FIKA
Industrial Design | Fall 2023
How can we make
HiFi Audio Portable?
Fika is a high-quality sound system made portable.
The Problem
I enjoy listening to high quality audio since I became a DJ over 8 years ago. Since moving to the NYC, I have realized that apartments are small and HiFi audio setup takes up a lot of space. I knew there had to be a more convenient solution.
My current audio setup in my apartment
Research
Product Positioning
No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a smaller HiFi speaker that had high quality audio that sounded amazing and wasn't made of cheap plastic. There’s no product on the market that serves as both a portable speaker and a high-quality sound system. If you want to do both, you would need two products.
Ideate and Parts
Speaker parts were selected that would fit the needs of being portable and producing a high output without sacrificing quality. This would influence the design’s overall form and scale. In addition, I also looked at the original boom box for inspiration bringing back a reto and reminiscent yet now newly updated design.
Design Overview
Once the speaker components were selected, I began importing the design into SolidWorks. This step enabled me to visualize all the parts together, ensuring that everything would fit seamlessly. Additionally, I could generate a cut file from this to send the design for CNC cutting.
Prototyping Process
I chose to use T Slot Extrustions for the speaker as it increases the strength of the overall structure and can be more versatile with a variety of mounting and carrying options. I plan to further develop accessories that can attach to the speaker such as a wall mount and carabiniers. To ensure high quality sound, the cabinet was made with birch plywood and insulated with polyfill.
Final Design
Fully Functional Model
The final working model conveys the scale and surfacing of the final design. It is made from half-inch birch plywood and powered using a Sonos Amp for connectivity.
Mount
Carry
Strap
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