We know Ikea for its affordable furniture and home accessories, but the Swedish retail chain is also releasing more and more electronic products. In this review we look at two bluetooth speakers in the Ikea Eneby series.
Ika Eneby
Price €49.95 and €89.95-Colors White and anthracite
Connectivity Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack
Format 20 x 20 x 9 cm and 30 x 30 x 11 cm
Weight 1.5 and 3.7 kg
BatteryOptional with the small speaker (20 euros)
Website www.ikea.nl 6 Score 60
- Pros
- Sleek design
- Easy in use
- Affordable
- Negatives
- heavy
- Large speaker is also not impressive
- Small speaker sounds mediocre
- Battery is optional or not possible
Ikea's products are known for their minimalist design and relatively low prices. These characteristics also apply to the Eneby, a speaker from the series of the same name that is available in two sizes. The small and larger models are available in white and anthracite and have a square plastic housing. The front, with the speakers behind it, is made of polyester. On the back is the bass opening, the power output and a 3.5mm audio port. With separately available accessories you can place the speakers on a stand or hang them on the wall.
heavy
Both speakers only work with the plug in the socket, although you can buy a battery for the smaller model (20 euros) so that you can use it wirelessly for a few hours. At 1.5 kg, in our opinion, it is just too heavy to take to the beach or park. With a weight of 3.6 kg, the larger version is intended to be placed somewhere in the house (not in the bathroom). Conveniently, both speakers have a handle on the back to easily move them.
rotary knob
There is a rotary knob on the front of the Eneby speakers. If you press it briefly, it goes into pairing mode and you can pair it with your device via bluetooth. You also use the knob to control the volume and – if desired – adjust the treble and bass. This works properly.
Disappointing sound quality
The most important part of a speaker is of course its sound quality, but the Eneby models do not convince with that. The smaller version can be quite loud, but the sound has little detail and sounds much the same. The bass is very present by default, so it is advisable to reduce it via the rotary knob. Because all the sound comes from the front, it's best to listen right in front of the speaker. If it is tilted, your music will sound less beautiful.
The larger speaker also suffers from this, although the sound quality is better. For example, the bass is set more naturally and tones sound more lively. That does not mean that the large Eneby produces the best sound: we think competing speakers from JBL and UE, for example, sound better.
Conclusion
The two Eneby speakers are not completely convincing. The design is nice, but the models are on the heavy side. It is also a pity that the speakers do not have a (built-in) battery. The small version also sounds mediocre and the sound quality of the large model is not impressive either. There are better speakers for these prices.
