In collaboration with London-based design agency Layer, Bang & Olufsen (B&O) has created the Beosound Emerge: an impressively slim smart speaker that offers all of the features and connectivity you could ask for.

In true B&O fashion, the device is made with premium materials like oak, knitted fabric and aluminum.

Layer founder Benjamin Hubert took inspiration from “the compact form factor of a book” to create a “slim, sculptural structure,” according to B&O. The small footprint also means the Beosound Emerge doesn’t take up much space, making it suitable for the end of a bookshelf or other small areas.

To complete the book vibe, the speaker’s side panels wrap around like a cover and the company’s iconic insignia is on the front like text on the spine. Hubert opted to put touch controls on top, with options for play/pause, changing tracks and quick access to stations and playlists.

Inside, B&O designed a driver setup “that enables a full-range sound experience” despite the Beosound Emerge’s slim profile. A 37mm mid-range driver is positioned at an angle, beaming sound out of the front along with a 14mm tweeter. A 100mm side-firing woofer handles the low-end tone, sending it out the back of the speaker. The Beosound Emerge is equipped with room calibration tech that optimizes the overall audio profile according to where you place it in a room.

Beosound Emerge supports AirPlay 2 and Chromecast for wireless connectivity. It also has built-in microphones for voice control via Google Assistant.

The Gold Tone version is US$899 while the Black Anthracite model is US$699.

(SD-Agencies)