How cool is this? It's an orchestra conducted by the sun. Created by Massachussetts artist and musician Craig Colorusso, Sun Boxes is comprised of twenty solar-power speakers, each set to play one guitar note on loop, with the all the notes collectively making a B-flat chord. Says Colorusso: "The piece creates space. It is an environment for one to enter and exit. the footprint this......read more
If you're in the market for energy efficient iPhone speakers, you won't find any that use less than the zero-electricity Koostik. Made from solid wood, the setup naturally amplifies the sound from your iPhone speaker, providing louder music without using any additional electricity. The Koostik site notes that the device works better for some types of music than others. So it may not be your cup......read more
When former Tivoli Audio engineers Aaron Fournier and Mike Tunney decided to start Thinksound, the goal was to create affordable, high quality headphones while keeping the company's footprint light. With these Thinksound ts02 ear buds, it sounds like everything is going according to plan. The ts02's handcrafted wooden housing flaunts an 8mm speaker that delivers a warm......read more
This passive speaker dock from Italian design team en&is applies old world charm to new school audio tech. Like the gramophone of yore, the en&is Megaphone uses a horn-shaped design to amplify the sound from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Made of ceramic clay, the amplifier sits on a thin wooden base that maximizes vibrations and optimizes the emission of sound. Perfect for......read more
Recycled paper is quickly becoming a favored material for portable, lightweight speaker solutions. First we had Eco-Amp, now we have Pulpop, an O-shaped speaker system made from post-consumer pulp. The device was created by Taiwanese designers Balance Wu and Chin Yang, who surprised themselves with Pulpop's "unexpectedly potent" sound quality. The recycled paper pulp system works......read more
It's been a while since we featured a truly aspirational product around here, and this one is as good as they get. Audiowood's newly unveiled, one-of-a-kind Hyperion Turntable fits the bill as a unique, handcrafted audio product -- with a price tag to match. Made of solid maple, the turntable features a host of state-of-the-art components, including a Rega-compatible 24 volt drive......read more
For people who travel a lot, Jawbone's petite Jambox is the audio unit for you. Measuring a meager 10"L x 3.1"W x 3.6"H, the super-portable wireless hi-fi setup delivers a sound that defies its diminutive size. This jerry can yellow joint is a limited run edition that benefits the worthy cause of bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. With $50 of each......read more
Newly launched UK company Woodbuds ups the sustainability levels on the mobile audio game with these hardwood earphones. Made from sustainable plantation hardwood the design also features renewable bio-plastic cables and fully recyclable packaging. But the company's lofty green goals go beyond the design realm. From co-founder Chris Holmes: Woodbuds was born from a passion to do something......read more
The ever-watchful eyes at Cool Hunting have uncovered another sustainable product gem in the form of this Passive Speaker from Houd Sound. Created by a pair of talented designers from Colombia, the Houd Passive works with any iDevice requires no electrical connection or any type of battery. The amplication unit is beautifully crafted from sustainably-sourced Colombian wood. With an elegant finish......read more
From Indonesian designer Singgih Kartono's collection of functional wooden objects comes the terrific Magno Radio, a portable unit shaped from sustainably sourced hardwood. With both AM/FM and MP3 compatibility, the radio sports modern, minimal styling, with two distinct color tones and a timeless shape. Kartono lives in the small village of Kandangan in Central Java, where he employs......read more