Libratone makes some nice-looking speakers. They sound good, and have a unique design sense that lets you tell one of their products from anything else I’ve seen before. That’s why I was surprised when I saw this.
The new Libratone Loop is a round, flattish wireless speaker with a couple of small legs to prop it up, or you can hang it on the wall. In fact, it looks a lot like a smaller, fuzzier version of Bang and Olufsen’s odd A9 speaker. The B&O A9 is also round, dish-like and stands on a few legs or mounts on a wall. They’re not identical twins, but they sure look like cousins to me.
The new Loop works with AirPlay, DLNA or PlayDirect. Inside are two ribbon tweeters, a 5-inch main driver and a cabinet designed to act as a passive bass radiator.
The Loop costs $499, while the Bang and Olufsen A9 costs $2,699.
The different-colored fuzzy wool covers, in Pineapple Yellow, Passion Pink, Plum Purple, Petrol Blue and Icy Blue, are sold separately.
More about wireless audio:
Harmon Kardon Launches Round Onyx Bluetooth Speaker
Wireless Audio System Basics
Review: Soundcast Melody Outdoor Speaker