If it can put out some decent audio from its single 2-inch driver, its combination of form and function could make it an enticing new addition to the entry-level segment.

We’ll likely be taking a closer look at the speaker soon, so we’ll let you know how it stacks up in the pecking order. Om Audio’s new Mantra is available now.

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