Hands-on: The Zuma smart light hides your entire smart home in the ceiling

Zuma, a new company based in the UK, has revealed a revolutionary voice activated product that doubles/triples/quadruples as a surround sound system, smart home hub and high-end lighting - all without trailing wires and multiple devices.

The basic model, which simply looks like a discreet ordinary spotlight and is available in nine different designs, currently operates as a light and sound system that can be hooked up to existing Alexa smart homes, with AirPlay and Bluetooth for music streaming.

Over the coming year, users will be able to swap their basic bezel out for alternative Smart Bezels that add functionality like smoke and carbon monoxide detection, home security and in-built Alexa. These will cost extra but, as they just fit onto the existing lights, there’s little to no installation required.

Morten Warren, founder and CEO of Zuma, said: “This is a game changer in a way that we listen to music, watch films, or simply relax. The way we have listened to music in our home hasn’t changed in decades, until now.

“There are many smart products on the market today that do one thing - be that audio, or lighting or security - they don’t integrate with each other easily, if at all. Our vision is that through consolidating these core applications into a single integrated platform people can easily transform their living space in imaginative ways.”

Livingetc attended a demonstration of the product, experiencing it as it might be used in a living area or home office. 

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We witnessed its Alexa integration, which looks pretty seamless, and were treated to music across a variety of genres to get a sense of how its sounds. The idea behind putting the speakers in the ceiling, we were told, is that you don’t have to rely on a speaker in a central location or contend with how the sound waves bounce off your furniture.

The lights can also be set to respond in time with your circadian rhythm, dimming at times when you want to relax and vice versa.

Particularly impressive was how the sound system enhanced simply viewing a film at home. Shown a clip from Bohemian Rhapsody (Live Aid, for obvious reasons), it really does mimic that sort of experience you would have in a large cinema room, rather than what you might expect in an ordinary-sized living room.

There are multiple speaker systems that can also provide this (take a look at our guide to the best surround sound systems for more), but they tend to be a lot more expensive, with the additional features it definitely makes this an intriguing prospect for anyone who hates the clutter of having multiple speakers dotted around the living room.

“Zuma doesn’t just provide a totally new way to experience incredibly immersive high-performance lighting and superior audio,” Warren continues. “It discreetly becomes part of your home. Users can connect iPhone, iPad, or TV and enjoy a thrilling, edge of their seat, room-filling soundtrack to any movie, with no sound bar required, from anywhere in the room.”

The app also has a Wellbeing tab, which we saw demonstrated in the context of a zen room. With sounds like waves or rain, this struck us as ideal for a relaxing bath (assuming most of us don’t have a designated relaxation room) or yoga session. 

The Zuma isn’t cheap, but it isn’t outrageously expensive, either. Priced at £375 for the basic model available now, additional companion products will set you back £125 each once they’re released later this year. You can find out more at zuma.ai.