Small Transparent Speaker
Output: 2x15W
Frequency: 60 Hz-20 kHz
Weight: 3.3kg
Wireless options: Bluetooth, dual speaker pairing, ability to upgrade to your own specifications
Voice control: No, compatible with Apple AirPlay, Sonos, Amazon Echo and Google Cast
Buy now £450, Transpa.rent/en
Design
Transparent by name, transparent by nature. This is a beautiful speaker. Transparent’s more sustainable, modular set up means you can continue to upgrade your purchase by replacing its constituent parts, instead of having to buy an entirely new speaker. There is, for example, space hidden in the bottom casing for further wireless options alongside the built-in Bluetooth. There’s space for other upgrades, too, such as a voice control input, if that’s your bag.
We tested the newer release, with a matte black finish (white is also available). The speaker’s single aluminium frame and tempered glass panels lend themselves to the darker colour, and the design advantages are twofold: the glass shows off the speaker interior in all its minimalistic glory, while the unit’s transparency means the speaker fits – and even elevates – pretty much any spot in any room. We found it to work perfectly both on our work desk and living room table, a good sign of its longevity, especially when all of us are spending more time at home.
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The little details aren’t missed. On previous designs, the speaker’s cables were bright red, which could detract from the look. Not here: black is the new black, a sensible move to complete the speaker’s uniform style. One piece of advice: make sure to use the nifty white gloves provided with the speaker, as it’s a bind to clean grubby, overly-keen fingerprints off. Another good reminder to wash your hands.
The founders’ end point is closing the material loop – that is, to use materials exclusively from recycled sources. They’re not quite there yet, but it’s a realistic ambition. Included in the box are clear instructions on how to disassemble the speaker, making us all amateur audio electricians and encouraging us to buy into the modular way of life.
Sound
Transparency and clarity are important elements of good sound – how loyal is the sound from a speaker to the artist’s original recording? With a glass build, there’s always a worry that sound has been sacrificed for looks. That isn’t the case here, with consistent clarity throughout testing, and no effect on glass or sound integrity whatsoever at any volume.
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The audio is, as is the case with many Scandinavian products (again), as clear as you could hope for, with a solid bass and impressively full and warm sound throughout the frequencies for a more compact speaker. The 2x15W output has been paired with a honed Digital Signal Processor chip to create close to studio-level quality, something that’s a thrill to hear coming out of a speaker this size sat on the desk next to you.
The latest Small Transparent Speaker collection includes true wireless pairing, giving users the option of streaming music through two speakers simultaneously without the need of expensive extras. A welcome addition.