9 Stylish Wireless Speakers to Class Up the Joint
Forget the media cabinet. These portable speakers double as lust-worthy design objects meant to be shown off and cranked up.
1. Clio by ClearView
Unlike traditional cone-shaped speakers, the Clio by ClearView uses a thin sheet of glass to disperse sound perfectly, both in front of and behind it. Its solid base is available in silver, charcoal, or dark bronze and is just big enough to hold two midrange speakers and a woofer — a rarity in portable audio. $350; clearviewaudio.com
2. Libratone Loop
A slim disk with a vibrant Italian-wool cover, the Libratone Loop comes in four different colors ranging from icy blue to pepper black, making it easy to integrate into your home. Mount it as wall art next to a painting or stand it upright on a shelf like a small sculpture. $500; libratone.com
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3. BOOM Swimmer
The BOOM Swimmer looks like a comic-book version of those other little swimmers, but its ingenious design makes this pool-ready speaker a small miracle in and of itself. The tail can be bent to hook around your backyard fence or to hang on the deck, and its rubberized skin lets it play music up to three feet underwater. $60; boommovement.com
4. Harman Kardon’s Nova
Inside the sculptural, see-through shell of Harman Kardon’s Nova is a turbinelike casing that resembles a jet engine. It’s powerful enough to propel deep, rich bass and pure midrange tones, whether you’re streaming from your laptop, Roku, or Apple TV. $300; harmankardon.com
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5. Camden Square
Don’t be fooled by the retro leather accents and the metal top etched like a vinyl LP: The Camden Square has premium amenities that go way beyond analog. An app lets your guests create and modify playlists in real time, and its lithium-ion batteries can last up to 24 hours straight, in case your next barbecue turns into an all-night party. $300; polkaudio.com
6. J-Tek Rainbow
The company that brought us unconventional designs — from speakers shaped like skulls and French bulldogs — is rolling out a simpler aesthetic for the J-Tek One Rainbow. The sleek bluetooth speaker is small enough to tote around in your bag but still packs an impressive frequency range and a powerhouse subwoofer. $205; jarre.com
7. Vifa Wireless Speaker
Vifa, the go-to supplier for loudspeaker units, combined its sound-blasting technology with Nordic craftmanship for this wireless unit. Design features include a woven cover by acclaimed textile-manufacturer Kvadrat and a one-piece aluminum frame. The force-balanced woofers and digital pure path amplifiers offset the potentially muffling effects of the textiles to stream a bright, clear sound from any room. vifa.dk
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8. Muji Bluetooth Speaker
Muji’s latest invention camouflages document holders so they can surreptitiously play music in the home or office while resting on a bookshelf. For added oomph, connect the two 10-watt speakers with a cable. $127; muji.us
9. HiddenRadio2
True to its name, the HiddenRadio2 seamlessly blends into any home. Just tap the touch sensor cap to reveal the speaker hiding beneath the chrome top, and link multiple speakers to place them in different rooms to bring a whole new meaning to the term “surround sound.” Plus, the battery lasts more than 25 hours, for audiophiles who thrive on background noise. $199; hiddenradiodesign.com
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