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You get a reminder that Weird Sony is still alive. The company might be releasing the best-in-class wireless earbuds, gorgeous TVs, and premium soundbars, but it also still has odd gadgets that are not likely to appeal to a mass audience.
The $350 LSPX-S3 Glass Sound Speaker is that kind of product. The LSPX-S3 is not designed for the average consumer. It is not supposed to be a rugged, take-anywhere speaker. It is a statement piece that can be used to add a romantic touch to a dinner, a table, or a meal outside. Sony has kept this concept for three generations.
The LSPX-S3 is a little heavier than it looks, with most of the weight residing in the silver metal base. There is little risk of the device tipping over. The Glass Sound Speaker gives off futuristic oil lamp vibes, but most people I have shown it to have concluded that it most closely resembles a bong. It is certainly a conversation starter, but any potential appeal will be up to you. This speaker looks like it belongs in an art studio or a lake cabin. It might feel out of place.
Noupscale is a file onchorusasset.com.
Warm ambient light is produced by the LSPX-S3.
There is a port for charging the battery and buttons at the bottom of the base. There is a short cable in the box, but no power transformer. There are buttons under the speaker that can be used to set a sleep timer. Fast Pair is supported by the LSPX-S3 on the Android platform. The speaker features a higher-quality LDAC codec that allows you to play music from services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and others that offer lossless audio. I am glad to see that Sony is extending LDAC to more products, especially considering the price premium of this one.
Noupscale is a file onchorusasset.com.
The speaker has buttons at the back.
The glass tube isn't just for looks. Sony says that the speaker's glass end and the entire glass tweeter can be vibrated when audio is playing to spread sound in every direction. It can sometimes seem like the sound is coming from the tube rather than the base beneath it if you hold the LSPX-S3 in your hands. There is an inherent fragility to this design that is not present with other portable speakers made from more durable materials.
You can adjust the brightness but not the color temperature, it is meant to mimic the warmth of candlelight. The first mode allows you to choose a brightness by sliding your finger on a touch sensor on the back of the speaker. There are 32 levels of brightness. The light is dim and illuminates like a candle if you switch over to candlelight mode. The light pulse can be used to sync with music, though this effect is more subtle than you might think.
This isn't a speaker you want to drop.
The flickering of the LSPX-S3 would make you think it was the real thing if it was on the side of a table. You would hope it could pull off that trick for the price Sony is asking. Ambient lighting from the Glass Sound Speaker is what you should expect, even at its highest brightness setting.
How does it rank as a speaker? It was better than I anticipated before I turned it on. The LSPX-S3 has enough power to fill a small room with music. The speaker shines in its upper register. The same holds true for vocals, as acoustic guitars, other string instruments, and brass all come through with a great clarity. That is where the glass tweeter makes the biggest difference. There is no muddiness to the sound.
The light can mimic the sound of a candle.
The speaker is limited by its size and the space constraints that Sony faced when filling it with driver components. The soundstage isn't all that wide, and this means that some genres are better suited to get the most out of this speaker than others. I saw them in Brooklyn a few weeks ago and they don't have enough presence to make their records shine. The keyboard can get drowned out in a cramped mix output. Sony has a bass boost option in its mobile app that you can use to crank the part of the EQ you want. Bigger units of Sony's glass speaker have more clarity to them than smaller ones, but they can do better on the boom factor.
You can get up to eight hours of battery life from the speaker on a charge, which is perfect for its indoor or backyard use cases. This isn't the kind of product you'll be taking on the road, so it doesn't need to match the 15-hour battery of a UE Boom.
Noupscale is a file onchorusasset.com.
The speaker has a glass tube.
The LSPX-S3 is missing a lot. There are volume buttons, but no play, pause or track controls. The buttons are located on the back, which is nice for looks, but more of a hassle for the user. This speaker does not have a voice control. Features like Apple's AirPlay 2, Google Cast, or Spotify Connect are not supported. If you want to save money, you can stick with more traditional speakers instead of grouping two glass speakers together.
Every smart device requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it. It is not possible for us to read and analyze all of these agreements. We started counting how many times you have to agree to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don't read and can't negotiate.
You can use Sony's Glass Sound Speaker without having to click through any agreements. If you want to enable bass boost, you will need the Sony Music Center app. You are agreeing to use that.
Sony has an end user license agreement.
Sony has a privacy policy.
Sony collects data from your usage of the app in order to improve its products and services.
You get three optional agreements.
This Weird Sony product is not aimed at someone shopping for a normal speaker. Sony and many other brands sell those for less money. The LSPX-S3 Glass Sound Speaker is one of a kind, and it's candlelight-mimicking capabilities make it the best execution of this concept so far. If you want to put this thing in your dining room or in a cabin, there's nothing wrong with it.
Chris Welch is a photographer.
