Braun’s iconic speakers get a modern update

In 1959 Dieter Rams designed the LE speaker range for the German manufacturer Braun. Rams imbued the speakers with his no-nonsense DNA—the company’s first speaker, the LE01, was a square that tilted upwards on a stand. It’s simplicity and sharp angles almost made it look like a sculpture.

Braun went on to release a range of speakers, but it stopped producing them altogether in 1991. Now 28 years later, Braun is back—or at least its licensed name is back—with an update to the LE series thanks to a reboot from Pure Audio.

Braun

The new speakers retain some of Rams’ signature simplicity, but they’re a softer take on the legend’s hard-edged design. Two of the speakers—the larger LE01 ($1,199) and the medium sized LE02 ($799)—perch atop a stainless steel base, which recalls Rams’ first design. The smaller LE03 ($379) is a boxy square. All of them connect through bluetooth and Wifi and include an array of microphone, which means you can communicate with the speaker through things like Chromecast, AirPlay 2, and Google Home. The speakers will be available in black or white and will go on sale this month.

The speakers, while maybe not collectors items in the way Rams’ designs tend to be, do a good job of being a thoroughly modern take on a classic design.