The annual Consumer Electronics Show has wrapped up another year of bringing us the future of gadgets, all in one perfectly appropriate desert package- a week of dry skin, plenty of drinks, and miles of walking. Amongst it all is a vision of technology unlike any other you’re likely to see, with even the smallest problem likely to have a solution in the aisles of the Las Vegas Convention Center and CES 2017.
One issue you may have had- finding a good way to integrate speakers into a room. The Sengled Pulse Link Starter Kit takes a LED lightbulb, adds a Bluetooth speaker, and makes it all remote controllable. Technically, it’s a pair of them- available separately as well, the starter kit adds in a single Pulse Link TV/audio adapter, a dongle that plugs into any outlet. The bulbs screw into any standard socket, and they have a range of 100 feet or so. And each bulb contains a 1.75” full range loudspeaker from audio company JBL, boasting 13W of power, enough for most casual listening though not enough to rock a party perhaps.
The bulbs are dimmable, though they aren’t colored, and are bright enough for just about any use case. There are free iOS and Android apps, and once installed and paired, you can adjust volume, brightness and toggle between audio input sources straight from your tablet or smartphone. Speaking of sources, the Link can connect to your TV or home theater receiver, via a standard RCA 3.5mm minijack cable, allowing you to listen to TV from your ceiling. Cables are included too. And you can also connect to any other Bluetooth device, like your laptop, simply for streaming audio.
You can pair up to eight units in total together. And for those who want bass, they also offer a wireless subwoofer adapter, which we didn’t get a chance to test but seems like an unusual addition to the line- though these are fairly light on low-end so it might address that issue. Highs were solid, and vocals clearer than you might expect, but they are, perhaps unsurprisingly, pretty directional. The Sengled Pulse bulbs are available in Candy Apple Red, Pearl White, or Pewter. There’s no wider ecosystem to speak of- no connectivity to other smart home devices- and these aren’t for outdoor or bathroom use. But for a quick, simple, no-nonsense light-and-sound setup, the Sengled Pulse Link couldn’t be easier or more friendly, and is available $199 online and in stores.
