People tend to either love or hate Brutalist architecture, so the same is almost certainly true of the Transparent Brutalist Speaker.
Transparent is a Swedish company that made its name with – you guessed it – speakers that you could see through. There’s only so much you can do with that idea before everything starts to look a little samey, though, hence the switch to another equally eye-catching aesthetic.
Inspired by the Brutalist architectural style of the 1950s and 1960s, this mains-powered wireless speaker, which weighs a relatively hefty 12kg and stands just under 60cm tall, is guaranteed to elicit inquisitive comments from anyone who clamps eyes on it. I love Brutalism’s unusual and imposing shapes; others think it makes everything look cold and uninviting. Which camp do you fall into?
Made from 70% recycled aluminium, sceptics might say it resembles an Xbox Series X with some metal toilet rolls stuck to it (especially if you choose the black one), but those are the two 3in tweeters, positioned at 90 degrees to each other in order to spread the sound out more effectively, with a 6.5in woofer on one side and a bass reflex port at the back.
Its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity come from the WiiM Mini streamer that Transparent has hidden inside, so you get Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Tidal Connect onboard. One of those normally only costs £90, so the volume, bass and treble controls on the front must be very expensive.
Of course, you’re not just paying for the materials, so there’s also some acoustic trickery going on to bounce sound off your walls when you position it in a corner. If nothing else, at least two-thirds of the name is applicable, right?
The Transparent Brutalist Speaker is available to buy now for £3200/$4000.
