It’s hard to believe that someone who spends more than $ 900 on an ultra-thin 10-inch wireless speaker won’t want everyone visiting their home to see their $ 900 speaker, but that didn’t deter Bang & Olufsen from designing your new one Beosound Emerge to look like a beautiful volume that can disappear on a shelf full of books.
Designed by CAPA Benjamin Hubert, there are actually two versions of the Emerge available. The sleeker (more expensive) model features gold accents and an oak exterior finish that certainly makes it look more like a book, while an “Anthracite Black” version skips the wood for a price of ~ $ 740 a little more affordable. Both models seem to pack the same technology inside, however, including a four-inch woofer, a 1.45-inch mid-range controller, and a 0.6-inch tweeter. For comparison, the excellent sound Google Nest Audio uses only a three-inch woofer paired with a 0.75-inch tweeter and is available for only $ 100.
Connectivity options seem very robust given the relatively compact size of the speaker. It makes wifi, ethernet and Bluetooth 5.0 that facilitate support for AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, access to B & O’s own streaming radio service and even the Google Assistant thanks to a built-in microphone. For those who prefer not to subject their ears to audio compression, the Emerge can also be physically connected to audio sources with an input line or optical cable. Power is provided via a USB-C port, while there is a separate microUSB port for “service”, although wireless software and firmware updates can probably be accessed via a mobile app that accompanies him.
It’s hard not to look at the Beosound Emerge and compare the $ 100 from Ikea and Sonos Symphonic speaker which is also designed to disappear on a shelf while duplicating as a real shelf. Bang & Olufsen has a solid reputation for sound quality and choice, there is no doubt about the E.Fusion offers a better listening experience. But a $ 600 + better than Ikea? This is steep, even for a speaker wrapped in real oak. If you live in parts of Europe or Canada, you will be able to see for yourself and order one today, but the rest of the world will have to wait until the fall for global availability.
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