Transparent’s portable Light speaker gets the party glowing
A portable speaker and lamp in one, the Light speaker by Swedish technology firm Transparent draws inspiration from the traditional lantern
This new portable Light speaker is from Swedish tech brand Transparent, a company that may be small but has grand ambitions. Established in 2011, the Stockholm-based brand found early fame with its signature Transparent speaker, a striking piece of industrial design that lays its internal workings bare thanks to meticulous industrial design.
As well as making a nod to Franco Albini’s 1940 Radio in Cristallo (recently reissued by Cassina), the family of speakers aimed to demystify the hidden complexity of modern electronics.
Light speaker by Transparent
Now the company is launching its second major product, the Light speaker, following a long period of development, crowdfunding, and prototyping. ‘We’ve been wanting to make a smaller form factor product for a while,’ says Per Brickstad, Transparent’s chief designer. ‘With something this small, there’s no practical reason to make it see-through, as with our larger speakers. Instead, the design was inspired by lanterns.’
Formed from glass and aluminium, the new speaker does indeed bear a striking resemblance to a traditional lantern, with a perforated housing, borosilicate glass ‘jar’ and hoop-shaped carrying handle.
By incorporating a variable-strength LED into the base of the ‘jar’, the design becomes a wireless speaker with a dual purpose – a portable light capable of soft illumination all the way up to strong torchlight. From the outset, the company has engaged with potential customers and backers through crowdfunding. The first 400 subscribers to the Light concept were all asked for detailed feedback. ‘They said they wanted the light to be stronger,’ says Martin Willers, Transparent’s CEO, ‘so there was a significant functional improvement made during the development.’
The result is a speaker with personality. ‘We worked a lot on the quality of the light,’ Brickstad continues. ‘It can go from a glowing ember or coal-like appearance, through to naked flames and candlelight, then up to warm white like an old-school light bulb, and finally to a functional bright light. We have developed an acoustic principle that uses the light as passive element of the speaker system, so the light physically vibrates with the sound. This really contributes to the musical experience as the speaker “sings” the music, which makes it much more of a multisensory experience – you can see the music in front of your eyes.’
One of the other key challenges was to create a small electronics device that could be repaired and renewed. ‘It’s a big challenge to create an upgradeable design,’ Brickstad says. At the moment, the Light is made from 60 per cent recycled aluminium.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
‘It’s a constant process to improve the grade of recycled material for each element,’ the designer continues. ‘We put a lot of hours into exploring the supply chains and the quality of recycled materials. Our ultimate vision is to not take anything up from the ground in our products.’
Willers reiterates the company’s vision. ‘Our main goal as product designers is to make products that last for a long time,’ he says. This required careful detailing. For example, the glass is threaded at each end, like a jam jar, but the manufacturing tolerances had to be far more precise.
‘We were told many times that we should just glue it together. It would have been simpler, cheaper and faster. But we were stubborn,’ says Brickstad. ‘That kind of struggle is what makes it worthwhile for us to make electronic devices.’
The sound quality is enhanced by the form factor. The glass jar contains half a litre of acoustic volume, which helps the distribution of sound. ‘It’s a product that adds real value – the omnidirectional sound – as well as excellent performance,’ says Brickstad. ‘There’s a balance between the acoustic chamber and the driver.’ With weather-resistance built in, along with ten hours of battery life, Bluetooth and the ability to pair two Light speakers together, Transparent has created a friendly but functional object that transcends novelty value.
‘We wanted to make a product for social situations – it should be a bit like being around a campfire, something that acts like a living flame,’ says Brickstad. ‘We believe in creating some level of magic from technology. Ultimately we want to be the first circular tech brand.
INFORMATION
Transparent Light speaker, £290
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: meet the practices
In the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2024, our latest guide to exciting, emerging practices from around the world, 20 young studios show off their projects and passion
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
St. Vincent on designing her Klaus Nomi-inspired guitar line
St. Vincent is a Wallpaper* guest editor for 2024. Here, she unpacks her long-standing relationship with the guitar. It started with wearing one in front of a mirror. Who knows how it ends. But somewhere in the middle, there is fun and freedom and a well-tailored instrument
By St. Vincent Published
-
Artist Jonathan Baldock plays hide and seek with the windows of Hermès' London flagship
A series of fantastical, brightly coloured hedges, dotted with peepholes, transform Hermès' New Bond Street store, offering an interactive experience for the passerby
By Anne Soward Published
-
Is the new Google Pixel 9 Fold Pro the ultimate do-it-all device?
Google's Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Fold Pro go head to head in our hands-on test of the latest generation of AI-infused smartphones
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Hold my ice cream, Ken: HMD’s long-awaited Barbie Phone is now available
HMD's Barbie Phone shuns the socials in favour of a pink-tinged, ultra-fabulous distraction-free life
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Cutting-edge new kitchen tech is aimed at saving time, space and food
These new kitchen appliances are for the gadget-loving cook, from coffee creation and food preservation to space saving
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Folding Motorola razr 50 and 50 ultra enter the smartphone arena – plus the latest competition
Motorola and Samsung unveil cutting-edge new folding phones, while Honor’s photography-focused device proposes portraiture as the new hotness
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Wallpaper* Smart Space Awards 2024 winners announced
Discover the Wallpaper* Smart Space Awards 2024 winners: innovation across all forms of domestic technology and product design
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Pocketable audio: five ways to take audio out and about while staying smartphone free
FiiO’s elegant portable CD player tops our list of portable audio players, along with the debut device from new brand Activo
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The new HMD Skyline is a repairable smartphone that won’t rule your life
Human Mobile Devices has pulled out all the stops to ensure its flagship HMD Skyline can not only be easily repaired, but helps divert you from doom-scrolling
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Analogue Pocket Aluminum Editions: the cult video gaming console shows its new metal
The strictly limited-edition Analogue Pocket Aluminum Editions bring high-quality materials to Analogue’s elegant combination of hardware and software design
By Jonathan Bell Published