Davone Audio's Newest Speakers, Ray, Are An Homage To The Eames Lounge

Davone Audio of Denmark has just finished designing and producing their second luxurious set of high-end loudpeakers. Following Rithm, their new set of speakers is housed in a bowed walnut wood veneer and set atop metal legs. Similar in color, design and style to the iconic lounge chair by Charles and Ray Eames, the speakers are named "Ray" an obvious nod to the designers of the famous chair.


The iconic Eames Lounge chair and ottoman:

making the bowed veneers for the housing of the equipment:

detailed shots of the Ray Speakers:




The first set of finished speakers have just been sent to New York to appear as a prop in an upcoming major motion picture that will be released in 2011.

Purported to cost $6,000 a pair, no specs on the speakers have yet to be published, nor are they yet available.

Below is their first set of loudspeakers, the Rithm:

Davone audio

Design That Speaks Volumes. Tiny Speakers With Huge Sound.

I get many requests for paid reviews and posts and turn them all down to maintain the integrity of the blog. Sometimes I find nice little packages for me in the mail, clearly from someone hoping to be added to the hip list. More often than not, the products aren't up to snuff.

But these warranted a mention. The line of speakers from Singapore Based XM-I are not only wonderfully designed (The x-mini even received the prestigious 2008 Red Dot Design Award) but they really work, and are priced right.

They've also received rave reviews from those in the know, so you can be assured from audiophiles far more respected than myself.




Check these out.

The Original X-mini:




The X-mini is the World's first pocketsize speaker with a built-in bass support and rechargeable battery. It strikes the perfect balance of pocketsize portability with uncompromising sound quality.

Pioneering a patented technology which enables an extendable vacuum to mimic the resonance of a sub-woofer, the X-mini is also equipped with high-fidelity speakers to ensure smooth delivery of the mid-highs. The in-built rechargeable batteries would also translate to zero cost on disposable batteries and increased daily convenience.

The X-mini II:



The X-mini™ II introduces a larger 40mm driver to project richer and fuller sounds resulting in superior end-user experience from its innovative capsule design. Not only does the new design deliver unsurpassed audio quality, it now performs even longer. Three times the capacity of its predecessor, the new X-mini™ II comes with a new built-in high capacity rechargeable battery capable of sustained output for 11 hours of nonstop audio pleasure.

A most distinctive feature is the all new system that enables you to connect one X-mini™ II to another, capable of forming an almost endless “daisy chain” of self-powered, bass-enhanced portable speaker system.



Finally to eliminate cumbersome audio cables dangling from the speaker, the connecting audio cable can be tucked neatly into the base for a cleaner and sleeker look.




The X-Mini Max (capsule version):



The X-mini Max (Second generation):



Thanks to Alexander Yap for the red X-mini Max II photos


•Pocketsize Portability
Small enough to carry around. Connected at the bottom by two magnetic base for hassle free storage and portability on a daily basis.

•Bass Xpansion System
Pioneering a patented technology, an expandable vacuum which mimics the resonance of a subwoofer

•In-Built Rechargeable Batteries
The in-built rechargeable batteries will translate to zero cost on disposable batteries and increased daily convenience

And keep an eye out for their latest edition, The X-mini Happy:



all images courtesy of X-mini and XM-I.




Shop for all the cool X-mini speakers here.


above: IM-X CEO Ryan Lee, photo courtesy of BusinessWeek

CEO Ryan Lee's speakers have made him one of Asia's Best Young Enterpreneurs, see the BusinessWeek article here.

If you are into loudspeakers, don't miss this post all about some of the most unusually designed speakers on the market:


Speaker Manufacturers Turn Up The Volume On Design

Symbio Design Loudspeakers; Alpha, Beta & EggO

The Alpha or Alfa (sic):



The design of the Alpha loudspeaker system is based on a baffle made from laminated composite. A bass-reflex tube is made the same way and, after the manufacturing process completion, it becomes an integral part of the baffle.



In addition, the bass-reflex tube orifice shape prevents the turbulence generation with air circulation in the tube, when a higher sound volume is set, which very often adversely affects the systems sound character and brings undesired noises into the performance. The shell is made with laying stress on the standing waves elimination without a single joint, so we eliminated pressure losses. The selected construction provides high shell rigidity with a big inner acoustic attenuation.




Parameters:
number of bands: 2
baffle type: bass-reflex
recommended placement: floor, shelf, in-wall installation, ceiling
total weight of the system: 5.5 kg/piece
max. high 580 mm, max. width 330 mm, max. depth 470 mm
Woofer:
response (1W,1m): 91 dB SPL
frequency characteristics: 40 - 4000 Hz
nominal impedance: 8 Ohm
weight 1,41 kg
long-lasting maximum power 75 W
short-lasting maximum power 250 W
Tweeter :
response (1W,1m): 92 dB SPL
frequency characteristics: 2000 - 25000 Hz
nominal impedance: 6 Ohm
weight 0,5 kg
long-lasting maximum power 90 W
short-lasting maximum power 220 W

The Beta:


Upon customer’s request, it is possible to individually change the standard high-gloss snow-white surface finish, which comes from ALFA, for any other colour of the RAL colour palette. Generally, the model is also supplied in black and silver colour.



The Beta loudspeakers are designed to be put on a table top or any other suitable place, including floor. We are also preparing light in-wall or ceiling installations. The minimalist solution assumes a simple connection to your audio system using the loudspeaker cable, which is the part of delivery.




Wideband loudspeaker system with an enclosed baffle. The system is bedded with two special FDS loudspeakers.

Parameters:
number of bands: 1
baffle type: enclosed baffle
recommended placement: floor, shelf, table, in-wall installation, ceiling
FDS 100-30 loudspeaker
Type: Extremely flat wideband loudspeaker
Total maximum installation depth, including
the basket and diaphragm: 27 mm
response (1W,1m): 85 dB SPL
maximum acoustic pressure: 100/b>
wattage rating: 40 W RMS
wattage rating (peak): 60 W RMS
frequency char. (+/-3dB): 130Hz – 16 kHz
flare angle (120 Hz – 12,5 kHz): > 90° (-5 dB)
resonance frequency: 130 Hz
maximum core deviation: +/- 6mm
material of magnet: neodymium
material of basket: ABS
material of diaphragm: paper, TPU
diaphragm diameter: 100 mm
weight: 220 g

The EggO



The EggO is a passive loudspeaker system with a band-pass baffle type bedded with one low-frequency speaker. EggO subwoofer is supplemented with an efficient amplifier. Correction elements of amplifier contain output level and crossover frequency controls.



Parameters:
number of bands: 1
baffle type: band-pass baffle
recommended placement: floor
SEAS loudspeaker
Type: low-frequency speaker
impedance: --- Ohm
response (1W,1m): --- dB SPL
maximum acoustic pressure: --- dB
wattage rating: --- W RMS / --- W peak
frequency characteristics (+/-3dB): 40 - 200 Hz
maximum core deviation: +/- --- mm
material of magnet: neodymium

SYMBIO Design, s.r.o.
Brigadniku 44
100 00 Praha 10

Mgr. Petr Malenicky - sales , Andrej Jakovlev - technology Mg.A Jerry Koza - design

T: +420 777 253 713 (sales)
T: +420 608 420 006 (technology)
T: +420 777 253 702 (design)
E: info@symbiodesign.cz
W: www.symbiodesign.cz

If speakers are your thing, be sure to see 'Speaker Manufacturers Turn up The Volume On Design'