New British tech company Zuma has launched what it is calling a "world first high-performance product that combines audio and light to give users an incredible immersive experience".
The Zuma Lumisonic is an ultra-compact two-way loudspeaker with a low-energy LED light, all housed within an easily installable ceiling light fixture. The firm says it offers a virtually invisible, wireless and clutter-free audio experience that combines circadian rhythm and mood lighting.
It has been developed over three years by a team led by renowned industrial designer Morten Warren (Zuma's CEO and founder) and featuring Vivid Audio's acoustic engineer, Laurence Dickie, who was the creator of the iconic Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus speaker (one of, in our opinion, the finest examples of high-end audio engineering in history).
As it is a light fixture, the sound projects downwards vertically from the ceiling, through a 75-watt co-axial two-way driver configuration. The Lumisonic boasts support for WAV, ALAC and FLAC files up to 24bit/192kHz, plus streaming via AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth (v4.2).
The Lumisonic is voice controlled, too – it will work with Alexa at launch, though you'll still need an Alexa powered device somewhere in your home. And built into the Zuma app are a series of wellbeing features that will enable users to play atmospheric soundscapes and combine them with sympathetic lighting tones. Think transforming your bathroom into a high-end spa with music and mood lighting, connecting your Peloton via Bluetooth for that real-life spin class vibe, or the sound of rain as you sleep under a canopy of Zuma speakers.
Users can select both music and the lighting to suit certain moods, and if multiple Zuma lights are installed in a ceiling, users can surround themselves with colour-tuneable lights and enjoy a virtually invisible array of loudspeakers above for an immersive audio experience.
Zuma also says it has incorporated technology that will, later this year, allow users to expand the capabilities of the devices to include motion sensors, smoke alarms and security systems.
The Zuma team has developed a patented spring blade mechanism which the firm says will enable quick and easy installation and removal. A selection of round and square bezels with different mounting options will be available at launch.
Zuma’s Lumisonic speaker light is priced at £375 per unit (excluding VAT). A companion light-only product called Luminare will be available in the summer, priced £125 each.
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