Brand Spotlight: Leon Speakers

Technology and high design are concepts that are rarely associated. Until recently—the advent of style-forward speakers and other devices—hyper efficiency and optimized performance have superseded aesthetics but also the architectural consideration of spatial planning; how these usually bulky items can holistically integrate into one’s home, office, or preferred restaurant. 

For Noah Kaplan, the founder of custom audio and audiovisual solution company Leon Speakers, it’s often a missed opportunity. For over a quarter century, the trained artist and entrepreneur has endeavored to unite these seemingly disparate preoccupations and imbued this type of technology with the elevated consideration of design. By revolutionizing the typology, the company has transformed the speaker from a unitary object into a work of art that enhances architecture and interior aesthetics. 

“Sound is created by artists and musicians but also things crashing into each other,” Kaplan says. “What I love about sound is that it’s created by invisible waves transmitting through the atmosphere in a way similar to light. The way they affect us is incredibly profound. We have devices built into our ears that let us perceive this force, which to me is such an important element in design.” 

“When considering it in the context of our homes, we need to take into account how much it can impact our experience of that environment,” he added. “I’ve always thought about how we can bring sound into a space that is thoughtful, create sound fixtures that make sense just like any other designed object.” 

A good demonstration of this ethos was the design of The Oasis talks venue at this year’s ICFF. Expertly carried out by the event’s chief set designer Rodolfo Agrella (RADS), the semi-enclosed environment was imagined in collaboration with Kaplan and his team. Leon Speakers was also a sponsor for this section of the fair and its robust program of panel discussions. Clad in a carefully chosen green, walls were carefully positioned to best refract and diffuse the sound coming out of various specialized products developed by the company.  

On view and in use were Leon Speaker’s now iconic Ente SoundTile, various iterations of the brand’s proprietary Soundbars, and Mera Sound Sconce, a luminaire and speaker imagined in partnership with Canadian practice Mera Studio Architects. 

On the Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S, the 60-plus person brand translates its coherence of technology and design in a wide range of applications and complimentary fit-out; everything from T.V. frames and wall-embedded architectural systems for homes to conference room and personal workspaces fit-outs within offices. There are also outdoor solutions on offer. Leon Speakers has collaborated with numerous artists and designers on special editions, uses of finishes, and even formal explorations; rendering the essential but often overlooked devices as more integral yet evident components of experienced space.

Many of these innovations—all produced in the U.S.—were conceived out of necessity; the many projects for which Kaplan and his team have been involved or consulted-on. Often, a bespoke ethnographic approach is applied. The users of a given space are interviewed about how they’ve used it before but also when and where they listen to music. The team then looks to transform this data into meaningful designs and installations 

“Our aim is to make these environments—regardless of whether it’s a kitchen used for entertaining or a board room—comfortable, making people feel better and more collaborative,” Kaplan concludes. “It often comes down to knowing where to place a speaker or another piece of equipment and determining the right size for its intended use. Understanding materiality is also essential.”  

He believed that collaboration between audio visual contractors and interior designers is also key. Both professionals should intrinsically understand the value of the other’s expertise and introduce solutions accordingly.

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