Each of these new speakers brings something different to the party, from handcrafted cabinets to standalone solar power. If you want your audio source to be something to shout about, discover six ways of doing things differently.
Six new speakers with a twist
Nocs Mini
Nocs Mini speaker
The Red Dot Design award-winning Nocs Monolith has now been joined by a smaller sibling. The Nocs Mini was designed in Sweden, with speakers from Danish specialist Scan-Speak, and assembled at a well-established Estonian factory. Daniel Alm, who founded Nocs, describes the Mini’s deliberate asymmetry as ‘dramatic and playful’, emphasising the smaller scale of this speaker, which was also inspired by ‘the nostalgic charm of older radios’. At just 270mm x 230mm x 106mm, this bespoke tabletop wireless speaker can still pack a punch.
Nocs Mini, £614, NocsDesign.com
The Onken by Turn End Audio
The Onken speaker by Turn End Audio
Manchester-based manufacturer Turn End Audio builds simple traditional speakers with a brutalist charm. Styled like the audio equivalent of a Donald Judd sculpture, the Onken speaker has a hefty cabinet crafted from Norwegian pine and rests on a bespoke stand made from folded carbon steel. The perfect pairing with an industrial loft, the Onken offers audiophile quality with traditional heft.
The Onken by Turn End Audio, £1,320 (£1,530 with stand), @turnend_audio
Urbanista Malibu speaker
Urbanista Malibu speaker
Following on from its Los Angeles headphones, Swedish tech company Urbanista has launched the new Malibu, ‘the world’s first solar charging wireless speaker’. As with the headphones, the key to the tech is Urbanista’s Powerfoyle solar cell technology. Available in Midnight Black and Desert Gray, the Malibu is a puck-like object with a top panel covered by the solar cell, theoretically giving you unlimited listening on the brightest of days. Appropriately enough, given its name, the Malibu is also waterproof.
Urbanista Malibu, £149, urbanista.com/malibu
KEF LSX II wireless speakers
KEF LSX II wireless speakers
KEF’s LSX II wireless speakers are an evolution of an acknowledged classic, and the British audio company has added a twist with this new olive green finish. Shaped by industrial designer Michael Young, the LSX series offers straightforward connectivity and big sound in a compact package.
KEF LSX II, £1,199/pair, UK.KEF.com
Teenage Engineering OB-4 speaker
Teenage Engineering OB-4 speaker
Why do so many successful tech companies hail from Sweden? Teenage Engineering used to be the upstart, but these days the pro audio specialist is practically audio royalty. The company has recently given its OB-4 standalone wireless speaker a light overhaul by introducing a clutch of new colours, a contemporary and complementary palette that includes navy, ochre, grey and orange. Like all TE products, the OB-4 does things slightly differently, packing a 40-hour battery, an on-board FM radio, a digital ‘tape’ buffer that records the last two hours of output and also space for the company to download ongoing audio experiments.
Teenage Engineering OB-4, £575, Teenage.Engineering
JBL Authentics 300 portable speaker
JBL Authentics 300 portable speaker
JBL is offering its new Authentics range in three sizes, 200, 300 and 500. The 300, shown here, showcases the range’s deliberately retro aesthetics, with four speaker drivers housed in a black and gold case, complete with carry handle, for perfect portable audio with an eight-hour playtime from its integral battery. The Authentics 300 streams via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and has duelling voice assistants (Alexa and Google) for when you can’t make up your mind who to talk to. In addition, several units can be paired up around the house.
JBL Authentics 300, £379.99, UK.JBL.com
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