A Chip Off The Ol' Giant Skull Speaker. New MinuSkull Speakers by Kuntzel+Deygas.

above: The 2010 Grateful Vanity accoustic sculpture and a 2011 walnut miniskull speaker by Kuntzel+Deygas

above: artists Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Olivie (Kuntzel +Deygas) with their new minuskulls

These cool new 50 watt portable speakers, the miniskulls, designed by Kuntzel+Degas were inspired by their unusual and striking oversized accoustic sculpture, Grateful Vanity.


above: Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Olivie (Kuntzel +Deygas) stand in front of their accoustic sculpture, Grateful Vanity



The new tabletop version, handmade in France, comes in walnut wood or lacquered piano black or lacquered piano white. Not only are they scary looking, but the prices are equally frightening at €1600 for the walnut and €1750 for the black or white- not including shipping.




MinuSkull can be connected to any source of sound (Ipod, mp3, computer,etc). The better the source the more you can enjoy MinuSkull’s high-quality sound.



Technical components inside the skull consist of two broadband Fostex Fe-83 speakers with a membrane made out banana leaf pulp (the eyes). A mini subwoofer for a large and natural restitution. They chose a tailor-made speaker (made in France), which lies underneath the skull. A tailor-made Mosfet amplifier that allows a transparent and dynamic quality of listening without using an additional amplifier.



MinuSkull is expandable : this speaker can be used alone or as a duet in order to improve the stereo effect. Using 5 MinuSkulls creates the basis of a Home Cinema Sound System (a subwoofer should be added in this case).




In the designers' words "MinuSkull is a mini loudspeaker made for a high-quality sound experience at home. Its extraordinary Hi-Fi system creates a perfect sound, and most of all, to our own standards, it has a soul."

specs:
WIDTH 9.25 Inches HEIGHT 10.63 Inches, DEPTH 5.91 Inches
WEIGHT : 11 lb
BANDWIDTH : 60 TO 20,000 HERTZ
AMPLIFIER: 50 WATTS
CABLE POWER : 220 VOLTS
Connection : 2 Cinch RCA stereo entries
all images and information courtesy of Kuntzel+Deygas and Minuskull.

buy them here

Sound You Can See. Transparent Speakers From People People of Stockholm.

A well established definition of sustainability is to satisfy the needs of people, planet and profit. This speaker design by Stockholm design group People People tries to accomplish exactly that.



The transparent design lets the speaker blend in to any living room out there. The size can be big enough to offer a good sound quality, yet the speaker takes little visible space. The box is transparent, but the sound creating components are clearly emphasized.




The speakers come with a small rechargeable WiFi antenna that plugs into any headphone socket. It can plug in to any computer, music player or smart phone out there. It will also work for old stereos or vinyl equipment. The aim is to set the music free regardless where it’s stored.



The speaker is then assembled at home, IKEA style. This also means that the components that breaks first (the rubber ring and the speaker cone) can be easily replaced, keeping the product away from any landfill.



Being big is good for sound quality, but not so good for shipping. Any other speaker will ship a lot of air around the globe before ending up in your living room. This speaker ships in a small, flat package that goes in through your mailbox. The glass sheets making up the box is being ordered through the glass repair shop closest to every single customer. In that way the speaker reduces shipping with up to 90%, and supports local handicraft in one go. A very economical and ecological solution.


all information and images courtesy of people people

The speaker is still under development, and not available for purchase yet. If you are interested you can drop a mail to speaker@peoplepeople.se and we will keep you posted on the progress.

People People

Lighting? Speakers? Try Both. Sensai Wood Designs Light Up A Room With Sound.

A beautiful new collection of lighting that function as wireless bluetooth loudspeakers for the home. The Sensai wood collection designed by Decoma consists of a suspension light, a floor lamp, a table lamp and a wall sconce in dark and blonde woods that conceal omnidirectional speakers.

Suspension lamp/speakers:



Table lamp/speaker:




A view of the underside:


Wall sconce light/speaker:




Floor lamp/speaker:


Listen to the radio or music wirelessly through the discreetly concealed speakers within the contemporary lighting. The bulbs are available in white, red, green or blue bulbs and have three dimmer levels.

The Sensai collection will be distributed through FDV group in their Alt Lucialternative Line.

BeoSound 8. A Colorful & Cool Docking Station For iPhone, iPod and iPad.

BeoSound 8 is a new product from high-end audio favorite Bang & Olufsen. A powerful, essential speaker dock that unfolds your digital music collection taking the experience to a completely new level, conveniently and seamlessly. The BeoSound 8 defies industry standards as it features a distinct two dimensional design, bold form, and a superior sound quality due to its custom-made conical speakers and high-performance amplifiers.




It is also one of the few docking stations on the market that is directly compatible with the iPad, without having to utilize any extra wires or adapters, ensuring a clean, minimalist design.





BeoSound 8 (text from B&O):


Think of a room, any room. A bedroom, guest room, or open-plan kitchen? In a summerhouse, chic apartment, or family home? Now just add BeoSound 8 to fill up your room with Bang & Olufsen sound and style. If you keep your music on an iPad, iPhone, iPod or computer, you are all set to discover the iconic style and breathtaking sound quality that has made Bang & Olufsen one of the most sought-after names in home audio.



Move BeoSound 8 from room to room or hang it on a wall. All you need is a power outlet, your music player of choice, and a desire for real sound quality. Secure your iPad, iPhone, or iPod firmly in the adjustable holder and prepare for a surprise. The sleek speaker design gives little clue about the fidelity and depth of the sound that is about to come your way.



The conical shape of the speakers on BeoSound 8 has two functions. Design-wise, the shapes ‘disappear’ to create an unobtrusive impression from most viewing angles and make placement easier. In terms of audio quality, they eliminate standing waves by avoiding parallel surfaces. It may sound very technical, but you’ll find that the proof is in the experience.

Playing music from your own phone, computer, or media player gives you the advantage of a familiar navigation environment. In addition, you can now download an app version of the sleek and stylish BeoPlayer for your docked iPad, iPhone, or iPod. You can also adjust sound levels and skip tracks quickly and conveniently on BeoSound 8 itself. Music on a docked or USB linked device can be controlled via the dedicated round remote control or of course your existing Beo4 or Beo5 remote controls if you already own other Bang & Olufsen equipment.

To match your personal taste and the room you place it in, BeoSound 8 comes in either black or white with aluminium details and matching power cord. When you feel the need to add a splash of colour to the room, the list of options includes six fabric speaker covers in lavender blue, purple, green, yellow, black and white.

BeoSound 8
Price: $999
Dimensions: 26" x 9.4" x 6.5"
Weight: 9.35 lbs

Buy it here

BoomCases Will Have You Rocking Retro-Style.

Dominic, aka Mr. SiMo, is a self-proclaimed "audio-nut" who had the interesting idea to turn vintage hard-sided suitcases into self-powered boom boxes, making music portable in a retro fashion. He takes wood and leather vintage suitcases (which he prefers to thin or plastic cases because the acoustic sound quality is better) and adds speakers and more.




Prices Start at $250 for a plug-in only case and at $300 for a battery/plug-in case.

Options include:
•iPod – iPhone/USB Charger: $15
•Double Battery Capacity: $45
•Solar Power Charger: $65
•Wireless Audio Playback: $100 (must have Bluetooth compatible device)




The Self Powered, Portable Suitcase Stereo system works with your iPod/iPhone or any device with a headphone jack. The cases will last several hours on a single charge (the charger is built in). In addition to running on batteries, The BoomCase can also be plugged in when the party goes inside. To save on weight, you can opt for a plug-in only version.

Many of the BoomCases shown in this post have already been sold, but Mr. SiMo has a slew of vintage hard sided luggage in various shapes, sizes and colors, just waiting to be turned into BoomCases for you.









all images and info courtesy of Mr. Simo
special shout out to Erica Mayer for turning me onto these!

Get your own cool BoomCase here.