Whether through choice or necessity, many of us will be having a lot of nights in for the foreseeable future. And Sony's new wireless speaker could well be perfect for the occasion, offering sound from a glass body that, in candle mode, flickers like a naked flame. How very hygge.
The Sony LSPX-S3 features what Sony calls Advanced Vertical Drive Technology. This sees three actuators, which are discreetly attached to the end of the organic glass, vibrate the glass tweeter to spread sound in every direction. That should, Sony says, result in an omnidirectional, room-filling sound that sounds the same wherever you're sitting.
Inside is a 46mm speaker unit handling the mid-range, and a passive radiator for clear low-end notes. Like Sony's other speakers, there's a Bass Boost mode which you select using the Sony Music Centre app on your phone. Bluetooth comes as standard, with support for Sony's LDAC codec allowing for higher-resolution wireless playback.
Want sound in stereo? You can pair two of them wirelessly so one can act as the left audio channel while the other delivers the right channel.
But the most striking thing about the speaker is its design. The base is mineral silver with a satin finish and has a fabric bottom so it doesn't scratch any furniture it is placed on.
Turn on the candlelight mode and it flickers like a naked flame. It can even flicker in time with your music, if you set it to. There are four different lighting modes and 32 brightness levels, so you're sure to find one that sets the mood – just slide the touch sensor to adjust it.
There's a sleep timer to help you wind down, plus a built-in mic for taking calls hands-free – though we can't help but think that goes against the relaxing nature of the speaker.
It'll last for eight hours before needing a recharge, and it charges via USB-C.
The unique Sony LSPX-S3 goes on sale next month for £315 / €350 (about AU$600).
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