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3D printed speakers made from sand

Czech design studio Deeptime developed an audio set consisting of conch shell shaped speakers 3D printed from sand.

Inspired by the natural shape of the conch shell, the studio says they are the world’s first speakers made of sand. The material is made from silica sand mixed with a custom-made hardener, turning into a solid and durable material with excellent damping properties.

Every Spirula speaker is made from a single piece with no visible split lines or bolts holding the enclosures together. The 3D printing creates visible layers in the surface, “resembling the exposed lines of sedimentary rocks.”

The golden spiral inspired design is not just for aesthetic purposes: “The spiral-shaped cochleae present in the human ear greatly extends the range of frequencies and octaves we can hear,” the website states. “Nature’s perfect shape enables humans to deeply appreciate the most magical thing we have ever created – music.”

The speakers are designed to amplify music, aiming the sound directly at your ears with their ergonomically calculated design, no matter where they stand.

The speakers are driven by three-inch full range speakers with highly accurate sounding bamboo fibre cones. The fibre is tough but flexible, able to withstand high volumes and absorb its own vibrations. The speaker cone surround is made of santoprene, an extremely light, flexible and durable type of polymer. Its minimal weight improves the frequency response of the speaker and high elasticity helps to reproduce lower resonant frequencies.

The studio also designed a subwoofer called Thunderstone, inspired by the shape of black sea urchin fossils. Its height and diameter are in the golden ratio. The trilateral symmetry allows for three bass ports, reducing the size of individual parts and allowing for longer resonant tubes.

The Spirula speakers are available in a limited edition of only 1618 pairs. While the speakers come standard in an anthracite black finish, it is also possible to order a custom-coloured set.

Photos: Deeptime

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