Designing and manufacturing wireless speakers isn't always the most eco-friendly process, but thanks to the good people at Nocs Labs, you may not have to choose between the environment and getting the best out of your tunes. The Swedish brand has unveiled the Monolith x Aluminium, its new wireless speaker which, thanks to its plastic-free design and replaceable parts, has at least one eye on our ever-threatened environment.
If the name wasn't a big enough clue, the Monolith x Aluminum is constructed using a single block of aluminium, avoiding the need to use multiple, less environmentally friendly components. Better yet, every part of the unit is replaceable, with Nocs envisioning a "cradle-to-cradle" product in the same vein as Bang & Olufsen's move towards more sustainable, replaceable speakers.
To go with its green credentials, the Monolith x Aluminum has the sonic claims to match. Packing in dual full-range 5cm drivers alongside a pair of 10cm woofers and a single 20mm tweeter, all of which employ a neodymium magnet motor configuration, the new model offers an array of Class-D amplifiers providing a total of 225 watts of amplification.
The Monolith is capable of streaming over Bluetooth 5.3, as well as via wi-fi through supported services such as Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect. There's also Dolby Atmos spatial audio capabilities if you're streaming via Tidal, as well as multi-room playback with up to eight other Monoliths if you really want to wake up the neighbours.
Unlike many home wireless speakers, Nocs Labs' effort is also portable, featuring a rechargeable battery with the capacity to offer 15 hours of continuous playtime on a single charge – that's nearly twice the capacity of the semi-portable JBL Authentics 300 we reviewed earlier this year. The all-aluminium Monolith speaker is over three times heavier at 4kg, though.
According to Nocs Labs founder Daniel Alm, "The challenge has been to strip away all that is unnecessary. Countless hours were devoted solely to achieving the perfect symmetry in the positioning of the drivers. There are no logos, no frills – only the sleek yet refined appearance of solid aluminium remains."
The Monolith x Aluminum is available to pre-order now at £850 / $1000 / AU$1405 / €1000. The new wireless speaker will come in two colourways – silver and matte black – with shipping starting in November.
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