Teponaztli
The teponaztli speaker is a re-invention of the typical boom box with an added historical meaning.
The speaker looks to give a modern look to an iconic speaker while telling the story of musical objects which have been with humans throughout evolution.
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Teponaztli \tepe-nastle\:
Sacred Aztec precusion instrument used in special ceremonies and festivals, the Teponaztli was believed to be gods brought to earth in drum shape.
Discover
bRIEF
Create a fully functioning speaker of your choice with added features (volume controls, knobs, wireless, etc.). The speaker must use your knowledge and skills on modelmaking and prototyping.
History of MUSIC
"Music is found in every known society and isolated group, past and present, and is considered to be a cultural universal." "The first music may have been invented in Africa and then evolved to become a fundamental constituent of human life, using various different materials to make various instruments."
Market Research
Speakers have simple shapes allowing the material and details to shine.
Define
Direction
I chose to challenge myself and take the task of re-designing a boombox. Boomboxes have been interpreted in different shapes and forms however I felt like there was room for modernizing and re-thinking what the boombox could be.
A story of evolution
I chose to challenge myself and take the task of re-designing a boombox. Boomboxes have been interpreted in different shapes and forms however I felt like there was room for modernizing and re-thinking what the boombox could be.
MOOD AND inspiration
I took inspiration from the Aztec sacred drum instrument because of the meaning it has for the history and evolution of music. For the Aztecs the Teponaztli were gods in forms of drums, this highlights the importance music has had in mankind by personifying it as gods.
Characteristics of a boombox
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Includes once subwoofer for bass
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Includes at least two normal speaker drivers
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Can include tweeters for high pitches
Added features
These are the features I look to add to the speaker in order for it to be timeless and modern. Simple and minimal controls.
Develop
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Order Parts
All the components necessary to build the speaker were bought through parts express, a speaker specialized site.
The components included:
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One subwoofer
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Two speaker drivers
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Speaker circuit board compatible with drivers and subwoofer
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Controls panel
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Power cable
Calculations and rough sketching
Once the parts I needed where ordered I had to start making calculations and rough sketches in order to understand how much volume my components needed to function properly.
Thanks to these calculations I was able to figure out how much volume and what shapes the internal skeleton of my speaker would take.
Rapid prototyping
Quick foam core prototypes enabled me to understand my design in three dimensions and validate my volume calculations in relation to the overall size of the speaker.
Front
Bottom
CAD MOdeling
Additionally, I made use of virtual tools such as computer modeling in order to test out and measure all the components before jumping into the final build.I was able to visualize and make adjustments to the design where needed.
Materials
"The first music may have been invented in Africa and then evolved to become a fundamental constituent of human life, using various different materials to make various instruments."
Cherry Wood
Resembling wooden instruments of the past.
Speaker Cloth
Gives a modern look and allows top sound performance.
MDF Wood
Used in internal parts. Optimizes sound performance.
tHE BUILD
The speaker build consisted of soldering, woodworking and textile treatment. During this process I learned about electronics deeply and was able to configure the speaker components to work harmoniously together. I also had to understand how to design for assembly as the electronics had to embed and embed seamlessly with the internal construction.
deliver
Teponaztli:
the story of music
Teponaztli is a speaker that aims to show the evolution of music and the importance it has to humans. The wooden accents resemble the beautiful wooden instruments of the past while the black cloth remind us of modern speakers. The ancient teponaztli is believed to be god in the form of drum.
Features:
