Introduction:
Speaker concept design experiment created during Art Center College of Design extension to form a speaker design that caters to a more decerning consumer. The goal was to create a speaker that could offer the same high fideltiy audio expereince from audiophile grade speakers but in visual context.
I worked with Randall Smock, a faculty from ACCD to research and refine the design in a 6-week schedule.
My Role: Design Lead
People Involved: Randy Wu, Randall Smock
I worked with Randall Smock, a faculty from ACCD to research and refine the design in a 6-week schedule.
My Role: Design Lead
People Involved: Randy Wu, Randall Smock
Skills:
Product Research
Design
Prototyping
Product Research
Design
Prototyping
Tools:
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Blender
Keyshot
Rhinoceros
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Blender
Keyshot
Rhinoceros
Problem:
Audiophiles that not wish to not only hear their music, but also have a visual
representaion of it. How can a premium speaker not only deliver a high end auditory
experinece but also create an equally high end visual expereince?
Goal:
Design a speaker that delivers a high end audio and visual experience.
Ideation:
Audiophiles pay attention to small details and features when choosing a high fidelity audio system. They tend to look for not only important audio features, but also visual elements such as premium finishes and embellishments that visually enhance the listening experience.
Existing audio makers such as Bang and Olufsen, Wrensilva, and Sonos often focus on their design to attract their consumers. To take this one step further, I wish to implement the audio and sound from the music into the visual design. Instead of using led lights or screens to mimic the audio source, I used an analog method inspired by the booming subwoofers of larger speakers. The visual feedback you get as the driver resonates back and forth creates a more vivid sensatory experience.
By using thin slats that go around the drivers of the speaker, the slats will not only be able to amplify the sound waves produced by the drivers but also offer the analog representaion of the sound.
After doing the market research, creating a visual representation of the sound that the drivers produce was the main challenge. I started playing with different types of exposed slats that would vibrate from the soundwaves that the drivers produced.
Existing audio makers such as Bang and Olufsen, Wrensilva, and Sonos often focus on their design to attract their consumers. To take this one step further, I wish to implement the audio and sound from the music into the visual design. Instead of using led lights or screens to mimic the audio source, I used an analog method inspired by the booming subwoofers of larger speakers. The visual feedback you get as the driver resonates back and forth creates a more vivid sensatory experience.
By using thin slats that go around the drivers of the speaker, the slats will not only be able to amplify the sound waves produced by the drivers but also offer the analog representaion of the sound.
After doing the market research, creating a visual representation of the sound that the drivers produce was the main challenge. I started playing with different types of exposed slats that would vibrate from the soundwaves that the drivers produced.
Sketches
![]()
Outer ring displays volume, with a clockwise twist to increase volume and counter clockwise twist for decrease. Denoted by the plus and minus signs.![]()
Inner ring displays track progress, push and twist clockwise to scrub foward and counter clockwise to scrub backwards.![]()
Center display serves to showaces song/album art and push down to play/pause. Press and hold for voice assistant.![]()
