Designed by US artist Jeff Koons, the Balloon Dog Speaker is a Bluetooth speaker shaped like – yes – a balloon dog.
It's priced at $750 (about £650) and contains six drivers and four bass radiators.
There's one thing all of the best Bluetooth speakers have in common: absolutely none of them are shaped like a balloon animal. But there's a first for everything.
Lexon's new Bluetooth speaker is utterly unique as it's exactly that. Designed in collaboration with the American artist Jeff Koons, the Balloon Dog Speaker is shaped like – you've guessed it – a balloon dog.
The Balloon Dog was "conceived as a true acoustic art piece" and is a clear polycarbonate Bluetooth 5.0 speaker promising 360-degree audio, hands-free calling and up to 10 hours of play time. Just don't let the kids near it during a party.
Balloon Dog Speaker: key specifications and pricing
While it looks unusual, the Lexon Balloon Dog is also a well-specified speaker.
There are six drivers inside along with four passive radiators, and there are built-in mics for hands-free calling.
Lexon promises studio-quality sound, and claims that the speaker delivers "exceptional clarity, deep bass, and balanced acoustics". It can work solo or as part of a stereo pair, and there's no companion app – you simply pair it with your phone and use whatever app you like.
It may be a bit mad but there are some fun touches. You can adjust the volume by twisting the Balloon Dog's nose, and you skip tracks by tapping its ears.
As Ecoustics.com points out though, the detailed specifications list covers everything but the audio specs – so there's no indication of power output or frequency range. That and the rather small size of the complete unit, does rather suggest that this is a speaker to be looked at more than listened to.
Each Balloon Dog Speaker comes engraved with Jeff Koons' signature and a certificate of authenticity. Fewer than 10,000 will be produced and the price is $750 / €750 (about £650 / AU$1,345).
If you love the design but don't need the audio, there's a Balloon Dog lamp from the same place at the same price.
