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The Vifa Helsinki is a Modern Boombox for the Streaming Era

12.11.15 | By
The Vifa Helsinki is a Modern Boombox for the Streaming Era

When I was younger I used to tote around a small Sony dual audio tape boombox everywhere I went to skate. It was an audio sidekick, providing the soundtrack for my friends and I as we’d skate around town, hang out at the park, or just chill curbside. The Vifa Helsinki loudspeaker reminds me of that era – albeit with a much more sophisticated and refined design – reminding me how powerful music can be when shared.

Vifa-Helsinki-unboxing

A small pleasure: unpacking the thoughtfully packaged Vifa Helsinki loudspeaker from its box.

And indeed, the Vifa Helsinki is designed specifically to bring and share music, a portable dual speaker unit “built to accompany the feel-good moments”. With its combination of Kvadrat textile grill, leather strap, and petite profile, the Helsinki’s resemblance to a purse is undeniable. But to the credit of the Danish design team, the speaker’s design veers within the realm of gender-neutral appeal. Our test model’s Sandstone Grey fabric finish provided a contemporary presence that looked fantastic anywhere we placed it for a listen (or while off).

Vifa-Helsinki-livingroom

The Kvadrat textile front is designed to allow sound to pass undistorted through while also offering water-repellency, for both indoor and outdoor duty.

But looks are only one half of this Vifa Helsinki’s appeal. Inside, two 50mm full-range aluminium cone and neodymium magnet drivers do double duty as mid-range and tweeter, with left and right channel full range drivers spaced apart as far as possible and angled slightly backwards to separate stereo output. Two 60mm Vifa woofer units take care of the low-end.

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At around six inches tall by eight inches long and just over 3lbs, the Helsinki is designed to go anywhere. The speaker’s one-piece molded solid aluminum frame within gives the speaker a satisfying heft without being unwieldy (just 3lbs), and a rechargeable lithium Ion battery means the speaker can be taken anywhere for a day of music.

The strap is made by Swedish leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri and central for the Helsinki's carry-everywhere design.

The strap is made by Swedish leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri and central for the Helsinki’s carry-everywhere design. A longer strap option is also available.

Once connected the compact unit reveals surprisingly loud playback, especially with music focused on the high and mid-range. Playback volume is assuredly loud enough for small-medium rooms, and should sound fine outdoors, whether poolside, at the beach, or at the park where you want to share music close by, but not disturb those further away.

Bluetooth 4.0 aptX streaming is a cinch to connect to any compatible mobile device, and the controls are simplified and understated: three buttons, with two volume controls printed onto the front, and a single mode button with LED color coding to communicate connection/playback status.

vifa-Helsinki-audio-green

As a complete package the Vifa Helsinki is amongst the most aesthetically pleasing portable speakers we’ve yet seen. That it also sounds fantastic makes the Helsinki an equally hot (and haute) choice for anyone looking to give or get a portable audio solution when aesthetics are factored in.

The Vifa Helsinki is available in four colors for $449 – Willow Green, Misty Blue, Dusty Rose and Sandstone Grey – and available at the Vifa website or at the Nordstrom Opening Ceremony Pop-In Shop.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.