1. Speaker
Project
By James Grimsdale

2. The Company
‘The company was founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke OBE
(1925–1995) and was initially headquartered in a Nissen Hut
on the premises of Kent Engineering & Foundry (from where
the name KEF is derived) – a metal-working company on the
banks of the River Medway, near Maidstone in Kent. Cooke,
an ex-BBC Electrical Engineer, was keen to experiment with
new materials and technologies in order to create products
with superior acoustic quality that could reproduce
recordings as natural as the original performance. From the
very beginning, the pioneering inventiveness of KEF
KEF focuses primarily on the quality of its products. Its products show loudspeakers was undeniable and now for several decades,
innovation and include the latest technologies to distinguish themselves audiophiles around the world have revered KEF for its
from other companies. I will hope to use these technologies in my audio innovative, high-performance loudspeakers.’
product. KEF aims to make their products simplistic in terms of there
function and colour schemes which I would like to incorporate into my KEF is a company with the primary objective of creating
design. The product sold by KEF are top of the range with their target high end, high quality products with vast amounts of
markets set to high end purchasers in need of the latest most advance functionality and aesthetical appeal. The Brand has also
audio equipment. Although the technology in KEF’s products are far combined innovative design and technologies together to
above other companies the aesthetics in some of the standard speakers solely improve on the performance of its products. The
are lacking in terms of the use of innovative shapes e.g. C Series company has received many awards for its audio systems
speakers (middle bottom). Although KEF’s simplistic colour schemes especially from their blade loudspeaker which has been
looks modern they can look too plain however this has been rectified in awarded product of the year in 2012 by electric house as well
KEF’s latest projects such as Blade. as various best buy and highly recommended awards.
 Through research of the
company I have gained
knowledge of KEF’s
reputation and of what
KEF’s aims are. This will
help me to design a product
that is in keeping with the
quality of products
currently sold by KEF.

3. KEF Brand Decoding
Aesthetics and Materials:
KEF uses very few materials in its products. The majority are
Products:
either metal or plastic giving a simplistic look to the products.
KEF offer a range of Hi-fi speakers, Home theatre
Silver and Black are common colours used across the whole
speakers and wireless systems. KEF focuses on
range of KEF’s products creating a modernistic aesthetic helping
creating the highest quality of products. There
to show off the quality of the products on offer however other
products are intended to be innovative and new.
colours are available to suit personal tastes. The KEF logo can be
There products are researched thoroughly and
seen on all of its products helping with advertisement. High
changes are made to optimise performance. New
quality materials have been used in KEF’s product for optimised
technologies such as ACE materials, low profile
aesthetics and durability. For example Glass reinforced
drivers and Uni-Q have been put into there
composite has been used in their blade speaker to give extra
products.
rigidity and strength as well as making the product more
lightweight. Metals in some KEF products use similar
Target Audience/ pricing: manufacturing procedure to vacuum forming allowing the
KEF has a very specific target audience. The products to be mass produced lowering cost, time and improving
products on sale are top of the range meaning aesthetics.
that the price range is much higher than most
standard speakers. This would discourage
people with less money, but on the other hand
attract people with more money looking for the  This page has helped to broaden my
latest in audio performance. Lowest prices for understanding of KEF’s products and
speakers are around £150 which is reasonable as what the aims of the company are.
they quote ‘this performance is normally The approach to design will be
associated with speakers of a much higher heavily influenced by KEF and
price’. Top range speakers range from £1000 to therefore my understanding of the
£1,500. Their flagship Hi-fi speakers greatly company is vital. This will help me to
exceed these prices. make a product that is suited to KEF’s
style.

4. Technology:
KEF has developed new technology which is
improving both the quality and functionality of
their product making their products unique.
The Uni-Q point source drive array gives
‘outstanding acoustical clarity and off axis
dispersion’. The device helps to spread out the
quality of sound so that you do not have to stand
directly in front of the speaker to gain optimum
sound quality, the sweet spot is wider.
In their flagship Hi-fi speaker blade they have included two set of oppositely facing
This materials is called ACE (Acoustic speakers. A vented coupler system has been included within the speakers to reduce the
Compliance Enhancement). The material is a build up of air pressure behind the diaphragm which can damage the speakers and the
form of charcoal. It is put inside the loudspeaker sound quality. Also a decupling system has been integrated into the speaker to reduce the
cabinet. ACE has small holes in it which act like distortion from the speakers interfering with the diaphragm giving a deeper more dynamic
small air sacks taking in air helping the bass base tone. The drivers within the speakers create vibration and if unchecked it causes the
driver to ‘breath’ giving improved bass cabinet to resonate creating unwanted sound. To solve the problem the blade speaker has
performance. its drivers in opposing pairs meaning that the vibrations cancel one another out giving a
better sound quality.

5. Task Analysis
Function: Multiple speakers could be used for increased sound quality. The portability of the
speakers also needs to be taken into account. The speaker could have iPod/ smart phone
docking capabilities which is becoming ever more popular allowing for more ergonomic control
(touch screen on smart phones). Another important focus is what type of speaker it will be e.g.
docking station, headphone, Wi-Fi or surround sound. Linked also with functionality is what  Through task analysis
environments the speaker can be put into e.g. outdoors or inside. I have opened up all of
Materials: the possibilities that I
The materials that can be used need to have good aesthetics. The materials must also be in could use within my
keeping with current KEF products e.g. aluminium and plastics. The materials should be of
high quality as the price range of KEF’s products are high. The materials should have design giving me a
strength to make the products structure more durable. Also finishes can be added to the wider variety of
material to improve aesthetics and longevity. The materials could be found from far afield for options.
more unusual material or sourced locally for a higher quality.
Technology: The speakers could incorporate several KEF technology such as ACE or
Uni- Q to optimise the sound quality of the audio product.
Size and environment:
Were will the speaker be used? How big will the speaker be? Will the audio product be
in the form of headphones or a stereo system? Environment and size are closely linked.
For example when designing a bedroom speaker it needs to be of reasonable size to
produce enough sound but not too big to take up too much space.
Manufacture: The audio product can be made in several mays. The processes are
dependant on the materials being used for example when using metals a forging
method will be used however forming will be used for plastics. Mass production, batch
production and one off production are all manufacturing method that need it be taken
into consideration however KEF often stays with batch production.
Energy: The speaker can be powered is many different
ways these include: Solar energy, batteries, mains power
and manual power.

6. Audio product decoding
1 2 3 Within a speaker there is both a
permanent and a mobile magnet.
The permanent magnet is
secured firmly. As an electric
current is passed through the
coil of the electromagnet its
magnetic field is rapidly
changed causing it to oscillate
between repelling and attracting
the permanent magnet. This
To produce a fully functional speaker causes the coil to vibrate back
various components are needed to and forth. The coil is attached to
produce sound. Sound is produced the diaphragm and as it vibrates
when electrical energy within the sound is generated.
circuits of the speaker are converted 1.Cone
into sound energy. Speakers contain 2.Electromagnet (coil)
electromagnets. These magnets 3. Permanent magnet
interacts with each other and cause a
sound to be produced.
 Through audio
The pitch of the sound produced is product decoding I
dependent on it frequency were as the have found out
volume of the sound is effected by the about the
waves amplitude. Some speakers are components within
specifically developed with a certain a speaker and how
they work. This will
cone size to produce a especially deep
help me during the
or high sound. The bigger the cone the manufacture and
lower the frequency allowing more rich development of my
bass capability from the speaker. product.

7. Brief
I am going to make a speaker that has both organic
aesthetics and a high quality of sound. The speaker
will have a organic approach and will use
interesting colours and shapes to make my speaker
both innovative and eye-catching to KEF’s high end
buyers. The speaker will be designed for inside use
and will be a small multiple cone speaker. The
speaker will include several speakers with a similar
vibration technology as KEF’s blade speaker. The
target audience will be high end purchasers
interested in spending more money for a high
quality product. The age group of my product will be
broad and appeal to all ages. The speaker will be a
small compact but powerful unit, similar to KEF’s
LS50 and will incorporate new technologies
optimising its performance.
 From this page I have gained a greater
understanding of what the objectives of
my speaker are and what I will do to with
it to achieve them.

8. Initial Specification
When considering that my audio product is Aesthetics/ materials:
being designed for KEF many factors must • Must be both organic and natural.
be taken into consideration to ensure that • The aesthetics must keep in with products currently
my product fits in with their brand. Suitable being produced by KEF.
aesthetics, pricing, target audience and • Top of the range materials should be used to show the
technology are key to making my products a quality of the product as well as improving its
suitable KEF audio product. functionality.
Function: Environment:
• The sound systems must be in keeping with the • The speaker will be designed for inside use.
quality of the products currently available from KEF • The speaker will be of sensible size so that it
and the product must have new technologies. does not look odd or take up too much space.
• The product must include innovative features and
technologies to improve on the functionality of the
product which in turn will help in making the
Cost:
product unique in a highly competitive market.
• The audio product I will create must fit in with
• The speakers will be powered using batteries for
the price range of current KEF product. Using
extra portability and will have iPod docking
state of the art technology and materials I hope
capabilities.
to create a product around the £100 mark for
• The speakers will be primarily used for music. Due
high quality at a reasonable price.
to this I will be using several speakers in my design
each of high quality to provide the best possible
sound quality for any genre of music.  From my initial specification I
have listed the things that I
Safety: would like to include within my
• Needs to be taken into consideration to ensure that design, this has helped me to
all electrical components are safe to the user and its
environment.
focus on the key aspects of my
design and on what I intend to
achieve.

9. Target Market
My target market will be influenced by KEF.
KEF speakers offer the highest quality of sound
there is. New technological advancements
made by KEF have allowed there product to far
exceed others. However to install these
technologies will come at a price. KEF’s target
audience is not age specific however there
product are high-end, expensive speakers. This
would deter a younger audience who would
typically have less money to spend, however
the quality of sound and advanced technology
draws in customers with more money who are
willing to pay for the best in innovative and
modern sound systems. My target market will
be people aged 20+ which I feel is the optimum
age group in which to attract people who can
afford to by a high quality speaker.
 Through analysing my target market
I have understood KEF’s target
market in greater detail which will
prove vital as I will be designing a
speaker for KEF which will have a
heavy influence on my design. I have
chosen to use the same target market
as KEF, the high end market.

10. LINKSFX
Logical:
Audio products can have various logical uses. The primary objective of a audio product is the sound it creates. These audio products can be
in the form of speakers, surround sound, TV speakers, amplifiers for musical instruments, iPod docks and much more.
Illogical:
The are many ways in which audio products can be used in illogical ways. One is that with flat faced speakers people use them to stand
things on which is an illogical use as it may effect sound quality and the speaker is not designed to hold the strain. Another illogical use is
when people have several audio appliances which provide the same function. People often sit and stand on instrumental amplifiers which
can damage the amp. The environment in which the audio product is put into is vital. Often people put there speakers on the ground which
is illogical as carpets take most of the sound and the sound is not directed at the hearer. Despite the primary function of a audio product
being for its sound, people often buy the product just based on its aesthetics. Wires are also illogical as they take up space, do not look
aesthetically pleasing and can be unsafe. Some people choose to have/ design very large speakers which may have good functionality
however the space they take up is unpractical.
Need:
The audio product must be able to produce sound. The audio product must also have a power source that is sustainable as well as being
safe to use in normal use.
Keep:
Energy supplied through mains electricity (wires). New technologies will be incorporated into my design as well as innovative, aesthetically
pleasing shapes. The speaker will be a suspended speaker. The speaker will incorporate several speakers.
Scrap: The standard cuboid shape of many audio products currently on sale. Visible cables will be covered to improve aesthetics and to
avoid a tripping hazard. Also I would like to use a greater variety of colour and scrap the standard dull colours used on many current
products.
From vs. Function:
I will try to keep my product as balanced as possible. A similar technique has been adopted by KEF as they have made their product both
functional and organic. I feel that both function and form are equally important when designing a product , especially for KEF who are
renowned for both aspects.
X-factor:
My audio product will be different from other audio products as it will use unusual shapes with unusual materials choices. The speaker will
include the latest in KEF technology which will make it a unique, interesting and investable product.

11. Primary and secondary
research plan
Questionnaire:
In this section I will create a questionnaire which will be put
out to 20 people involved with the audio product market. Cultural understanding:
Their thoughts about audio products will give me primary In this section I will look at a range of
information, of which will help me to make decisions on what different cultures and observe how the use
materials I should use, features I should include as well as and feel about audio products. This will help
the cost and Aesthetics of my design. I will show the results me to find out more about what people want
through charts and statistics making the information easy to in a speaker.
read and understand.
ACESSFM of secondary product Environmental snapshot:
I will take a photo of a speaker that is in use
Here I will evaluate some audio products that is currently in and discuss what things are found around it
the market. Using ACCESS FM I will be able to determine and how they relate to the product. I will
the things I would like to keep or scrap in my audio product. also observe to see how the product
It will also help me consider other things such as price, interacts with the environment it is put in.
safety and functionality.
Product interaction:
To find out how people interact with audio
products I will observe how people use
Customer Profiling/ Mood board: audio products whether they be a speaker,
docking station, TV or surround sound. I will
This section is aimed to help me understand my target
also illustrate past experiences I have had
market better to create a product that is most suited to them.
with audio products. This section will help
In this section I will gain information about audio products
me to create a product which is best suited
users. This information includes their age, interests, culture
to the customer using the speaker.
as well as everyday activities. I will represent this through
graphs and other media. I will also do a mood board
represented in a collage of images which will give me an Existing design analysis:
idea of what my audience needs from my audio product. In this section I will be looking at some
Customer profiling and the mood board will be critical to products currently on the market. I will pick 20 weeks
understanding my target market in greater detail and with designs which a relevant to my brief. This 3 weeks
this understanding my product is much more likely to be a secondary data will help me to determine the
success. current audio market and help me to make 5 weeks
my speaker unique with better features than 4 weeks
the speakers currently available in the
competitive audio market.
Disassembling of product : 11 weeks
In this section I will take apart an audio product to gain first
hand experience on how a speaker is put together. This will
help me when constructing the internal structure of my
speaker.

12. Mood Customer Profiling
Board
My product will be heavily influenced by the target audience I
am aiming at. Understanding my customer is vital, and will
help me make important decisions around issues such as
price, aesthetics, and function.
Customers interested in buying my product will be interested
in buying the highest quality speaker possible and will be
willing to spend a reasonable amount of money to get it. I will
be aiming my product at the high end market. I will use high
quality materials and new technologies to optimise
performance and give the customer a functional and
aesthetically pleasing speaker which represents them. My
speaker will be designed to fit into many different
environments which are suited to the customer.
From this mood board I can see that I want to have an organic
approach to my design. I want my speaker to be unique and
multifunctional like some of the speakers I have shown. In the
mood board I have also shown some pictures of things relating
to the design ideas I have which are related to my chosen
environment.

13. Questionnaire
What style of design do you look for in a speaker?
Modernistic, organic, natural or retro
Were are the majority of your audio products found?
Living room, bedroom, kitchen, Outside or other.
Is there anywhere were there is a lack of audio products?
How regularly do you use audio products?
Daily, weekly, monthly+
What features do you find useful on speakers? From the pie chart it is clear that the majority of
How could the functionality of current audio products be improved?
people have their audio products in either their living
room or bedroom. Taking this into consideration I will
How much would you be willing to spend on a speaker? design a speaker which will be designed for indoor
£0-10, £10-30, £30-80, £80+ use as the popularity of indoor audio products is
much higher than the 5% who liked them outdoors.
What do you most commonly look for in a speaker?
Aesthetics, Functionality, price or longevity
This chart shows that most people listen to audio products on a From the bar chart I can see that the majority of audio
daily basis, less for weekly and a even lower for monthly. My product purchasers fall into the £10-80 bracket. This
product will be designed to be used daily. To make this possible price range also fit into KEF’s current market and
I will make my product have longevity by using high quality therefore it will be suitable for my audio product to fit
materials and reliable electronics. into this range.

14. Questionnaire Sound Eggs
Aesthetics: The design Sound eggs are wireless
has been modified with multimedia speakers for the
colours and shapes to computer or any device
look them look like eggs. having the wireless interface.
They use organic shapes This design based on image
which look interesting of the tilting doll and simple
and simplistic. white eggs. The white case -
Function: The speakers a shell, orange speaker - an
operate wirelessly and egg yolk. Speakers have no
can turn on an axis to accurate support, however in
allow easy their bottom part installed
manoeuvrability of cargo which constantly holds
direction. them in the vertical or
Size: The speakers are inclined position. The
of medium size making unusual sound effect may be
From the pie chart it is clear that the most popular style of them easy to fit into created, if you twist them
speaker is organic at 40%. KEF have begun to look at organic many different about the axis as whipping
design to make there products unique. Their new flagship hi-fi environments. top
speaker ‘Muon’ has an organic approach to its design which  From existing design analysis I have gained
makes it look interesting and innovative. In my design I hope to more knowledge on the products currently on
use an organic approach in twined with some natural features market. I have seen what aspects make them
which I feel will work well together. unique which will help me in the design stage
to create a product which is innovative and
 Through my questionnaire I have gathered some
interesting.
information which has widened my understanding
‘Simple and sleek in their design, a favourite for the concept of
of my customers. I have learnt that the majority of external speakers no son “Sound Egg Speaker” envisioned by the
people use their audio products on a daily basis, Russian designer Ilshat Garipov’
that the majority of people prefer organic design
and that the ideal price range is between £10-80.
This feedback will allow me to create a product
which ideal for my customer.

15. Existing design analysis
iBamboo The Natural Speaker
The iBamboo Speaker, made from a single piece of bamboo,
amplifies the iPhone's sound completely naturally, without the
need for electricity. making the product both functional and
environmentally friendly as it uses no electricity. ‘The idea for the ‘the natural speaker’ derived from the desire to create
an absolutely unique, handcrafted speaker for the interior space.
Designed by Anatoliy Omelchenko of Triangle Tree, the speaker Whereas a lot of speakers are constructed to produce a rather fat bass
is made of a 12 inch long tube of bamboo, one of the fastest and sharp high tones, we felt the sound was kind of stuck inside the
growing plants on earth. It is both durable and lightweight, and the speakers, missing a natural vibe and ambiance. During the development
natural wood adds a warm tone to music. of the ‘the natural speaker’ we discovered the great properties of
porcelain as a speaker casing, providing a clear resonance and mellow
sound.
Amplified inside the ceramic and wood transmission construction, the
sound gains a slight echo, creating a natural feeling of resonance,
Omelchenko is currently resembling the distinct flair of an acoustic instrument right in front of you.
developing a prototype for a Each set of pieces is individually crafted by hand and each porcelain
version made of recycled casing checked for best amplifying performance.
plastic, called the iBamboo If you value a balanced mid-tone sound and a speaker with a ‘feeling’ for
Urban. your music, you will surely enjoy the ‘the natural speaker’.’

16. Access FM of Secondary Product
Aesthetics:
The speaker has an organic design. It uses unusual shapes to make it look
both unusual but natural. The design is meant to illustrate a tree with each
speaker being a birds nest. The simplistic colours look modernistic and help to
allow the design to blend into many different environments.
Cost:
The speakers can be bought individually or as a set depending on the needs of
the user. The speakers are aimed at the higher end of the market due to their
style, functionality and high quality finish.
Customer:
Due to their high price only people interested in buying a very high quality
speaker would be interested in purchasing the speaker.
Environment:
Function: The speaker can be put into several different environments as I have already
These speakers are highly functional due to their high said due to its very adaptable colour scheme. As well as this the speakers can
portability. Each speaker ‘pod’ can be turned to any be detached from the main body of the speaker and can be hung anywhere
direction and can be detached from the main body of the around the house making the speaker both portable and innovative. The
speaker and placed wherever needed due to the ‘claw’. speaker would blend into any room in the house.
This opens up the possibility of surround sound
capabilities. The sound quality is also very good as the Size:
speakers sync wirelessly to be in phase with one another. The speaker as a set takes up only a small amount of space as the speakers
The speakers can be used for several different purposes are hung as well as being very small. Each individual speaker is small enough
such as listening to music or watching films. The LED on to fit into any living space without causing obstruction.
each individual speaker also helps to make the speakers
more visible which is especially useful in dark conditions Safety:
(at party's and when watching films). The speaker is made of a shatterproof which prevent shattering when dropped.
The speaker has smooth edges and has no small loose components which
Materials: could be hazardous to children. Also as the speakers are wireless there is no
The speakers are made from plastic which has several risk of tripping over wires. An LED is also on the speakers so that they are more
benefits. These are that it is both strong and lightweight, visible in the dark.
is an electrical insulator, can be easily manufactured
through injection moulding and is relatively cheap.

17. Cultural Research
Urban Areas- London Rural Areas- Cornwall
People Generally in major cities such as London use Less people in rural areas tend to listen to music on a regular
headphones. They are very portable which is useful basis therefore the demand for on the move headphones is
as people often use their audio product on the move, lesser than in urban areas. Due to an ageing population in
have good sound quality and do not produce too Cornwall less people are inclined to purchase high end speakers
much sound which could cause annoyance to others however more people enjoy listening to the radio in which genres
especially on public transport. Also theft is high in of music can be found which suit their personal tastes.
the London and many other inner city areas so an
expensive audio product would be less illogical. Also
due to the amount of infrastructure in cities such as
London pubs, clubs and concerts are becoming ever
more dependant on audio product for entertainment
and music culture is booming.
This page has helped me
to gain a greater
understanding of the
culture of the people
using my speaker. This
will help me in terms of
the function and usability
of my product.

18. Product Interaction
The buttons are LED backlit which The amplifiers dials are very easy to control the more
The amplifier includes 4 ports. One input for of the effect you want the further you turn them
proves very useful in dark condition. instruments, an mp3 port for mp3 players and iPods,
The LED on the tempo control flashes clockwise. The dials turn very smoothly with some
a headphone jack socket and a foot controller port for force required which is good as you wouldn’t want
with the beat which gives a both effects pedals. Due to the mp3 socket the amplifier
functional and aesthetical element to them to move freely. The dials are also ridges which
can also be used to player music or play backing allows the user to grip them easier for more control.
the amplifier. Also the LED’s go from tracks to play music over. When using the speaker for
‘green’ which gives a clean tone to The corners or the amplifier have rubber caps to
music however the volume dial is very sensitive to reduce impacts from collisions which is good for the
‘red’ which goes to overdrive mode slight movements and can start out exceedingly loud
which is a very user friendly feature. longevity of the amplifier. The speaker is sturdily held
which could be damaging to the ears. together by bolts and screws.
The amplifier is primarily for musical instruments and
includes several features and dials which are equip for this.
The dials control gain, bass, middle, treble, reverb volume,
FX and master volume. As well as this the amplifier included
tap tempo for echo effects on instruments. The buttons on
the left control the tone of noise that the amplifier creates.
There is a handle incorporated into the amplifier to
allow it to be more poratble. This is very useful as the
amplifier is heavy and if dropped could suffer serious
damage.

19. Product disassembly
This is the Ted Baker speaker I dissembled for my product disassembly. As you can see from the 2 images above the speakers
fold outwards into two halves each with a speaker compartment. They are allowed to do so by the hinge shows in the right most
photo. The sound is able to spread out by this method and the noise can be changed depending on how far open the speaker is.
The speaker can rest open due to the flat edge of the base of the speaker shown in the middle right photo. An inlay has been
made to host the cable which connects to an mp3 player or iPod. On the frontal face small holes (probably laser cut) have been
cut to allow the sound to pass through.
Here you can see the first stage of the disassembly. The backs of the speaker were held on to the front plates by 3 screws. After
unscrewing these the back plates came off leaving the magnet, the diaphragm and the copper wiring on show. This is shown in the
central photo. These components were hold on to the frontal face by screws and a resin which was very strong. After removing the
screws and resin I was able to look at the front of the speaker shown in the far right photo.

20. This is the inside of the frontal Here is a picture of the
This the speaker after both sides
face with holes drilled to allow frontal faces of both of
have been disassembled with the
the sound to pass through. the speakers.
back plates and screws to the
sides.
Here you can see the
wiring connecting the
two speakers together
through the hinge as
well as the wires
connecting to the
magnets on each
speaker. You can also
see the lead of the
mp3 jack.

21. Environmental snapshot This is a photo taken of an amp
found in my bedroom. As you can
see from the photo there are several
ways in which the speaker has
effected the layout of its
surroundings.
Items being left on top of Placing the amplifier next to the
the amplifier is an radiator is also not ideal as it could
illogical use. The slowly cause damage to the amplifier
speaker may not be or cause it to overheat.
designed to carry weight
and therefore placing
items onto the amplifier
may damage it as well
as the risk of spilling
drinks over the
electronics.
Excessive wires are found on
floor when the amp is not in use
Next to the amplifier you can clearly see and often become tangled when
The amplifier is placed on the ground left for long periods of time. They
that the mains supply is being used
which is not ideal as the carpet absorbs also take up a lot of space and
overused with too many different
a lot of the sound, plus the sound is not can get tangled with other cables.
appliances which is a safety hazard
travelling straight at you which
especially when drinks are nearby.
minimalizes the sound quality.

22. Further specification
Function:
• The sound systems must be in keeping with the quality of the products currently available from KEF and the product
must have new technologies.
• The product must include innovative features and technologies to improve on the functionality of the product which in
turn will help in making the product unique in a highly competitive market.
• The speakers must be powered using batteries for extra portability and will have iPod docking capabilities.
• The speakers will be primarily used for music. Due to this I will be using several speakers in my design each of high
quality to provide the best possible sound quality for any genre of music.
• The speaker will incorporate acoustical technologies to enhance sound quality.
• The speaker must be either wall mounted or hung to reduce space occupancy similar to the secondary product I evaluated.
Aesthetics/ materials:
• Must be both organic in shape using natural colours
• The aesthetics must keep in with products currently being produced by KEF.
• Top of the range materials should be used to show the quality of the product as well as improving its functionality.
• I will use a minimalistic colour scheme using bright colours to make my product different but still in keeping with current
KEF products.
Environment:
• The speaker will be designed for inside use.
• The speaker will be of sensible size so that it does not look odd or take up too much space.
• My design will be diverse and will fit into any inside environment especially bedrooms and living rooms without looking
out of place.
Cost:
• The audio product I will create must fit in with the price range of current KEF product. Using state of the art technology and
materials I hope to create a product around the £100 mark for high quality at a reasonable price.
• I will price my speaker at a lower price due to my questionnaire result and it will now cost between £20-80.
Safety:
• Needs to be taken into consideration to ensure that all electrical components are safe to the user and its environment.
• I will try to keep small components to a minimum to reduce the chances of chocking hazards with young children.
• The materials I will use will not be shatterproof and will be easily machined to remove sharp edges.

23. Research Report
In my research I have done a several pieces of primary and secondary research. The primary research which I have carried out has
been a questionnaire, a product disassemble, an existing design analysis, Product interaction and an environmental snapshot. Each
has provided me with key finding that will help me in the design of my speaker. My secondary research has also helped me greatly.
The secondary research I have carried out is a mood board, customer profiling, ACESS FM of secondary product and cultural
research.
What I found out and am carrying forward
Questionnaire:
The questionnaire has helped me to gage a suitable price range between £10-80 for my product as well as a suitable environment to put the
speaker in and the best style to go for which from my result is organic.
Product disassembly:
This has helped me to find out exactly what procedures have been put in place to make sure the speaker is secure and safe for use and has
taught me how a speaker is held together.
Product interaction:
Through looking at a product first hand and witnessing its features and how it feels I now know what makes a audio product user friendly
which will help me to incorporate similar features into my design.
Existing design analysis:
This section has helped me to decide what features I should include within my design and how they will effect the speakers usability. I have
decided to incorporate a form of acoustical amplifier within my design to enhance sound quality.
Environmental snapshot:
Through looking at the environment around the speaker it has helped me to see what logical and illogical uses I use my speaker for. With this
in mind I will design a speaker which enhances the logical features and tries to deter those illogical uses which may damage the speaker.
Mood board , Customer profiling and cultural research:
These secondary research techniques have helped me create an image of the audience I am aiming my product at which will help me
dramatically when designing my speaker. I now know that my target market is higher class people who use their products on a regular basis
who live in urban areas and are willing to pay a decant amount of money for a high quality, durable speaker.
ACESS FM of secondary product:
Looking at another product across the ACESS FM range has helped me to understand why a speaker is designed I the way it is to meet the
needs of all of the aspects. I now have a greater understand of what makes a good speaker and have decided to incorporate the hanging
speaker idea into my design.

33. Development
The design that I have chosen to use for my audio product is shown
above. The design incorporates a range of materials, shapes and
aesthetics which epitomizes an organic, natural design. The design
is wall mountable and has been influenced by the shape of a firefly
which fits my brief of creating a nature based design.
The back of my design, that will be attached to the wall, will be made of a green
transparent plastic. I will use techsoft 2D design to create a template which will be sent
to a laser cutter to be cut out. The template will be etched to form the leaf like structure
which is intended to add to the organic nature of my design. The back face will have
Magnets incorporated, held in place by resin so that the speaker can be mounted onto
any wall that has a magnetic dock.
The housing of the speaker will be located at the base of
the design. The base will be made of oak and will
incorporate all of the controls including the volume and
power switch. I will create the oak base using multiple
layers of oak sheet held together using PVA glue. Using a
milling machine, the base will be hollowed for the speaker
housing.

34. Aluminium Aluminium is a silvery white metal made of bauxite. When mixed with
other elements aluminium alloys can be created with several good
properties:
It doesn’t corrode- due to passivation(aluminium oxide layer)
Useful for if the speaker is in damp conditions (Bathroom/ kitchen)
Has a low density making it lightweight.
Good for the speakers portability as well as reducing the force put onto the
magnets holding the speaker to the wall and to the pop rivets holding the wings
in place.
It is soft, ductile and malleable
Meaning that the wings can be easily cold forged into shape around an MDF
mould.
It is durable
Meaning the speaker will have longevity and the constant pivot of the wings
will not damage the wings.
Easily joined
Aluminium can be joined using all the normal methods available such as
welding, soldering, adhesive bonding and riveting.
Non-toxic
Aluminium is not poisonous and is therefore highly suitable for the preparation
and storage of food.

35. Here is an illustration of how the base of my design will be
made up of several layers of MDF stuck together using
PVA. I will then clamp the template into position while it
dries. I will use sandpaper to smooth and round the edges
once the glue has set. Then using an electric drill I will cut
out the grooves in which the metal threads for the wings
can be put into.
An illustration of how the wing template will
be made is shown to the left. I will sand the
shape down until smooth to create an
organic/ ergonomic shape then cold forge
the aluminium around it.

36. LED’s
The base of my design will incorporate
LED’s. These will help with both the
aesthetics and usability of my design.
Aesthetically it will help to make the
design more similar to a fire fly as well
as this the light will make the speaker
much more usable in low light
conditions.
To make my speaker capable to play music I have
decided to include a docking station in my design. You
can connect any device that has a 3.5mm audio jack to
The Dock the speaker. This includes the Apple iPhone / iPad /
iPod, any other MP3 Player.
The speaker I will be using
in my design is a 4”
shielded bass/mid woofers
which will provide me with
a very good sound quality,
without taking up too much
space, looking out of place
or using up too much
energy.

37. The front control panel on Here I have redeveloped the
the base will be made of aesthetics of my design to
plastic It will be moulded improve on both its functionality
around the oak base to and usability. The design now
insure a it fits together looks more organic and really
well. The plastic panel will focuses on the bug shape
be held on by self tapping shown on the previous page.
screws ensuring a strong The design will now incorporate
hold. This will ensure that adjustable aluminium wings.
the components are both The speaker will be
accessible and hidden. incorporated into the wooden
base of the design facing
upwards. The curvature of the
back and wings will help to
funnel the sound up. Adjusting
the wings will change the
sounds tone and direction.
The back of the design
will be made in a similar
way to the wings but will
have a flat centre
segment which will curve
round at the edges. This
will allow the speaker to
be easily mounted onto a
wall. The back will be
made of a transparent The volume buttons will be
acrylic. The shape will be made of a transparent plastic
created using a vacuum and will be cut out using a laser
former and a MDF mould. cutter. The buttons will have a
The leaf inlays will be cut 2cm diameter to give
using a techsoft 2d ergonomics to the button and
design template which will have etched positive and
will be sent to a laser negative signs to enhance
cutter. usability.

38. Specification checkpoint
The design I have created is highly functional. So far in my development I have shown how LEDs
could be incorporated into my design for use in the dark which also improves on the aesthetics and
the idea of a firefly. I have also shown were the dock of my speaker will be situated. The speaker is
also portable and can be mounted anywhere in the house using a set of magnets which is what I
said it needed from my initial specification. The wings also help to add to the acoustics of my
design as they are adjustable to allow different measures of sound to escape.
The materials I will be using in my design include aluminium for the wings, transparent
acrylic for the back and an oak base to house the speakers. These materials replicate
the high quality that KEF uses in its products. I have also altered the aesthesis of the
design to make it look more organic and bug like. The design uses simple organic
colours such as green as well as natural materials such as oak.
The speaker is designed for inside use and can be placed around the
house using magnets. The speaker is wall mounted and takes up
little living space which is the main motivation in it being wall
mounted. The speaker will not look out of place due to its natural,
subtle, transparent colours which will help to incorporate the speaker
into its surroundings.
The safety of my design has been
considered throughout my development
and there are now no safety issues. There
are no small components which can be
swallowed nor any sharp edges which
could be hazardous to the user especially
at head height.

39. The wings will be made from aluminium. To create them I The back of the design will be made in a similar way to the
will make an MDF mould. I will do this using several layers wings but will have a flat centre segment which will curve
of MDF sheet, cut them to size using a hegner saw and round at the edges. This will allow the speaker to be easily
then glue them together using PVA. I will form the mounted onto a wall. The back will be made of a
aluminium sheet, which will be cut to size using a guillotine, transparent acrylic. The shape will be created using a
over the mould by cold forging. I will then repeat the vacuum former and a MDF mould. The leaf inlays will be cut
process to make a secondary identical wing. The wings are using a techsoft 2d design template which will be sent to a
bolted into place and are adjusted by loosening. laser cutter.
Originally the wings of my design were made to rotate
outwards. They will now be opened through the use of pop
rivets. Which will be attached to both the back plate and the
wing of my design to allow it to pivot. The brackets will be
made of aluminium and will be cut to size using a coping
saw.

40. The Speaker H ousing Oak
Attractive aesthetics:
The organic nature of this material
helps to further amerce my design into
a naturalistic approach. The grain of
the design is subtle and could fit into
any household environment
Finishes well:
Allowing it to be
easily sanded to give
the base an
ergonomic shape
also varnish can be
Good hardness and
applied to protect the
resilience:
oak from warping
This will ensure that the
due to moisture as it
electronics of the speaker
is porous.
are well guarded as well
as giving structure to the
design.

41. Anthropometrics and Ergonomics
On this page I will consider how my design
could be developed to be more ergonomic and
anthropometric.
The volume buttons of my design will have a
2cm diameter. I have chosen to develop this to
give make the buttons more user friendly
through the use of anthropometrics.
I have also made adjustments to the width of
the speaker making it proportional to hand, so
that it can be easily picked up and placed
around the house. The base will be curved and
will have a plastic panel on the front making it
more portable and easier to grip.
The speaker will be mounted two meters
above floor level to ensure maximum comfort
and ease of use when altering controls such as
volume.

42. Measurements
10cm
28cm
20cm
20cm

43. Front Plate
The front plate and rim of my design will be made out of mirrored
plastic. Both will be cut on a laser cutter and will be held on by self
tapping screws. An indent will be made in the oak and then the screws
will be ‘threaded’ into the wood using a Philips screwdriver.
The speaker will fit into the
oak housing and will be held
in place by the plastic rim.
Anthropometrics and Ergonomics
On this page I will consider how my design could be developed to be more ergonomic
and anthropometric.
The volume buttons of my design will have a 2cm diameter. I have chosen to develop
this to give make the buttons more user friendly through the use of anthropometrics.
I have also made adjustments to the width of the speaker making it proportional to
hand, so that it can be easily picked up and placed around the house. The base will
be curved and will have a plastic panel on the front making it more portable and easier
to grip.
The speaker will be mounted two meters above floor level to ensure maximum comfort
and ease of use when altering controls such as volume.

44. Power source
VS
• Batteries make the speaker more portable which is
ideal for my design as its environment will change. • A more powerful, consistent energy source can
• They can be charged if using rechargeable batteries. be provided to the speaker for improved
Therefore making them more eco friendly than performance allowing the speaker to reach higher
standard batteries. volumes than batteries can.
• They are very easy to replace • Power source doesn’t need to be replaced unlike
• Very safe around younger children as electric wires batteries.
and plug sockets are not needed.
• Limited portability. Power source would need to be
• Doesn’t provide as much power as mains does changed when moving the speaker around the
making the speaker incapable of producing house.
constant/ high quality sound at high volume levels. • Wires can be a tripping hazard and may not be
• Have to be replaced regularly if speaker is used long enough to reach the wall mounted speaker.
regularly. Even rechargeable batteries deteriorate • Wires look unattractive and do not fit into an
after being recharged for a certain number of times. organic aesthetic.
• Batteries bring added weight to the speaker making • Plug sockets can be dangerous around children.
it less ergonomic when moving it. Also the magnets
have more weight on them.
• Some batteries can be dangerous and lead to fire,
explosion and chemical pollution.

45. Specification checkpoint
‘The speakers must be powered using batteries ‘The speaker will be of sensible size so that it does
for extra portability and will have iPod not look odd or take up too much space.’
docking capabilities.’ The sizes I have chosen for my design follow this
My design will be run of batteries instead of criteria. They are adequate to make my design both
mains power making it very portable which is ergonomic and space occupant. The shapes and
ideal for moving the speaker from room to materials I have chosen help to make the speaker
room. My design also incorporates an iPod blend into most environments.
dock making it much more functional and
compatible with various devices..
‘The speaker will incorporate acoustical
technologies to enhance sound quality.’
‘The speakers will be primarily used for music. I have addressed this by redeveloping the
Due to this I will be using several speakers in aluminium wings on my design. The wings will
my design each of high quality to provide the now open outwards using pop rivets. The wings
best possible sound quality for any genre of will now direct the sound both upwards and
‘
music.’ forwards for better sound direction to make the
The 4” shielded bass/mid woofer speaker I will sound more direct therefore improving the
be using in my design satisfies this. It can acoustics of my design. It is also a stronger joint
produce very high quality sound making it and will be less likely to be damaged
ideal for music.

46. Pro desktop components
The buttons and front panel will both
be cut and etched on a laser cutter.
The Red stands for a clean cut and
the Blue lines cause etches on the
surface of the plastic.
Here is a 2D template of the front
panel of my design. I have also
included the button templates which
will be made of several layers of
plastic with one etched circle on top.

47. Magnets
The plastic back plate of my speaker will
incorporate 3 magnets which will allow my
speaker to be mounted to a wall. Inserts for
the magnets will be drilled 0.5cm and the
magnets will be glued in place with araldite.
The plastic back plate will be held on by 10
self tapping screws. The holes will be cut by
a laser cutter and indents will be will be
drilled into the wooden base so that it will be
easier to thread the crews in. The reason for
using self tapping screws is that they
provided a very strong grip due to the thread
they create which is essential as the speaker
needs to be strong at this point to hold the
speaker firmly onto the wall.

48. The Acrylic back plate will be attached to
the oak base using an adhesive. I will
have a strip of acrylic and will cover one
side In adhesive. I will then place this
along the joint line to hold the two
materials together.
Digital clock
Another feature that I could Include Is a digital clock
which would make my product multifunctional.
Although it is a nice feature It is not in my design
specification and is therefore not too important. To
add to this the MP3, iPod, IPhone etc. All have time
displays on them anyway making the use of a digital
clock pointless.

49. Polypropylene Acrylic
• Reasonably cheap easy to shape (vacuum forming and line • Easily moulded- good for forming the front
bending). panel.
• Can be made transparent. • Comes in various different colours
• Has a good resistance to fatigue therefore making it a good including transparent.
material to use around hinges. • It is non toxic- making it safe around
• Polypropylene is liable to chain degradation from exposure to children.
heat and UV radiation such as that present in sunlight. • Acrylic is an Electrical insulator and can be
• Good heat resistance. used for the front panel which is in contact
• Waterproof- preventing the electronics getting damaged by with the electronics of the speaker.
condensation.

50. Specification checkpoint
Aesthetics Function Environment Cost Safety
‘The aesthetics must keep in with ‘The speaker will incorporate acoustical ‘My design will be ‘The audio product I will ‘Needs to be taken
products currently being produced technologies to enhance sound quality.’ diverse and will fit into create must fit in with into consideration to
by KEF.’ any inside environment the price range of ensure that all
‘The product must include innovative especially bedrooms and current KEF product. electrical
‘The speaker must be either wall features and technologies to improve on living rooms without Using state of the art components are safe
mounted or hung to reduce space the functionality of the product which in looking out of place.’ technology and to the user and its
occupancy’ turn will help in making the product materials I hope to environment.’
unique in a highly competitive market.’ ‘The speaker will be of create a product around ‘I will try to keep
‘Must be both organic in shape sensible size so that it small components to
the £100 mark for high
using natural colours’ ‘The sound systems must be in keeping does not look odd or a minimum to
quality at a reasonable
with the quality of the products take up too much reduce the chances
‘I will use a minimalistic colour price.’
currently available from KEF and the space.’ of chocking hazards
scheme using bright colours to product must have new technologies.’ with young
‘I will price my speaker
make my product different but still ‘The speaker will be children.’
at a lower price due to
in keeping with current KEF designed for inside use.’ ‘The materials I will
my questionnaire
products.’ use will not be
result and it will now
My design uses shatterproof and will
cost between £20-80.’
The product I have created very natural colours be easily machined
The wings in my design have
which help to blend When taking into to remove sharp
justifies all of these been put there to enhance sound edges.’
specifications. My design uses it into any indoor consideration the price
dynamics. The speaker uses this
environment. The of the materials I have
a range of high quality unique feature to make itself
speaker is the chosen and the The speaker’s
materials including oak and unique and therefore making it manufacturing process
aluminium. It uses organic correct size so that edges will be
sell. The speakers used within which will be involved in
shapes and minimalistic it is smoothed,
my design will be of a very high making my design, I feel
colours while still maintaining anthropometrical there are no
quality. The materials and that this price bracket
the KEF style. The speaker is while being of a loose
manufacturing methods will also would suit my design.
wall mounted by magnets reasonable size. The use of oak and components
ensure that the speaker is of a
taking up much less living The magnets I have aluminium may be and there are
high quality. I decided against
space. incorporated now expensive but I feel it no materials
including a digital clock as I felt it
allow the speaker to will be justified in its that could
was unnecessary to have with a
be wall mounted aesthetics and keep shatter.
docking station as well.
making it take up KEF’s reputation of
much less space. producing high quality
products

51. Final Design
It has adjustable aluminium
wings using pop rivets to High quality materials
enhance functionality including aluminium
and style. and oak.
The design has a laser
Docking capabilities
allowing input from devices cut and engraved
such as ipods, iphones back plate to improve
and mp3’s. aesthetics.

52. The magnets will be
incorporated into the
oak base of my design.
They will be held on
using an adhesive
(araldite).
The acrylic backing of
Pop rivets will be my design will be held in
used to attach the place onto the base by
aluminium wing a strip of plastic.
plates to the acrylic
backing. This will
allow the wings to
pivot and open
outwards.
The design will
have one 60w 4”
speaker
incorporated into
the base facing The oak base of my design will be
upward with the made out of multiple layers of Oak
wings sheet glued together with adhesive.
channelling the The shape will be sanded using a belt
sound sander and will then be milled using a
milling machine to hollow out the base
to house the electronic components of
the speaker.
The front panel and buttons will
be made out of Polypropylene
The back plate of my design will be and will be cut using a laser
made of transparent acrylic and will be cutter. The front panel will be
cut and etched on a laser cutter. held in place by 4 self tapping
screws.

53. Environmental
snapshot

54. Cutting List
Part No. Description Materials Length(cm) Width (cm) Quantity Thickness (mm) Price
1 Housing Oak 20 20 6 19mm £13.14
2 Front plate HIPS 17 18 1 3mm £2.20
3 Wings Aluminium 50 25 1 0.7mm £2.72
4 Back plate Transparent 28 20 1 5mm £7.73
acrylic
5 Buttons Transparent 2 2 8 5mm
acrylic
Total: £25.79
5 2
http://www.maplin.
co.uk/51-4-60w-
1
shielded-bass-
4 mid-woofer-44698
3

55. Orthographic
58cm
18cm 11.4 cm
17 cm 20cm
20cm 28cm
11cm