What Exactly Is the IKEA Symfonisk Wall of Sound

If you have ever walked through an IKEA store, you have likely seen the Symfonisk lineup. These are speakers disguised as home decor—lamps, picture frames, and bookshelves that actually play music. Recently, the team at WIRED decided to push these IKEA speakers to their absolute limit by wiring together 150 of them to create a massive Wall of Sound. While most of us are happy with just one or two in the living room, this project was an experiment in how mass speaker setups behave when pushed into an industrial-scale configuration.

For the average person, this project highlights a simple truth: home audio doesn’t have to be intimidating. These speakers are built on the Sonos software platform, making them accessible even if you aren’t a tech expert. This project matters right now because it proves that affordable tech can be scaled up to create a truly immersive, albeit slightly chaotic, audio experience in your own home.

Real World Use for Your Living Room

You probably won’t be chaining 150 speakers together, but understanding how they work helps you use them better at home. Think of these as the Swiss Army knife of home audio. Because they are modular, you can start small and grow your system as your budget allows.

• The Busy Household: If you have kids who want music in the playroom and a partner who wants jazz in the kitchen, these speakers can play different songs in different rooms simultaneously through a single app.
• The Apartment Renter: If you cannot mount heavy speakers to your walls, the Symfonisk bookshelf speaker doubles as an actual shelf. It saves space and looks intentional rather than like a cluttered tech setup.
• The Casual Host: If you are hosting a dinner party, you can sync speakers across your home so the playlist follows your guests from the foyer to the dining table without skipping a beat.

Who Should Get These Speakers

These speakers are best for people who value convenience and aesthetics over extreme audiophile precision. They are fantastic for anyone already deep into the smart home ecosystem who wants high-quality sound without the wires and complex receivers of traditional DIY audio systems.

Skip these if you are a professional sound engineer or a purist who believes high-fidelity audio requires heavy, wired equipment. If you are looking for a portable speaker you can toss in a bag for a hike, look elsewhere—these require a constant wall outlet and a stable home Wi-Fi connection.

How It Stacks Up Against Alternatives

When you look at IKEA speakers compared to traditional audio brands, the main difference is the ecosystem. While a standard Bluetooth speaker might be cheaper, it usually won’t connect to other speakers to form a whole-home system. Traditional setups from brands like Bose or Klipsch offer superior sound depth, but they come with a higher price tag and a much steeper learning curve.

The Symfonisk line sits in a “Goldilocks” zone. They are more affordable than dedicated Sonos-branded hardware but offer the same software features, including the ability to sync effortlessly with your phone or tablet.

Setup and the Learning Curve

Getting these running is surprisingly simple. You plug the unit in, download the Sonos app, and follow the prompts. Unlike complex DIY audio builds, there is no soldering or technical knowledge required. The app handles the heavy lifting, connecting the units to your home network. The only real frustration is the initial “handshake” process, which occasionally requires a quick restart of your router or phone app if your Wi-Fi is spotty.

Real World Pros of the Symfonisk Line

• Design Integration: They look like furniture, which makes them much easier to place in a room than bulky black boxes.
• Simplicity: The Sonos app is widely considered the gold standard for multi-room audio, making it easy for anyone in the family to use.
• Modular Growth: You can buy one today and add another in six months; the system handles the pairing automatically.
• Reliability: Once they are set up, they generally hold their connection well, assuming you have decent home Wi-Fi coverage.

Real World Cons and Limitations

• App Dependence: If the Sonos app experiences a server issue or your Wi-Fi drops, your “Wall of Sound” turns into a quiet wall of furniture.
• Power Limitations: Every single unit requires its own power outlet. In a large room, managing the cables can become a bit of an aesthetic nightmare.
• Not True Hi-Fi: While they sound great for casual listening, they lack the crisp highs and deep, shaking lows of professional-grade dedicated audio components.

Price, Value, and Affordability

As of 2024, the Symfonisk line offers some of the best value in home audio. Prices typically range from $120 to $200 depending on the model (lamp, frame, or bookshelf). While you could find cheaper generic Bluetooth speakers, those rarely offer the multi-room, synchronized performance that makes this system worth the investment. Think of it as an entry-level investment into a system that can grow with you over several years.

Verdict and Who Should Buy

If you want a reliable, good-looking, and easy-to-use audio system that can span your entire house, the IKEA Symfonisk line is a clear winner. You don’t need a Wall of Sound setup to enjoy it—just two or three speakers can transform your living space. If you are an audiophile looking for professional studio quality, this isn’t for you. But for the everyday listener who wants music in every corner of their home without a headache, it is hard to beat.

Common Questions and Answers

Is the IKEA Symfonisk system worth the price? Yes, for most users, it offers an incredible balance of performance, design, and ease of use that is hard to find at this price point.

Do I need special technical skills to create a mass speaker setup? Not at all. Because these speakers use the Sonos app, adding more units to your system is as easy as tapping a button on your phone.

Can I use these as portable Bluetooth speakers? No, these are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet and connected to your home Wi-Fi. They are not designed for outdoor or travel use.

Are there hidden costs? Aside from the speakers themselves, there are no mandatory subscriptions, though you will need a music streaming service account like Spotify or Apple Music to get the most out of them.

Can I mix and match different IKEA speakers? Yes, the Symfonisk line is designed to work together, meaning you can have a lamp speaker in the bedroom and a bookshelf speaker in the kitchen and control them as one unit.

Product prices and availability vary by region. Verify current pricing before purchase.