CES 2010: Klipsch LightSpeakers pack wireless speaker into LED light bulb
Klipsch on Tuesday revealed the LightSpeaker, an LED light bulb that's got a wireless speaker inside of it.
Sold in pairs and bundled with a transmitter, RF remote and mini to RCA plug cable, the LightSpeaker intends to bring multi-room ambient music to lighted rooms without the need for a separate wired system.
The LightSpeaker has a dimmable, 40,000-hour LED bulb and fits 5- and 6-inch recessed light fixtures with a standard Edison socket. Accessories will allow the LightSpeaker to accommodate hanging light fixtures, floor and table lamps.
Can a speaker in a light bulb sound good? The LightSpeaker speaker itself is powered by a 20-watt digital amplifier, and has a 2.5-inch wide dispersion driver that uses digital signal processing.
To pump audio to the speakers, a 2.4GHz transmitter must be connected to an audio source (MP3, CD, laptop, etc.) The transmitter can wirelessly send audio to up to eight LightSpeakers, and the system can connect to two music sources for separate listening zones.
Is the LightSpeaker the new home audio? Hardly, but it might just give a chance for elevator muzak lovers to reproduce the experience at home.
The Klipsch LightSpeakers will be available later this month for $599. (Single units will sell for $250.)