The Phonofone II from Science + Sons is the iPod speaker dock you want if you positively want to own the coolest, most eye-catching PMP speaker dock ever designed–that doesn’t need an external power source. What’s even better is that it will work with just about any audio source, assuming you can plug earbuds into it. If you’re the average gadget freak, you’re probably wondering why the PMP would need to have earbuds plugged into it and how the Phonofone II is supposed to work without a battery or being plugged into the wall.
According to the official Phonophone website, the device uses “passive amplification” all by its lonesome to create sound through it’s old-school horn-style speaker. Remember those old record players from the time of the dinosaurs? Those worked similarly–but the Phonofone II uses, earbuds instead of a record needle.
The same way those old-fashioned horn-style record players (or “phonographs” as they were called back then) would use the horn to amplify sound, the Phonofone allows the natural shape of the tube leading to the horn and the horn itself to to take advantage of the physics of sound to amplify your audio. The official website claims sound can be boosted to up to 55 decibels, which is about the level of your average PC speakers (again, according to the website). You can read more about passive amplification at a page on the Harvard website.
While you’re not going to blow your windows out or experience stereo sound with the Phonofone II, you will have quite a conversation piece on your hands, not to mention a truly unique way to listen to your music. So unique, in fact, that each Phonofone is built by the designer in his ceramic fabrication facility in Toronto, Canada. Yep, you read that right–these aren’t made of plastic–they’re ceramic. If you want one of these move quickly as only 75 have been made. Of course, because the production run is so limited the price is not–$875 Canadian will net you one of these. In USD, thanks to the economy, you’ll pay slightly more than $875. Place your order for the Phonofone at CharlesAndMarie.com.
