Journey with me, if you will, back to the storied year 2009: Barack Obama was President; gas cost $3.99/gallon; and an Italian furniture manufacturer known for its expansive color palette, exquisitely detailed stitching, and timeless aesthetic appeal debuted the Sound Armchair. Not only was said product yet another example of Natuzzi’s fine work with an enduring material (leather, if you hadn’t guessed or remembered by now), but also a worthy contribution to the contemporary trend of “wiring us in.”

Surround. Designed by Natuzzi

And by that I refer to what one sage reviewer characterized as “a pair of expertly hidden speakers at just the right height, a similarly inconspicuous mp3 minijack, and an ergonomic pillow-ette that props the listening head just so.” Flash forward to 2010: Barack Obama is still President (the wishes of certain fringe news anchors notwithstanding); gas costs $2.99/gallon; and the very same purveyor of leather upholstered goods returns with Surround: The New Natuzzi Jewel.

This luxury sectional dutifully adorned with Natuzzi‘s signature covering (and customizable with the manufacturer’s signature range of colors) takes the notion of Sound one step further. And, yes, by that I refer to the expansion of the wired for sound concept into an impressively expansive furnishing (311 x 277 cm–stateside, that’s about 10 feet x 9 feet), but–and even more so–I also allude to this conspicuous bit of copy: “the music corner, indeed, is endowed with a technologic plus composed of two side loudspeakers and a docking station for the i-Pod, iPod classic, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPod nano.” Note the profusion of “i” and the absence of “mp.”–a switch and bait that can only mean one thing: Natuzzi has seen the light! Notwithstanding the admirable dedication of mp3 aficionados everywhere, the change has a certain marketing moxie to be sure. I mean, once Stephen Colbert has endorsed a product the rest is just details, and Natuzzi’s Jewel seems to have chosen wisely, in this regard.

iPod dock found in Surround couch. Designed by Natuzzi.

Surround. Designed by Natuzzi.

Speakers found in Surround couch. Designed by Natuzzi.

The same goes for the smart design of Jewel. The seating surface is a blocky rectangular affair reminiscent of The Party Lounge, while the seat back is made of a twin pair of slightly trapezoidal modular headrests that “assure a great ergonomics.” And the linguistic masterstroke that is the “technologic corner,” alluded to above, places sound central in the middle of the sectional, square in the gap formed by the headrests and right at ear height, which allows for maximal immersion into the acoustic symphony that follows in Jewel’s wake–whether we’re talking about a healthy dose of Contra, the latest from Vampire Weekend, or Iron Man 2 in stereo.