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Sonos Commemorates Blue Note Records With Limited Edition Blue Note PLAY:1

02.25.15 | By
Sonos Commemorates Blue Note Records With Limited Edition Blue Note PLAY:1

If the name Blue Note Records evokes starry-eyed adoration and fond musical memories of jazz’s greatest giants, then the exclusive new design from Sonos honoring 75 years of the most celebrated jazz label in history might be music to your ears and eyes. Covered in a striking blue ombre design (officially described as a “vertical fade from dark navy to cerulean blue”), the Sonos limited edition model’s distinguishing exterior feature is a matte paint finish “developed through hand-painting techniques and strategic use of robots”.

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Inside, the Sonos PLAY:1 Blue Note Limited Edition is the same as it’s more readily available white or black finish cousins, with two Class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, and one mid-woofer producing sound seemingly much more expansive than its compact 6.36″ x 4.69″ x 4.69″ size would seem capable of.

The Blue Note edition does distinguish itself with one feature exclusive beyond color: a “Artist Selects” streaming radio channel served up by the Sonos app offers the finest in jazz, handpicked selections by artists like Robert Glasper, Jose James, Terence Blanchard, Ambrose Akinmusire, Lionel Loueke, and Don Was, joining two other exclusive streaming stations, Born in Blue and Blue Note 101.

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Only 4,100 of these Blue Note editions have been made, making them akin to a limited edition sneaker colorway. You’ll pay a $50 premium for the beautiful blue finish, but the limited number promises an exclusivity for those looking to stand out and not blend in.

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.