LG may be done with phones, but its quirkiness lives on with new DukeBox speaker

Meet the DukeBox, LG's retro-futuristic speaker that uses vacuum tubes to create warm, natural sound.

LG's new DukeBox speaker combines vintage vacuum tube sound with modern OLED display. (Image: LG)

LG was known for its weird but innovative smartphone designs once before it decided to pull out of that market completely. But the company’s still keeping its quirkiness alive in some of its other offerings. With CES 2024 right around the corner, LG is gearing up to unveil a new retro-futuristic speaker system. Let’s take a look.

DukeBox from LG Labs is a high-end speaker system that audiophiles will appreciate for its use of vintage vacuum tube technology to produce an unparalleled warm, natural sound. Vacuum tubes were the norm for amplification until transistors replaced them in the 1960s, but they’ve maintained a following for their rich audio quality. The DukeBox seeks to deliver that beloved tube sound in a strikingly modern form factor, with vacuum tubes visible behind the device’s transparent OLED display panel.

While the name may remind you of ‘jukebox,’ it’s a jukebox in spirit only, not in function – DukeBox is versatile, capable of playing high-quality music, movies, and more. And with front-facing and 360-degree speakers built in, it promises an immersive listening experience. The display can even create cosy fireplace scenes to go with the music, all while letting you peek into the vacuum tubes that sit behind the display, which is actually transparent. The transparency can even be adjusted.

The DukeBox exemplifies the playful ethos of LG Labs, a division the company established to develop cutting-edge technologies and experimental products. With twice the floor space as last year, LG is going big for CES 2024.

Also on display will be a quirky two-legged robot with AI capabilities, new laptops boosted by LG’s AI expertise, and the CineBeam Qube, a sleek 4K projector whose images can reach a massive 120 inches.

These early announcements offer a taste of what LG has up its sleeve. Audiophiles and design lovers alike will be keeping an eye out for LG’s retro-inspired tube speaker when the company provides more details and availability at CES next month.

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