We first covered Transparent’s Light Speaker nearly a year ago, and after a successful Kickstarter campaign ($165,000 from 591 backers), the speaker is officially on sale.
What’s unique about the Light Speaker is that it’s been crafted to look like an outdoor lantern – “designed to evoke the warmth, atmosphere and feel of a natural glowing light.”
To get the right look, Transparent analysed the look and feel of actual flames. From the light temperature down to the movement of flames, the intention is to provide a natural light that radiates along with your music.
The sound can be adjusted as can the light the speaker emits, with an additional directional knob encouraging users to alter the light from a subtle burn to a bright white reading light. This effect was achieved by placing the vibrating bass-and-light element at the bottom of the speaker, allowing the colour variations and flicker to follow the flow of the music.
The Light Speaker is rated at IPX2, which should offer some protection from inclement weather when used outside. The detachable handle is there as carry aid for transporting the speaker to and fro, and with a ten-hour battery life, there’s plenty of fuel for the speaker to burn.
Transparent claims the speaker produces a big, open and omnidirectional sound that delivers “rich bass and crisp details”. The audio set-up sees a 2.5-inch full range driver paired with a passive 3-inch radiator, with 5W of power output and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which also enables a pair of Light Speakers to come together and offer ‘True Wireless’ dual speaker streaming.
And given the growing interest in integrating more environmentally friendly practices, Transparent has manufactured the speaker using long-lasting materials such as glass and aluminium, its modular design allowing it to be upgraded and repaired over time.
And earlier this year Transparent announced a partnership with the KEEP (Keep Electrical and Electronic Products) project, a traceability system that allows consumers to follow the entire life cycle of an electrical product. By tracking each stage from production to repair or recycling, the project is said to help “economies transition into resource efficiency”.
You can head over to the Transparent website to purchase the speaker, where it’ll cost £290 / $370 / €320.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
