Tag Archives: bluetooth speaker

Porsche Design Unveils the PD S20, its First Outdoor Wireless Speaker

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Porsche Design, renowned for its sleek, high-performance products, has recently unveiled the PDS20, marking its first foray into the realm of outdoor speakers. This move comes after years of producing other acclaimed audio products, underscoring Porsche Design’s commitment to expanding its portfolio and catering to a wider range of audiophile needs.

Designer: Porsche Design

Porsche Design has always been about blending top-notch design with serious tech and adding a sprinkle of automotive joy; their audio line is no exception. Take the 911 Speaker 2.0 60Y 911 for instance,  a limited-edition speaker modeled on the Porsche 911’s iconic tailpipe, proving Porsche Design knows a thing or two about exclusive, high-end audio gear. And if you’re in the mood to splurge, there’s the 911 Soundbar 2.0 Pro. This baby will set you back a cool $12,000.00, but it quite literally transforms an original exhaust pipe from a Porsche 992 GT3 into a staggering 300W sound system… But here’s where things get interesting with the PDS20. This isn’t just another high-end gadget in Porsche Design’s arsenal. Priced at a respectable $245.00, it’s their first outdoor speaker, and it’s a game-changer. Unlike its predecessors, the PDS20 is built for the great outdoors, with a tough, weather-resistant design and a sound that’s just as impressive in the open air as it is indoors. It’s like Porsche Design decided to take everything they knew about premium sound, throw in a dash of adventure, and voila – the PDS20 was born.

The PDS20 comes crafted from anodized aluminum and gray acoustic fabric, presenting a minimalist and durable design. This cylindrical speaker is equipped with two passive radiators and a 1.75″ woofer, ensuring exceptional sound quality, particularly in the bass department. Its IP67 rating guarantees resilience against dust and water, making it an ideal companion for outdoor activities such as hiking or for enhancing open spaces with premium sound. The PDS20 also boasts a 10-hour battery life and quick USB-C charging, ensuring all-day uninterrupted listening. An integrated microphone facilitates easy interaction with voice assistants for playlist control, call management, and messaging, all controllable via the haptic buttons built into the PD S20’s fabric grill. For an immersive stereo experience, it can easily pair with a second speaker via Bluetooth, perfect for larger gatherings or home entertainment enhancement.

The PD S20’s blend of design styles allows it to easily transition between being a haute home speaker or an outdoor-friendly audio device. That anodized aluminum enclosure is undeniably classy, although it gets a slight hint of rugged when you slide that silicone ring in (which comes in 2 color options that you can alternate between). With its sleek design, robust build, and superior sound quality, this speaker is ready to take on any adventure, be it a backyard barbecue or a hike in the hills. It’s a refreshing addition to the otherwise relatively unattainable Porsche Design lineup (10 grand for a soundbar?!), combining their trademark elegance with outdoor-friendly functionality so you can carry your love for Porsche with you wherever you go. And the best part? You can snag one of these for $245.00. Starting from November 15, 2023, it’s up for grabs at Porsche Design stores, their website, and selected retailers.

The post Porsche Design Unveils the PD S20, its First Outdoor Wireless Speaker first appeared on Yanko Design.

YouTuber built a Bluetooth Speaker small enough to fit inside a Walnut

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I don’t know what it must have cost, but I’m assuming peanuts.

Reporting to you today from the weird part of the internet, we’ve got crazy YouTuber Penguin DIY who decided to take a walnut shell and cram an entire Bluetooth speaker inside it… USB-C port and status LEDs included. The speaker’s audio quality isn’t anything to write home about, but the video above that shows the entire construction process will not (I mean walnut) disappoint.

Designer: Penguin DIY

The speaker itself a miniature little device the size of a… well, walnut. Made from the walnut’s shell, it packs all the necessary components inside, including a mini battery, amp, driver, Bluetooth module, USB-C port, and even buttons and LEDs to control playback or increase/decrease the volume.

The process involved emptying out the contents of the walnut before taking a Dremel to the inside of the walnut shell to make as much space as possible for the components. The components include a 5V power bank module that was stripped for parts because it was too big to fit into the shell. The module (or whatever was left of it) was then connected to the rest of the speaker’s parts, including a 300mAh battery pack and a USB-C port for charging the speaker.

Other components included the actual ‘meat’ of the speaker, including a 2W audio driver, a mini-amp, and a Bluetooth module to allow for wireless connectivity. All the components were rather intricately pieced together and soldered with what I can only describe as incredible dexterity for something that small, and then glued to the shell with silicon glue. This flexible glue would allow the driver’s vibrations to occur without any danger of dislodging parts inside the walnut shell.

Finally, holes were drilled into the top of the walnut to make way for the speaker grill, control buttons, status LEDs, and even a nifty on-off switch. In the interest of repairability, Penguin DIY assembled the two halves of the shell together with screws instead of glues, enabling him to open up and repair or upgrade the speaker whenever he wanted. Let’s face it, if a YouTuber can turn a walnut into a Bluetooth speaker and still make it repairable, Apple can make the AirPods repairable too.

The results are impressive but not for the reasons you’d think. The speaker works flawlessly, with it being detected on a smartphone, getting connected, and even letting you play/pause music just like any regular wireless speaker. Understandably, the sound isn’t particularly great because of driver, amp, and size limitations… but if I had to rate the speaker on a scale of 1-to-10 for sheer ingenuity and for its proof-of-concept, it gets full marks. In fact, forget pumpkin carving skills, Penguin DIY’s walnut carving skills are absolutely on point!

The post YouTuber built a Bluetooth Speaker small enough to fit inside a Walnut first appeared on Yanko Design.