I’ve been testing wireless speakers for years now and that leaves me with certain expectations. Usually, if I see a major brand launch a new Bluetooth speaker, they will be competing for mid-market dominance or prestige status. Conversely, the bargain end of the market tends to be the domain of scrappy but relatively unknown brands. But these expectations have been turned upside down by Ikea Kallsup.
With this cheap and cheerful speaker, Ikea isn’t just trying to add to the annals of best Bluetooth speakers for those on a budget – it’s actively trying to undercut them. At just $10/£10, it’s honestly one of the cheapest speakers I’ve ever gotten my hands on – literally the only one that cost less was the $7 device I reviewed on Amazon, simply because I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for some snark.
However, the identity of Kallsup is not built solely around its price: it also has other virtues. Along with a flawless sense of style that makes most speakers look like shrinking violets, it’s also capable of connecting to up to 99 of its brethren, forming an entire multi-room speaker platoon. For less than the price of a small pizza, it’s a pretty clever trick.
So what’s going on with the Kallsup?
Honestly, I’m a little taken with the design of the Kallsup. I’ve complained before about how many wireless speakers seem to be cut from the same acoustically transparent cloth these days. So it’s really nice to see a device breaking all the rules.
Ikea’s speaker avoids the rounded edges and cream or black color scheme that are so ubiquitous in many audio kits. Instead, it’s a simple white, lime green, or hot pink cube – almost as if Keith Haring really got into Brutalist architecture.
But I don’t think its boxy silhouette is just a way for Ikea to thumb its nose at more serious speaker designs – it also serves a much more practical purpose. Considering the ridiculous number of these speakers you can pair together, this regular shape is clearly intended to be stackable, making it easier to build your own sonic skyscraper and maximize its power.
So how does it sound? If I’m honest, at this price: better than what he’s entitled to.
Considering it’s only 9cm cubed, the Kallsup can produce some pretty impressive volume without much distortion. Yes, it tends to start limiting once the volume hits 80%, but many cheap speakers start to sound overdriven at much lower levels.
I doubt many readers will be surprised to learn that there’s more to the Kallsup than just this bass, with the sub being, predictably, absent. However, this speaker still makes a valiant effort, even if he fails to close the deal. Playing Listen by Pola & Bryson & Goddard., it still sounded surprisingly fiery, giving the kick some punch and letting the bassline growl just enough to be enjoyable.
Psychics can actually be incredibly reasonable. Voices on tunes like Diamonds on the soles of her shoes by Paul Simon clearly rises above the mix, giving the whole thing a sense of space that belies the small size of the speaker. It also does a decent job with the treble: when playing songs like Follow your own path by Fleetwood Mac, there’s not as much fragility as the high-end grills, although some of the guitars’ harmonics and drum transients seem to be fighting more than trying to work together.
But he is a speaker who works solo. Surely you’ll get much better performance when you connect 100 of them? Well, before spending $1,000/£1,000 on your own set of sonic building blocks, it’s worth thinking about what you want to achieve.
More speakers won’t unlock frequencies that a single speaker can’t handle, so don’t expect them to replace your favorite floorstanders. What they can do, however, is increase the volume, making them a solid option if the desired impact is shock and awe, rather than audio quality.
Being able to connect so many speakers together also means you can easily use them to create an ersatz multi-room speaker system – while still getting change for your $100/£100. I really see the appeal here: I’m already tempted to throw a party with a group of these speakers forming a breadcrumb trail all around the house and garden. Not only does this make creating smooth audio experiences much less expensive, but it’s also much more flexible than it would be with larger devices.
So, will I ditch my rugged JBL Charge 5 or my super luxurious Cambridge Audio Evo One for a collection of Kallsups? Barely. But after testing it, I can definitely imagine situations where the IKEA speaker is more fun, flexible, and affordable than any of the other options available.
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