The record player is part of a new collection called Unrestricted† The retail chain developed the collection in collaboration with the house DJs of Swedish House Mafia. The first three products were unveiled at the Milan design fair and will hit stores in the fall.
The most striking product is the record player, which was co-designed by the Dutchman Friso Wiersma† The idea came from Swedish House Mafia, who wanted to have ‘the perfect gift’ developed with a record player.
“We wanted to make something so simple, accessible and plug-and-play that you can buy it as a gift for anyone who loves music,” says Wiersma. “Nowadays you see a lot of slim turntables almost trying to hide, but we wanted to make something really daring. We wanted the turntable to be a physical manifestation of music. Everything about Swedish House Mafia is a conscious statement. I like that approach Music is also a big part of my life and I would like to show that in my interior as well.”
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Square and circle
The result is a design that ‘brings the square and the circle together’, according to Wiersma. “There’s nothing easy about designing something that looks very simple. It’s actually more complicated to develop. So many things happen in the product without you as a customer even noticing.”
The record player has a built-in preamplifier, is powered via a USB cable and can play 33 and 45 rpm records. The cartridge and needle are replaceable. According to IKEA, the device works together with, among others, the ENEBYspeakers. More technical details and the price are not yet known.
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Desk for musicians
IKEA already worked on a record player two years ago, of which a prototype was also shown, but that product never made it to the shops. The project did contribute to the new design, according to IKEA tech Carmen Stoicescu, which she says is “simple and mechanical.” “We mainly looked at what gives the best sound.”
The new collection also includes an agency aimed at musicians and producers. With this, IKEA says it is responding to ‘the trend to make professional music from home’. The desk has, among other things, two speaker stands and a shelf that can be pulled out from under the desktop, which is useful for a midi keyboard, for example.
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