This time, we want to tell you about minimalist see-through wireless speakers designed and produced by the Stockholm-based company Transparent Sound. The design of these speakers was inspired by the Scandinavian functionalism, but it also features contemporary elements, materials, textures, and details. Per Brickstad and Martin Willers, the company’s founders, say that the Transparent Speakers are designed to be as much an interior design object as a great sounding piece of technology.
The name Transparent stands for different things: except for the unique design, the name also means a questioning of the industry within which Transparent Sound operates, and an attempt for a more open, honest and sustainable business model.
Per and Martin say that their ambition is to create qualitative tech products that would age with dignity and can be passed on to the next generation. The chosen materials and the manufacturing process focuses on being modular and repairable to make sure as few components as possible are thrown away.
”We always strive to investigate to what extent an advanced tech item also can be a beautiful design object. There is something truly exciting in letting components transform into new formats, where the products are modular and to some extent also circular: a refining process where always aim to create even better and more unique products, that do not destroy the world. We like the idea of things getting better with time,” says Per, Head of Design at Transparent Sound.
The first version of the Transparent Speaker appeared in 2012. Now the company has two versions of its see-through speaker – the Transparent Speaker and the Small Transparent Speaker. Each speaker includes a Bluetooth function, and if needed, the speakers can also be upgraded with voice disorder and multi-room-systems.
The Small Transparent Speaker is painted in matte white. It features two 3” full-range speaker drivers and a built-in D-class audio amplifier providing 30W of output power. The larger speaker, in addition, has a 6.5” woofer and provides up to 100W of output power. This version is painted in black.
And we can not help writing a few words about the limited edition of handmade speakers, for which Transparent Sound collaborated with skilled artisans from Sweden and France. Titled UPCRAFTED, the collection includes three speakers featuring three different body materials: the Wood Speaker, Steel Speaker, and Stoneware Speaker.
Each speaker of the collection is available on the Transparent Sound’s website as well as the Transparent Speaker and Small Transparent Speaker.
DIMENSIONS: 268mm x 203mm x 95mm
WEIGHT: 3kg
L/R DRIVERS: 2 x 3’’ (Full Range)
AUDIO AMPLIFIER: Class D built-in (active)
OUTPUT POWER: 2 x 15W
SEALED CABINET VOLUME: 3 liters
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 60Hz – 20kHz ± 3dB on axis
LINE IN: 2 x 3.5mm (front and bottom)
CABLES: Long and short audio cable, long and short (USB) power cable
WIRELESS: Bluetooth and True Wireless dual speaker streaming
WALL MOUNT: Brackets and screws included
DIMENSIONS: 431mm x 333mm x 118mm
WEIGHT: 11kg
L/R DRIVERS: 2 x 3’’ (Full Range)
WOOFER: 1 x 6.5’’
AUDIO AMPLIFIER: Class D built in (Active)
OUTPUT POWER: 80 – 100 W
SEALED CABINET VOLUME: 10.2 liters
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 35Hz – 20kHz ± 5dB
LINE IN: 2 x 3,5mm (front and back)
CABLES: 2 x Audio Cables (long and short), 2 x Power Cables (mains and USB)
WIRELESS: Bluetooth Toaster Slot with power supply in back
WALL MOUNT: Brackets and screws included