They may sound futuristic, but levitating Bluetooth 5 Bluetooth speakers:what's new and what's good? Bluetooth 5:What's new and what's good? The latest version of Bluetooth has been announced and it will be packed with improvements and new features. Here's everything you need to know about it. Read More Until recently, however, these speakers hadn't caught the attention of major electronics brands, so they never really caught on. This situation changed at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) when LG introduced the Levitation Station.
In this article, you'll learn more about LG's newest device and see how it compares to other levitating speakers already on the market.
Levitation speakers use magnetic, or maglev, levitation, which occurs when an object is suspended in mid-air, using only magnetic fields for support. Strong magnets in both the speaker and the base create opposing forces that counteract gravity and allow the speaker to float within a few inches of its base.
In all levitation speaker models, the raised speaker provides 360-degree sound and the base often acts as a subwoofer (depending on the product). When plugged into an outlet, the base also serves as a charging unit for the speaker.
Officially called PJ9, LG's levitation station uses electromagnets to allow the egg-shaped speaker to hover on its round base. Portable Bluetooth Speaker Top 6 Uses for Bluetooth on Your Android Phone Top 6 Uses for Bluetooth on Your Android Phone Bluetooth has been an awesome wireless technology for enabling all sorts of cool features with multiple devices. While it was fairly limited during the early stages of its lifespan, Bluetooth has evolved to be capable... Read More After that, the speaker automatically descends to its base to recharge.
According to LG, this base acts like a subwoofer, with “flush midrange tones and crisp range.” Multipoint technology allows the speaker to connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.
IPX7 Compliant What makes a device waterproof or water resistant? What makes a device waterproof or water resistant? Many devices are marketed as waterproof, but that can be very misleading. Most are actually waterproof. What is the difference? Here's everything you need to know about it. More information:The LG levitation station can be submerged for up to 30 minutes in water depths of up to one meter. This feature makes the speaker a great choice for pool parties or other outdoor events.
LG expects to launch the LG Levitation Station later this year for between $150 and $200.
Can't wait for the LG levitation station to arrive? There are many levitating speakers available for purchase right now.
The two-part Mars Bluetooth speaker features a circular base, which acts as a subwoofer, and a UFO-shaped puck (called the Mars Craft) that floats above. Featuring LEDs for added effect, this puck serves as the device's main speaker and delivers mid to high sounds.
With the free CrazyBaby app (available for iOS and Android), you can control the speaker's levitation height, the style and brightness of the LEDs, and add a second Mars speaker for a stereo experience. Additionally, the app can modify the speaker's equalization controls, depending on the type of music you're playing.
The $329 (UK) Mars speaker is available in black, gray and white.
The Levio is a portable levitation speaker that is perfect for anyone on the go. Like other products on this list, the Levio features 360-degree surround sound, which distributes sound equally in all directions. As a bonus, Levio offers a USB port that allows you to charge your smartphone while you listen to your music.
The Levio is the cheapest levitation speaker on this list, priced at $90.
Seeing a Star Wars themed levitation speaker shouldn't come as a surprise. Created by Hellosy, the Star Wars Death Star Portal speaker spins in the air as you listen to distant music.
With the ability to float 10mm from its base, the speaker features an always-on glow and flash effect that would make Darth Vader himself proud 12 Star Wars Mistakes You've Never Seen Before 12 Star Wars Mistakes Wars you've never seen before from crew members where they shouldn't be, anachronistic tech, and continuity errors galore. All of these bugs are present in the Star Wars movies, but we doubt you've seen them before. Read more.
The $210 (UK) Star Wars Death Star Levitating Speaker includes two USB chargers for your smartphone or tablet.
The ICE Orb levitating speaker looks a lot like Star Wars Death Star thanks to its galactic appearance.
This model contains a magnetic base and LED lights for constant lighting. It offers up to eight hours of continuous music between charges, and features a powerful volume level. A simple trick to amplify the volume of your smartphone in a room. A simple trick to amplify the volume of your smartphone in a room. Do you need a quick way to increase the volume of your phone without using speakers? Here's a helpful tip that you can use anywhere. Read More
You can buy an ICE Orb speaker (UK) for around $120, making it the more affordable of the two galactic options.
The Wasserstein sci-fi levitation speaker features a matte black look with LEDs around the base that emit a dark blue light that pulses. Compact and lightweight, the Sci-Fi speaker offers touch-sensitive controls. Just tap and swipe to control sound and speaker movements.
Do you need to make a call? Wasserstein Sci-Fi's hands-free calling feature allows you to answer incoming calls with the touch of a button. However, the speaker does not have a microphone. You will be able to hear your caller through the speaker, but you will need to talk on the phone.
You can buy the Wasserstein Sci-Fi (UK) for $100 [No longer available].
The Air 2 also features a built-in microphone for hands-free calls. Connects to smartphones, tablets, and other Bluetooth devices up to 30 feet away.
As you can see in the image above, the Air 2's speaker isn't round like other levitating speakers. Instead, it has a flat surface on one side. This unique design, available in black, purple, and white, brings the price of this speaker up to around $150.
Levitation speakers serve as an interesting talking point for parties and gatherings. Once you get over the novelty of floating speakers, they're not too different from other Bluetooth speakers on the market. In most cases, regular speakers are less expensive and offer comparable sound quality.
For levitation speakers to gain popularity, other companies like LG will need to get on board. Ideally, these future products will also offer voice assistant capabilities. 7 ways a Bluetooth speaker can let your gadgets talk to you. 7 ways a Bluetooth speaker can let your gadgets do the talking. You've probably seen portable Bluetooth speakers for sale, but never thought about it. a must for them Think again:You can use IFTTT to create a simple notification system for your smart home. Read More
As it stands, levitating speakers are nice, but niche. Hopefully, future technologies will improve existing models to make them less sophisticated.
Have you tried a levitating speaker? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
