[ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 13 July – 1:09pm] Some brands have the tendency to take some creative liberties with their portable speaker designs, with the more recent one featuring a form factor that resembles a book. Another product that falls into the “weird but cool” category is Sony’s LSPX series, which combines the functionality of a candle lamp and a 360-degree bluetooth speaker together. No, really. As bizarre as it sounds, the product itself seems to be popular enough to warrant a new entry. Revealed just recently is the new Sony LSPX-S3, the third variation of its lamp-inspired speaker that was originally launched globally back in 2019. According to the brand, this new model sports a variety of hardware and features, as well as a more attractive price tag.
Unique to the LSPX-S3 (and the rest of the LSPX series) is an organic glass tweeter with three actuators that emits sound in all directions. Sony claims that the tweeter is capable of producing “well balanced midrange”, “clear high tones” and “clear bass” that can “fill every corner of the room” via its onboard 46mm speaker unit. It also comes with a built-in microphone for voice calls, but does not feature any onboard voice assistant. In addition, the speaker comes with the brand’s LDAC technology that enables for high resolution audio transmission over a Bluetooth connection – ensuring an unhindered, lossless listening experience when connected to a compatible output device. You also have the option to enable stereo playback by linking two LSPX-S3 units together, or even connect it to your home’s existing (and compatible) multi-speaker setup.
It’s no denying that the main draw of this particular Sony product is its lamp-based function. Despite flickering like an actual candlelight, the LSPX-S3 relies on an LED light to create a cozy ambiance. This can be personalised by choosing between different lighting modes and brightness levels, including one where the light pulses along to music beats. Speaking of which, both lighting and audio customisation are handled by the Sony Music Center app for mobile devices. Other than that, Sony says the LSPX-S3 is capable of lasting up to eight hours and charging is done via the onboard USB-C port. For battery conservation, the speaker also comes with a sleep timer that you can customise anywhere between 15 to 120 minutes. Sony Malaysia has confirmed that the new LSPX-S3 portable speaker will be available locally this October at RM1,499, which is considerably more affordable than its predecessor. That being said, the older LSPX-S2 model is currently retailing at RM2,599. (Source: Sony Malaysia [Official website] / Sony Global [1] [2])