Credit: Science + Son

I sense a trend emerging. Last week I featured a set of speakers that evoke the Nipper side of the old RCA logo. Now its a pleasure to present a speaker that represents the other half.

Science + Son has developed two generations (I and II) of these patent-pending Phonophone passive amplification speakers. From the website:

Through passive amplification alone, These unique pieces instantly transform any personal music player + earbuds into a sculptural audio console.

Without the use of external power or batteries, the Phonofone inventively exploits the virtues of horn acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to up to 55 decibels (or roughly the maximum volume of laptop speakers).

Upon connecting active earphones to the Phonofone their trebly buzzing is instantly and profoundly transformed into a warm, rich and resonant sound.

The Phonofone is constructed entirely from ceramic. Not only environmentally low impact, ceramics are inherently rigid and resonant, lending themselves well to this application.

This diagram shows a little more about what is going on, acoustically speaking.

The pictures may be a little deceiving: The actual size is 11″ x 9.5″ x 20″. Unfortunately, the price is going to run a little more than your iPod or iPhone. Charles and Marie are selling a Phononphone II online for $500.

Via Technology News, fun ceramic stuff at Matteo Cibic Studio:

Hi-Fido is a ceramic speaker in the shape of a dog. It is also strangely reminiscent of Nipper, the gramophone-curious mascot of the RCA and HMV record companies, and - best of all - it looks like a real dog that has been forced to wear a plastic cone on its head to stop it scratching its ears (pro-tip to cone-wearing dogs: don’t look up when it’s raining).

The Hi-Fido is internally shaped to use a bass-reflex system, and will bark out 150 Watts of noise. The speaker measures 40×30×25cm, and the input is via cable. We can’t see the jack socket on either of the pictures, but we can guess where it is.

Matteo is making just 50 speakers, and they’ll be on sale from April 2010 for a not-yet-decided price.

Plus, check out Matteo Cibic’s other stuff:

Flower holders

Vases

Terrariquins

LED lighting

If you liked the post below, I urge you to check out the KINETICA 2009 video. It’s full of demonstrations of kinetic art that depend on electronics, sensors, glass, steel and a variety of technical materials. (Sorry, but there is no direct link to the video: after clicking on the opening graphic, look for “Videos” under the “Media” menu option.)

For you glass aficianados, in particular, I recommend checking out Tom Wilkinson’s “Light Wave” made of what he says is about one-third of a ton of undulating glass rods mounted on a cam shaft that makes it ripple like water.

Ocean of Light from squidsoup on Vimeo.

Squidsoup is back! Titled “Oceans of Light,” this time, the groups latest artwork is made by using reconfigured video-wall technology to create a walk-through 3D grid of LEDs. The idea is to create an immersed experience of light-based visualisations in three physical dimensions. They have designed to piece to be large enough to be considered an environment rather than an object – a room filled with countless points of light, each one contributing to a dynamic space that surrounds and envelops participant.

The first piece to be shown on the grid is to be be premiered at KINETICA Art Fair, Feb. 5-7 2010 in London. combines abstract volumetric visuals with spatialised sound, to suggest an ecosystem of audiovisual entities that inhabit physical space. Visible and audible as they encircle and fly around the room, they dance with each other and together create what is both a fully three dimensional audiovisual environment and a musical composition.

By homey Robert Pollard/Guided By Voices. He was everyone’s favorite 4th-grade teacher.