IKEA is not all about DIY furniture. The brand has previously collaborated with tech brands such as Asus ROG (Republic of Gamers) and Sonos. Now, they are teaming up with an EDM supergroup, Swedish House Mafia, to bring a new collection of electronics and furniture.
The lineup will go by the name of OBEGRÄNSAD, which translates to ‘unlimited’ in English. And IKEA has already unveiled three new products from the range at the IKEA festival. But among all of the things that IKEA has shown off, the one that got the most attention is the ‘unrestricted’ record player.
It is the first-ever turntable from IKEA. And it is built around the idea of being simple and highly accessible. When it comes to the design, it is relatively chunky-looking. The size becomes highly noticeable, especially when you compare it with the other record players.
So, what does IKEA have to say regarding the design? According to Friso Wiersma, the product designer of IKEA, “Almost trying to hide, but we wanted something very bold, and we wanted the record player to be a very physical manifestation of music.”
Nonetheless, IKEA did not really reveal too much about the technical details. But according to the things that they announced, the turntable will have a built-in pre-amp, and the users will be capable of powering it on through a USB cable.
Another detail that IKEA talked about is the replaceable needle and cartridge. And IKEA states that both of the components are of good-quality materials.
That said, this is not the first turntable that IKEA has worked with. The brand did experiment with another one that would have been part of the FREKVENS range. It was even announced in 2020. But despite all of that, it did not see the light of the day.
However, IKEA did not see the failed launch as a failure. According to Carmen Stoicescu, the designer engineer of IKEA, the challenges that involved the previous launch allowed them to make an informed build of the OBEGRÄNSAD turntable.
She also added, “In the previous project, we tried giving a specific design to all parts.” And according to her, this time, they tried to limit the molds.
Eventually, that made IKEA aim for something simple and mechanical. For that reason, the team had to look into the things that gave the best overall sound.
So, what about the furniture in the lineup? Those will complement the turntable exceptionally well. That includes a desk, which aims to be in the bedroom of the music creators and producers.
You will also find an armchair in the OBEGRÄNSAD lineup. That targets to fine-tune the comfort level and offer you a comfortable overall sitting experience.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.