1.Speaker ProjectBy Michael Luttners Tickner

2. Context and Objectives KEF Brand Decoding Design Situation and Brief Task Analysis Initial Specification Audio Product Decoding Define Target Market LINKS FX 3. KEF Brand Decoding The KEF logo is simplistic with a shiny and bevelled effect. The slightly bevelled effect represents KEF speakers in their organic designs. The slogan Innovators in Sound describes KEFs designing and technologies, all of KEFs speakers are very unique in design and also from a technological point of view. The slogan shows the company direction and their ethic. However the logo is more square than all of its products, showing they are fitting both sides of designing.KEFs organic design leads tospeakers that are curved and seemto flow naturally, almost likesomething we would expect to seeout in nature.The organic design does notstop at the flowing designs,some of the materials thatthey use are also organicgiving a natural effect.Mahogany is used as ahousing for many of itsspeakers and this sayssomething about KEF, notonly are they Innovatorsbut they also use high qualityexpensive materials in their Materials such as Mahogany, Steel and Plastic are used in theproducts.housings for KEF speakers. The use of the materials can give a certain effect or change a customers view on the product. Mahogany is used to give a natural effect where possibly the design of the speaker does not flow naturally as much as others. Steel and Plastic are used to give a high gloss effect and compliment an already organic and naturally flowing design. 4. KEF Brand DecodingThe function of KEF speakers isto provide high quality music.KEF is a top of the range musiccompany that is innovative indesign and in new technologiesKEF speakers have very highto allow them to meet the prices but also provide very highneeds of all consumers. quality. The high price means thatKEF speakers will not be availableto every target market. The targetmarket for KEF products is upperclass people between 25 and 50. 14,000 150 90,000KEF has a vast selection of products ranging from floor standingspeakers to motorised ceiling speakers. The large selection ofproducts, series and designs allows KEF products to fit in with anyenvironment. 5. The reference series is world famous and has set the bench mark for high end audioloudspeakers and is legendary for its clarity and precision.Crossover optimises driverKEFs cabinets are precisionintegration and responseengineered and are a work ofaccuracy. This ensures aart themselves, the volume ofnaturalness in the musiceach unit meets the exactwithout any electromagneticparameters of its drive unitsinterference from circuitso that they get rid of anyboards because the boardsunwanted vibrationsare separate. KEF has a world renowned reputation for producing high end speakers with excellent precision and clarity. KEFs innovative design have allowed it to lead the market with its organic designs and new technologies that allow it to stand out from the rest. 6. KEF were the first company to use computers in loudspeaker testing and design which lead to them producing the best quality sound sooner than everyone else. This gave them technological supremacy. KEF were able to match pairs of speakers to within half a decibel for near perfect stereo reproduction. KEF were the first to develop acoustic compliance enhancement technology and are also able to produce speakers less than an inch and a half thick.KEF was also the first to release a motorised ceilingKEFs signature technology, thespeaker and acoustic compliance enhancementUni-Q point source driver arraytechnology. KEFs motorised ceiling speaker is uses NASA developed magnetscontrolled via a infra red remote control so thatwhich are ten times morethe speaker can be at the optimum angle, anpowerful than conventionalalternative is to have the speaker flush against the materials. This allowed KEF toceiling like a traditional ceiling speaker.engineer a tweeter small enough to mount at the acoustic centre of the bass unit voice coil so they could act as one. KEFs wireless sound systems constantly adjust their frequency to make sure that there is no interference with the quality of the wireless sound and signal.KEFs low profile driver was Other wireless sound systems havedeveloped to meet the needs interference from other typicalof LED and OLED displays, household appliances such as wirelessreducing the depth from routers, mobile phones and 70mm to smaller than 30mm. microwaves. This is why KEFs wireless KEF has developed these ultra system is innovative.thin drivers withoutcompromising on soundquality and performance. 7. BRIEFAND SITUATIONDesign BriefMy design brief is to design and build a speaker for KEF. The speaker will need to fit with the aesthetics and functions of other KEF products and have to fit with their designs.KEF is an award winning company that builds high end speakers with all the best materials and components so in my design and build I will have to keep this in mind. Thedesigning process of my speaker will involve doing lots of research into KEF and analysing all possible aspects of their speakers. The research that I conduct will go muchdeeper than what is just on the KEF website because I will need to understand exactly how a speaker works and why certain parts of construction require so much attentionto detail. I will looking into specific materials that are used in speakers and analyse which ones are best and why. Aesthetics are always important in designing but they areparticularly important when designing for KEF because they follow a unique organic design path and I will need to make my speaker fit perfectly with this. Therefore thisproject requires top quality designing and construction. KEFs slogan is Innovators in sound which is key in understand how KEF designs their speakers, they do not followother trends or styles they are unique and their speakers stand out from the rest.Design SituationThere are some issues that I will tackle in my design and try to improve on these aspects above what KEF have already done. KEF speakers are not very versatile and are verylarge, I want to make a speaker that can be moved fairly easily but I dont want to move away from KEFs high end speaker designs of being large. KEF speakers also onlyreally have one function which is to play music, KEF focuses more on producing the best quality sound above providing extra functions for the user. I want to try and get highquality sound as well as providing an extra function for the user such as an iPod dock. 8. Task AnalysisAesthetics Number of Speakers SafetyShapes 1MaterialsColours2WiringMaterials3ShapesSize 4+ EdgesOrganicGeometricTypes of Speaker EnvironmentModern Hi-fi Speakers Home Doing the Task Analysis has made me think aboutTraditionalHome Theatre SpeakersWork Place all the possible aspects that could be used in a Outdoor Speakers Shopsspeaker design. It has provided me with the baseFunction Wall Mounted SpeakersOutdoors of what I will need to start planning my designPlay Music Ceiling Speakers Music Concerts and manufacture.CompatibilityHeadphones Cars Comparing it to the KEF Brand Decoding, I amDocking StationFloor Standingable to see and recognise which aspects areRadioBookshelfPricingcommonly used in high end speakers andHeadphone SocketsSatellite0 - 1,000therefore work well.Remote ControlledCentre Channel 1,001 - 10,000 I will also be able to compare it to my Audio Surround/Dipole10,001 +Product Decoding to see what other companiesManufactureSubwoofer use in their speakers and the variations of theseMass ProductionSound BarPower Sourcesaspects in relation to price and reputation.Batch Production MotorisedMainsOne off Production Commercial BatteryHand Built Wireless SolarMachine BuiltJoiningTechnologies Future Trends Uni-QStylesMaterial Low Profile Driver New technologiesWood ACEMetalWireless SizePlasticSSTSmall Selecta-MountMediumLife SpanBass ExtenderLarge0 10 years Single Apparent Source10 years + User Interactions 9. Initial SpecificationsHere I am going to be analysing KEF and considering things that they commonly use and things thatare key to designing for KEF. This is going to allow me to see what I need to do in my designing andthings that are key such as materials, functions and aesthetics. I will be using ACCESS FM to breakdown key aspects of design and construction. CustomerAestheticsFollowing KEFs previous designs which all follow an organic design path withKEFs main customers and upper class individuals and business in the musicflowing shapes and natural looking materials, I will design a speaker that fits with industry looking for a quality speaker. Speakers are designed to meet specificthis. The speaker will be large with no sharp edges or points and feature curves needs for certain purposes so their truly is a KEF speaker for everyone. I am goingthroughout its design. to design and build a speaker that could be used for an individual instead of a larger market of business in the music industry.CostThe cost of the product depends on the range that the speaker is entered into andEnvironmentthe materials and technology used in it. KEFs high quality innovations andtechnologies increase price rapidly along with their high quality and expensive KEF speakers are commonly in household, business or studio environments.materials. However KEFs smaller Bookshelf speakers and the smaller speakers in Because KEF builds speakers to suit all of these environments there is a lot oftheir expensive ranges are lower priced to meet needs and suit an entire market. I room to change and tweak designs and still fit in with KEF although I am designingwill try and follow them in using high quality materials and components to ensure a speaker mainly for use in a home environment.my speaker truly fits with KEF. 10. Initial Specifications Here I am going to be analysing KEF and considering things that they commonly use and things that are key to designing for KEF. This is going to allow me to see what I need to do in my designing and things that are key such as materials, functions and aesthetics. I will be using ACCESS FM to break down key aspects of design and construction.Safety FunctionSafety will play a part in design but shouldnt be a major issue because using the KEF speakers previously have not served any other functions than to play music.organic designs their will be no sharp edges or corners. The product will be usedWith the expanding market of speakers featuring iPod and iPhone docks I amin a home environment where there may be children so it must be stable and going to incorporate this into my design to bring KEF into the market so that theywiring should not come lose. All of the components should also be securely joinedcan get a larger customer base.together so that they do not come lose over time.Size MaterialsHigh end KEF speakers are very large and this allows then to create better sound All of the speakers produced by KEF feature the highest quality materials. KEFquality and also stand out in their environment. Commonly their speakers get does not have a large range of different materials used to construct its speakers,smaller depending on series, application and lower price ranges. I am going to be the main materials used are stainless steel, plastic and wood. The cabinet insidedesigning a floor standing or bookshelf speaker that should fit into the middle KEF speakers is plastic, this allows easy construction and tight fits so there will beprice range of KEF speakers, this means that the speaker will need to be fairly no vibration. I am going to focus on using these materials and use plastic as thelarge but not too big that it cant fit comfortably onto a desk or shelf. inside cabinet for the speaker. 11. Audio Product DecodingIn this section I will be naming the components inside of many types of speakers and alsoexplaining what they in do in getting the product to function. I will be looking into how differentsounds are produced and how the drivers inside of speakers vary to produce the differentfrequencies and different sounds.When the electrical current flowing through the voice coil changes direction, the coils polarorientation reverses. The voice coil is a basic electromagnet, an electromagnet is a coil of wire,usually wrapped around a piece of magnetic metal often iron. Running electrical current throughthe wire creates a magnetic field around the coil, making the metal it is wrapped aroundmagnetic. The field has polar orientation and has a North and a South end. But unlike apermanent magnet, in an electromagnet you can alter the orientation of the poles. If youreverse the flow of the current, the north and south ends of the electromagnet switch.This is exactly what a stereo signal does, it constantly changes the direction of the flow ofelectricity. The amplifier is constantly switching the electrical signal and therefore changing thenorth and south poles. The alternation in the current causes the flow of current to changedirection many times in a second. When the electrical current changes direction it causes the coilmagnet to move up and down with the change in magnet fields, the coil moves over thepermanent magnet with the repulsion or attraction and causes the diaphragm to vibrate andcause sound waves. Different driver sizes are used in different sized speakers and frequency.Headphones and earphones typically work in the same way as loudspeakers but on a muchsmaller scale. 12. Audio Product Decoding Driver Types A stereo speaker has both a woofer or a midrange and tweeters. This enables the one speaker to have the same quality music as larger speakers in the size of only one woofer. ThereMidrange drivers are used to are two tweeters placed over thecreate a range of frequencies in woofer, there are two tweetersthe middle of the soundbecause this helps to createspectrum.stereophonic sound. Stereophonic sound is more like natural sound and comes from two or more audio channels, this is the opposite to monophonic sound which is sound from only one audio channel and is not likeWoofers are the largest drivers usednatural sound.to create the lowest frequencyTweeters are much smaller andsounds. used to create high frequencysounds. 13. CUSTOMERKEF has a large customer base, however they are in a competitivemarket amongst other high end speaker companies suck and Bowersand Wilkins. KEF produces a large variety of ranges of speakers thatvary both in price and size, however quality barely changes withintheir speakers. The large variety of applications, price ranges andenvironments for their speakers means that they can attract a verylarge market stretching through not only the professional market butalso the commercial market. Speakers such as the Muon aredeveloped for the top quality sound and aesthetics, priced at nearly100,000 they are aimed mainly at the professional market, thisbeing studios and music producers. Speakers such as the Referenceseries are produced to attract both professional music producers andalso individuals for a passion for music. Prices in this series rangefrom 14,000 to 4,000, showing that this range alone is aimed atprofessionals and individuals with a large market.KEF not only attracts its markets with pricing but also because theyoffer such a large variety of applications ranging from Home theatresystems to in wall speakers and outdoor speakers. Again this isbuilding on KEFs customer base and increasing the size of theirmarket and enabling them to compete effectively with other largebrands. 14. LINKS FX In this section I will be looking at certain factors in the process of designingand analysing what I will be doing. I will be using LINKS FX which will helpme to analyse what I should keep and scrap and also what the uses are fora speaker. Analysing these factors is going to bring me closer towardsgenerating ideas that are logical and useful for the customer.LogicalNeedThe speaker must designed with the needs of the consumer in mind, designing forThe speakers are going to need either stereo speakers or a separate amplifier,KEF makes this easier to do because of their wide customer base gives more roomtweeter and a bass driver. The speaker will need to have a case and frame that isfor different ideas and applications. The most logical use for a speaker is to besecurely built to have as little vibration as possible, creating the best possibleable to stand alone and play music. Vibrations in the speaker must be minimal to sound. The speakers will need a power source that can power the speakersgive the highest quality sound.effectively. The case of the speakers must be stable so that it can stand on a shelf or desk without falling over.Illogical KeepIllogical uses for speakers depend highly upon the application and function of thespeaker. I am planning on designing a bookshelf speaker that will be fairly large so I am going to keep the plastic frame inside of my casing to house the speakers andan illogical use for this will be to pick it up and carry it around. However analso help minimise vibration. I am also going to keep using the materials that KEFillogical use for a pair of headphones is to leave them on a surface and play thealmost always uses in its speaker casings, wood, metal or plastic. I am going tomusic out loud. Another illogical use for the speaker I will be designing is to put it create passive speakers which fits with most other speakers on the market and Ioutside. Illogical uses for a speaker are things that people might do with the am also going to keep the design of keeping the drivers and tweeters separatespeaker that it is not designed to do. and not using a stereo speaker. 15. LINKS FX In this section I will be looking at certain factors in the process of designingand analysing what I will be doing. I will be using LINKS FX which will helpme to analyse what I should keep and scrap and also what the uses are fora speaker. Analysing these factors is going to bring me closer towardsgenerating ideas that are logical and useful for the customer.ScrapX - FactorI am going to scrap the traditional Block speaker design and follow a naturalThe X-Factor is the aspect of the speaker that makes it different and stand outorganic design path, taking inspiration from previous KEF speakers such as the from all the other speakers on the market. Because of KEFs organic designs itBlade or the Reference series model 207/2. designs are more aestheticallymeans that every speaker they design and produce is unique so producing anpleasing when they make the customer think of natural materials and shapes.aesthetically unique speaker will be fairly easy. However creating a speaker with an X-Factor in terms of its functions will be difficult because most modern speakers have an iPod dock, due to this its not the actual function that is going to be unique its the way in which the function is set into the speaker and used byForm VS Function the customer.KEF is a company not to compromise on either its form or function, to upholdtheir quality standard and continue being Innovators in sound they mustproduce both excellent design and excellent function. Trying to carry on the KEFstandard will require lots of designs and use of ACCESS FM to analyse separatedesigns to consider all aspects and what will work best together. I am going toconsider adding extra functions than previous KEF designs such as an iPod dock,however I must incorporate it into my design in a way that doesnt compromiseon aesthetics or the organic design. 16. Plan of Action andClarification of Problems Section 1 Gantt Chart Research Plan Primary Research Questionnaire Person and Product Interaction Environmental Snapshot First Hand Existing Design Analysis Product Disassembled Secondary Research Access FM of Secondary Products Brand Profiling Product Profiling Customer Profiling Mood Board 17. Gantt ChartSection Number of WeeksHere I have created a table that shows the different sections ofContext and Objectives the project and how long I will be spending on each section. This is going to help me with my timePlan of Action and Clarification of Problems keeping so that I have enough time to complete each part. I have also created a list of theDevelopment of Design Proposal different sections and what each section consists of. This is also going to help me with my timeManufacture/ Modelling keeping by making sure that I complete a certain number of parts a week to complete aConclusion, Evaluation and section on time.Recommendations Context andKEF BrandSituation and Initial Audio Product Define TargetObjectivesTask AnalysisLINKS FXDecoding BriefSpecifications DecodingMarketPlan of Action and Person andFirst HandKEF andAccess FM ofEnvironmental Product Product CustomerClarification of Research PlanGantt ChartProduct Existing Design Competitive Secondary Brand Profiling Mood BoardProblemsSnapshot Disassembled ProfilingProfiling Interaction AnalysisCompaniesProducts Development of MaterialComponent Final Design Working Design ProposalSketching3D Rendering Sketch Models Cutting List Flow ChartSwatchesFittingand Decisions DrawingManufacture/ Design Around Modelling Models BuildingSpecification Conclusions, AssessEvaluate Industrial ExperiencesTest AgainstEnvironmental Evaluations andView PointStrengths and AgainstUser OpinionsAlterations Commercial Test or TryRecommendationsGainedSpecifications Considerations WeaknessesMarket Production 18. Research PlanEnvironmental Snapshot Access FM of secondary productsI am going to take photographs ofUsing ACCESS FM I will look at other speakers from throughout the market. This can be used to aid me in doing my competitivespeakers in their usual locations that KEFs companies research, however I will not only be analysing competitive speakers to KEF in this section I will be looking at speakerstarget customer would most likely have the that range in design, quality and applications to get a wider knowledge of how speakers are built and designed to attract a certainspeaker placed. I can then use these audience. Ranging the speakers that I look at will let me see the best way to overcome any possible problems that may arise andphotos to help me design a speaker that is also let me see what works best in every aspect of design and construction. The advantages of doing this are that I will gain agoing to fit nicely into the location andgreater understanding of speakers throughout the market and this will enable me to design my speaker to be the best it possiblyprovide possible functions that may be can. The disadvantage of doing this is that some of the speakers that I look at will not be the same as what I am looking to designuseful here. It will also help me see what so the information will not help me that much.other products are next to or surroundingthe speaker and give me a greaterunderstanding of certain materials that may First Hand Existing Design Analysisappeal to the customer or help the speakerQuestionnaire First hand existing design analysis involves going out to shops andto fit the location.My questionnaire is a set of eight questions that I willlooking at other speakers from KEF and competing brands. I will beask to a variety of people, this is going to help me gain taking pictures of existing speakers and then analysing them usinga first hand view of my target market. The questions areACCESS FM, I will then be able to compare the speakers to each otherPerson and Product Interactionmultiple choice so that it will be easier to segment theand see what aspects from different speakers are good and which dontI will analyse certain types of speaker to see howanswers and understand the market better. I will askwork very well. The speakers that I look at will be mainly of the samepeople interact with them, I will then use the informationeach of my questions to 10 people and all of the people application, this being the one I am planning to design, this is going toI collect to see whether there is a relation between thewill be different for each question. The advantage of help me in my designing to see how this speaker application is built anddesign and style of the speaker and the way peopledoing this is that I can get a better understanding first used. This is very similar to ACCESS FM of secondary products,interact with it. This is going to help me see howhand of the market and have the opportunity to discusshowever in this section it involves going and seeing the speakers firstdifferent speaker applications or types are usedand talk to the market. The disadvantage of doing this is hand. This allows me to make a clearer judgement of the speakers anddifferently by the customer and why, linking this with mythat I am not choosing a specific group to question and allows me to analyse them in greater depth with more knowledge aboutenvironmental snapshot will help me to see wheretherefore some of the people that I ask questions to will each of them. Doing this first hand means that I can see the quality ofdifferent speaker types are used and what their normalnot be in my target market and their answers will not bethe speaker and also analyse the designs better than having to do itlocation is. This is going to help me in my designing sorelevant to me. from a picture in my secondary research.that I have more design ideas that will all appeal tocustomers. 19. Research PlanProduct DisassembledProduct ProfilingDoing product disassembly will show me all the different processes that can be used in building speakers and it will give me a better In my product profiling I am going to be profilingunderstanding of what different processes can produce. I am going to take apart different types of speaker to see how different assemblydifferent speakers in terms of price and the amount ofand components are needed to produce different speaker applications, I will also be able to see the quality and effect of the quality infunctions that they have. I will not only be limiting thisdifferent speakers sound. I am also going to see how speakers are secured into their housings to reduce vibrations and also the joining section of research to KEF speakers and will be lookingmethods and finishing methods that are commonly used. The benefits of doing this are that it shows me different ways in which materials at lots of speakers from the whole of the market. This iscan be formed and manipulated into shapes that you want and how to join them to other materials securely. I am going to look at the going to give me a greater understanding and allow mefinishing methods that are used on the speakers and why different methods are used to give different effects on different materials.to see whether there is a relationship between anincrease in price and the amount of functions that aKEF and Competitive Companies Mood Boardspeaker has. The advantage of doing this is that I willThis section is where I am going to broaden my research from KEFThe mood board is a selection of images that have inspired me inbe able to see whether speakers competitive to thoseto the whole speaker market, however I will only be looking at 3my designs, they all have some features that have influenced me.that KEF produce add any extra functions or focusother brands as well as KEF. The brands that I am going to be The images are of all different types of speakers from all differentsolely on unique designs and high quality sound. Thelooking at will be similar to KEF is some ways because they will allbrands across the market, but they are all high end speakers sodisadvantage of doing this is that I will not only bebe high end speaker companies, this is going to help me see the could be considered competitors to KEF. Most of the images that Ilooking at one certain speaker application anddifferences in designs and how they are used to attract a certain have chosen are from the brands that I am comparing KEF to in thetherefore my results may not be useful in the design oftarget market. Not only will I be analysing the designs but I will also KEF and competitive companies. The advantage of doing this is thatmy speaker, however it will allow me to look at a largerbe looking at the functions, applications and speaker types to help I can visualise all of the images together and see more clearly howvariety of speakers and broaden my knowledge.me decide which speaker is most suited to a certain audience, they could be used together in a design.analysing the functions is going to give me greater understandingCustomer Profilingof what people want and are looking for when they are going toBrand ProfilingThe customer profiling is where I am profiling the target customerbuy a speaker. After looking into the target market of the differentBrand profiling does not involve using ACCES FM to lookfor KEF speakers and my speaker. I am profiling them in allspeaker brands I will be able to see how different audiences like toat any other speakers, it just involves researching deeper aspects such as age, gender, income, disposable income andinteract with their speakers, I can then incorporate these into myinto KEF. I will be looking at KEFs awards and its ethics other belongings. This is going to help me in the design of mydesign. A speaker that is competitive to what my speaker will beand its attitude to designs and construction. I will bespeaker because I will be able to see al l the information aboutand KEF is another high end speaker with excellent sound quality. looking at components, materials and manufacturing my target customer that is relevant to my design. I will be able toI will use ACCESS FM to analyse some of the speakers and then processes that are used by KEF in its production see what materials they like, their age, gender and whether theythis will make it easier for me to compare different companies. The processes. I will be looking to see what different own lots of expensive items. All of these will help me decide ondisadvantage of doing this is that looking at speakers from other applications of speaker that KEF produces and how theirthe production of my speaker and what materials andcompanies may cause me to change my designs to suit them more processes change depending on these. I will be looking atcomponents I will use. I will also be able to make sure that theythat KEF. the target market that KEF is trying to attract and how it like organic designs and try to make my speaker fit with thingsdoes this. they may already have. 20. QuestionnaireWhere would you place speakers inyour house? Which of the following would you like the speakers to be?Where would you place speakers in your house? 0%10%10% 10%Wall Mounted Living room0%Living Room10% BedroomBookshelf KitchenBedroom 30%Floor Standing Dining room60%Kitchen30% 40% Ceiling Other Dining RoomWirelessWhich of the following would you like the speakers to be? Wall mountedWhat material would you most like toDo you place your speakers as a Bookshelffeature or try to hide them? Floor standingsee in a speaker? Ceiling Wireless 13%0% OtherWood37%30%FeatureWhat material would you most like to see in a speaker? Metal Wood 70%Hide Metal 50%Plastic Plastic OtherOtherDo you place your speakers as a feature or try to hide them?How often do you listen to When purchasing a speaker what is Featuremore important, aesthetics or sound Hidemusic? quality?What extra functions would you like to see in a speaker?10% 0%Everyday Radio10%Aesthetics 10% MP3 docking station Few times a Portable30% Sound Quality Other weekOnce a week 30%50% 60% Balance betweenWhen purchasing a speaker what is more important, aesthetics or sound quality? AestheticsOnce every twoboth Sound quality weeks Balance between bothWhat type of job are you in? What extra functions would you ManagementWhat type of job are you in?like to see in a speaker? Office worker Sales10%Radio10% Trade Management10% Other MP3 DockingOffice Worker 30%30% StantionHow often do you listen to music?30% Sales Portable Every day50% Few times a week Once a week20% Trade Other Once every two weeksOther Every two weeks plus10% 21. Person and Product InteractionFor part of my research I have looked at different ways that people interact and usespeakers. I have noticed that the functions of the speaker affect that way that a customeruses it, for example speakers that have an iPod dock need to be interacted with differentlyto those that do not. This section of my research has enabled me to understand how When the speaker incorporates an iPod or MP3 input, thecustomers will use my speaker, I have been able to understand how the functions of myuser needs to interact with the speaker by plugging thespeaker mean that the usability needs to be considered more so that the user can accessdevice into a port. Being a desk speaker I am going to placeand use the functions with ease. buttons or dials by the input so that the volume can be adjusted easily and quickly. The usability of my speaker is an essential part of the design, I need to ensure that the user can access and use all functions of the speaker easily. I have noticed that speakers that use a remote control are much easier to use than those that do not. This is especially the case when the speaker has functions such as MP3 inputs and capability. The remote control allows the user to switch between input modes easily and also adjust the volume without having to physically interact with the MP3 device. Remote controls are not generally used with speakers that do not have extra added functions, this is because there is usually a remote control for the device that the speaker is connected to. Because my speaker is an independent speaker that will be able to have an MP3 I have noticed that portable speakers are used more vigorously than any other type of input, I have considered using one.speaker. I am designing a bookshelf speaker and am going to design the speaker so that it is However, I have decided against it because larger than the average bookshelf speaker. This is because I want to cross the line between my speaker will be a desk sized speaker andPortable and Bookshelf by quite a way. This is because my speaker is not designed to cope therefore the user will be close to thewith the stresses and strains of being treated in the way the portable speakers are. Portable speaker to control it. speakers are often thrown or dropped into bags or suitcases. From the people I have spokento and observed I noticed that all of them treated larger speakers more carefully thansmaller ones. 22. Environmental Snapshot These are different rooms that I am planning to design my speaker to fit into and compliment. All the rooms are similar in design and all feature mostly plain colours such as white and black but also have one or two colours that stand out from the environment. They feature materials such as wood and stainless steel, which are two of the materials I have considered amongst a range of others to use in my design. The speaker I am designing will have mostly plain looking colours, but not boring, because they will be made of high quality materials that will be finished to help the speaker compliment its surrounding furniture. I will have one or two areas on my speaker that will have a bright colour, this is going to follow the contemporary path and mean that the speaker can be used in any contemporary room as a feature as well as just a speaker. I am going to follow an organic design path of flowing shapes as well and a contemporary colour scheme. This is going to make my speaker appeal to a wider audience and suit a wider variety of environments. 23. First Hand Existing Design AnalysisThese are pictures that I have taken of speakers from KEF and their competitive companies. By beingable to view the speakers first hand it has enabled me to see the quality of the speakers both inmaterials and in sound quality. I had the opportunity to listen to some of the speakers which helped meto realise the extent to which KEF go to, to make their speakers the best they possibly can. I hadalready noted the main materials that KEF uses in its speakers and was planning to use these in mydesign, and this has been backed up by seeing the materials in use first hand, it has enabled me seehow each material works well and what materials I should research into in more depth for my speaker.KEF had small displays to show off their materials in greater depth and why their materials are of suchhigh quality. I had managed to see other braded speakers such as B&W and Meridian. I have beenable to compare different speakers and be able to see why they are priced differently. It has alsoenabled me to see how different design styles are used and how different materials are used tocompliment these styles. I have also been able to see different applications of speakers and howthese are designed differently and the functions that they include. 24. Product DisassemblyThe inside of the speaker uses a circuitI have taken apart the speaker to the left toboard because of all of the componentsunderstand the wiring inside of speakers. Althoughused in the speaker. The speaker has allthis is a small speaker, the wiring will be similar totypes of input from an SD card reader toother speakers and the speaker I will be building.an iPod dock. The circuit board helps toThis is going to enable me to see the sort of wiringhold all of the components togetherthe I will need to do within my speaker and how allneatly without the need for lots of wires.of the components go together.Because I am not using all of the inputsin my speaker I will not be using a circuitboard.The wiring from the circuit board to the speakers is very simple.Two wires go to each speaker, this shows me that without thecircuit board and all of the input methods the wiring will besimple to do. From research I have done online I have seen thatin many cases an input source is connected to one speaker andthen that speaker is connected to the other. I will researchfurther into understanding which method will be best for me.This speaker is powered by a small lithiumbattery that is similar to one used in a mobilephone. I will not be using a battery to powermy speaker because it will not provideenough power to my speakers. Smaller The DC in port that I will be using will use a 3 pin mains plug.speakers require less power and my speakersIt will also have a converter box that will restrict that amountrequire around 20 volts of power. I will beof volts that can enter the speakers. The DC in port of thisusing a DC in port similar to the one used tospeaker is small and so will only fit a cable that restrictscharge the battery for this speaker. power to a lower level. The cable that came with the speaker us a USB cable to charge the battery. This shows the small amount of power that the battery needs to charge these speakers. 25. Access FM of Secondary ProductsAesthetics This speaker is aesthetically pleasing with its modern design. The materials that are used in the design of the speaker workAesthetics The aesthetics of these headphones is well together and make it seem expensive and excellent and make them seem expensive. The enclosure well designed and put together. The polished of the speaker is real leather and shiny metal which metal ring around the speaker makes thetogether create a modern looking design and an speaker look expensive along with theexpensive looking pair of headphones. the polished metal exposed metal end. The difference in colouron the speakers draws attention to the headphones. The between the black and silver makes the exposed wiring and single metal stem for speaker speaker stand out and look modern. movement adds a nice effect to the speaker and makes itseem very modern.Cost This speaker looks fairly expensive and is at 399 with its modern designs and shinymetal. The production of the speakers casing wouldnt have been that expensive because there Cost The headphones look very expensive mainly due to the materials that are used to makewill not be any complicated forming or joining processes, however the way in which the materials them. The polished metal adds the most expensive look because it attracts the attention ofare used together make the speaker seem expensive. The components within the speaker would people and we associate shiny metals with expense and money. The real leather adds a subtlehave been expensive and very high quality because they are made by Bowers and Wilkins. expensive look, it will not draw attention from people but the feel of it and the look of it looks aCustomer Due to the fairly high price for this speaker the customer base will be lot nicer than the traditional plastic headband. The headphones are priced at 249 and thislimited, however the reputation of the brand, more people will be willing to pay the higher pricebecause of the construction and high quality feel of the leather and metal.because they know they are paying for high quality. The speakers will be aimed at middle toCustomer The high price of the headphones limits the customer base however the price isupper class individuals or families and also at novice music producers or video editors. The lower than some of the competitors in the market. The brands reputation for outstanding buildspeaker will also be aimed at people with a passion for music or people who travel a lot and wantand sound quality means that people that are not in Bowers and Wilkins general customer basea fairly small but high quality speaker to take with them. will buy these headphones as a luxury item. The headphones are aimed at middle to upperEnvironment The speaker is designed to be used with a laptop or desktop computer, thereforeclass individuals who have a passion for music. The headphones are not designed for studiothe environment that this speaker is designed for will be on a desk with open space. The size of use so the sole market for these headphones is an individual person who enjoys music.the speakers however allows it to be placed almost anywhere such as a bookshelf or on a bedEnvironment The environment for headphones varies greatly, they can be used anywhereside cabinet.from at home in a quiet controlled environment to on the train going to work. The headphonesSafety The speaker has no major safety flaws or none that could be easily solved without build quality allows them to be used in environments where they may get bumped and knockedcompromising on the speakers design or uses. The speaker has no sharp edges or exposed without breaking. The headphones are deigned to be small enough and fold flat so that theywiring that could potentially hard the user. The speaker however is quite heavy and if it were tocan be taken anywhere with the user in their bag.fall from a desk or shelf and hit someone then they would sustain minor injuries. If a wire were toSafety The headphones have no sharp edges and all materials that are used cannot causebreak inside of the speaker and touch the metal ends then these could conduct the electricityinjury to the user. The leather is a soft material which wont cause injury to the head. Theand cause a safety hazard to the user. The plastic bottom of the speakers adds extra grip over itexposed wire however could potentially be pulled and come lose exposing a wire that couldbeing a metal end so it is less likely to slip or fall. The black cloth grills could split and exposecause an injury. The ear pads are very well padded to give greatest comfort and not presscomponents underneath which could be a potential safety hazard.against the head too hard.Size The size of the speaker allows it to easily serve its function of being a computer speakerSize Size is an important aspect in all speaker design but particularly in headphones, theyand it also allows it to do much more. Its size allows it to be placed almost anywhere at a home must be able to be portable yet not so small they can break easily but not too heavy. Theseor office and it could even be taken on holiday or in a bag while someone is travelling. The headphones are a great mixture of all of these. They are the perfect size to fit onto your headspeaker is 17cm tall and 10cm wide, this size is perfect to be placed almost anywhere. comfortably for hours on end and they have been designed to fold flat into a case so that theyFunction The speaker is primarily designed to be a computer speaker and serves no otherare portable. The headband is only thin on these headphones but this is fine because they aremajor functions than playing excellent quality music as well as being small enough to putnot that heavy so dont need much support.anywhere. The speaker has a 2 small buttons that are placed along on of the sides of the metal Function Headphones tend to need more functions to suit their application more than a largerring on the centre, the buttons change the volume up or down as indicated by the + and signs.set of speakers. Headphones need to be portable and play music, both of which is achieved byThe buttons are very discreet and do not protrude from the ring at all, this keeps the aestheticsthese headphones. They can fold flat which gives them a stronger structure when placed in alooking sleek. bag and also allows them to be more portable which is a key function for headphones. TheMaterials Only three materials are visible on the outside of the speaker and these are headphones also lay music using the traditional 3mm headphone jack which is on most MP3metal, plastic and black cloth. The speaker is constructed of ABS with a spun aluminium topdevices. This allows the headphones to be used with most music players.plate and aluminium ring on the centre. The shiny aluminium makes the speaker look expensive Materials The materials used in these headphones provide not only great aesthetics but alsoand along side the black cloth creates a speaker that has excellent aesthetic appeals. The black a strong structure. The real leather headband and polished aluminium adds a sleek look to theABS base blends in with the black cloth so is not a feature it is used purely for grip and also to headphones and makes them look expensive and great value for money. The metal swivel andwithstand heavy banging onto a desk or falling. ABS is the best material to use for the base inner of the headband makes the headphones very strong and resistant to knocks and bumps.because it is very strong and can withstand high impact forces without breaking. The black plastic used on the ear cups and padding blends in with the leather adding yet more value to the headphones. 26. Access FM of Secondary Products Aesthetics The aesthetics of this speaker is veryAesthetics This speaker uses a mixture of organicpleasing, it uses materials that would be expected from acurves and straight lines in its design. The mixture ofhigh end speaker but also uses unique design in using them these two design methods makes the speaker looktogether. The design of the speaker uses on organic shapes odd and in my opinion makes it not very aesthetically. Using this organic design means that the speaker ispleasing. The colours of the speaker are dull and dontdesigned to blend into an environment as if it was work together as well as other competingnatural, however the materials and colours are used to helploudspeakers on the market. The wooden sides are amake it stand out slightly. The speaker is designed to fit intodark brown and the main part of the cabinet is a blacka modern house with other modern products, these are plastic, the mixture of brown and black dont workassumed to be the same sort of colours and made from the together that well. The speaker is made by Kharmasame materials as this speaker.and is its Extreme high end audio product, it is called the Exquisite Grand.Cost This speaker looks expensive due to the materials used and the design style. Thespeaker costs around 10,000 for a pair and for this you would expect the best buildCost The speaker costs around 140,000 for the pair, because it is the highest end of audioquality, best materials and most importantly the best sound. The speakers design makes itthat Kharma and most other competitors produce. The speaker costs this amount due to itsseem expensive, especially the combination of black and silver, this is common in modernlarge size and unique design. The speaker is very plain so you are not paying for aesthetics.speakers and makes the speakers look like how much they cost. Customer The speaker is designed both for professional use and home use, therefore itsCustomer Again with this speaker the high price tag reduces the amount of customers market is in the larger end. The extremely high cost of the speaker limits its marketdramatically. The speaker is not designed for professional use in a studio but for home use bydramatically leaving only a small portion of the individual market and the professional market.people whos passion is music. The speaker is aimed at upper class families or individuals whoThe individual market would be upper class individuals or people interested in starting aenjoy music. The age range for the customers would be from 20 to 45 because of its modern recording studio. The age range for individuals buying this speaker would be around 30 to 55design and materials. because of its more contemporary design.Environment The speaker is not designed for professional use in a studio or work place butEnvironment The large size of the speaker means that its mainly designed for a large studiofor home use. The speaker is designed to be placed in a living room where there is plenty ofenvironment and this can also be seen from its design. The speaker is not the mostopen space for sound to travel and where families come together and people relax. Because ofaesthetically pleasing because kharma focuses more on the quality of their sound rather thanits design, the speaker stands out slightly from its environment and is designed to be a featurethe aesthetics of the speaker. For this reason the speaker is designed for a studio environmentrather than to be hidden. The speaker is not that large so can fit almost anywhere in a where the sound is more essential. The finishes available for this speaker are vast, rangingroom, therefore can be moved throughout the house.from real diamonds to high gloss wood finishes. Its main colour is a glossy black with stripesSafety There are no major safety hazards with this speaker. There are no lose wires that canwith two panels on each side where you can choose a custom finish. This enables the speakerbe pulled or broken and no sharp edges that could cut or hurt people. The pyramid shape ofto fit into almost any environment.the speaker means that it gets lighter and lighter as it moves up meaning that it will be hard to Safety There are few safety hazards with this speaker, because there are no exposed wirestip over because of the weight difference between the top and the bottom. If the speaker were or sharp edges. The speaker however could be tipped over fairly easily due to the large weightto be moved however and placed on someones foot or dropped on it then it could cause injuryof the speaker and the fairly small base area which means that the weight of the speaker isntto the person.spread over a large area. The base of the speaker stands on four small legs attached to eachSize The speaker is 97cm tall so is not as big as many of the other loudspeakers on the corner of the base, these are a potential hazard if they were to be put on someones foot ormarket. The smaller size of the loudspeaker allows it to fit into more locations throughout the even a wire that could possibly be cut by these.house. Larger loudspeakers are limited as to where they can be placed effectively but the Size This speaker is very large being 2.21 metres tall and 0.55 metres wide. The large size ofsmaller size of this one means it is more versatile. The smaller size shows that the speaker is this speaker limits its usefulness to certain customers because it would be too large to have innot designed to stand out completely from its environment like its competitors, it is designed to a house and would take up too much room. The speaker is not versatile and moving it after itbe more discreet. had been placed in an area would also be fairly difficult due to its size. The speakers large sizeFunction The speaker serves no additional or special functions that are not typical of allshows that it is meant to be a feature in its environment and to stand out from the thingsloudspeakers. It plays music, however the smaller size of this speaker makes it morearound it.portable, not so that it can be moved out of the home but so that it can be moved into differentFunction The functions of this speaker are few, other than playing music it has no extrarooms more easily. The speaker also has a remote control to make it easier to change volume functions or features. The speaker is not at all portable due to its large size and shows kharmasand other features of the speaker more easily.emphasis on sound quality first.Material The cabinet for this speaker is made from a composite which is a mixture of two or Material - The main material for this speaker is a polymer which would probably be HIPSmore materials and the cover for the speaker is made of the traditional fabric. The composite because it can be coloured and shaped easily. The other materials that can be put on as thematerial used for the cover will be stronger than other materials that could have been used and custom finishes are vast, from glossy polymer finishes to gold strips with diamonds. Thealso more expensive. Because it is a mixture of two or more materials it has enhanced custom materials and high quality of the sound shows the extremely high prices of kharmaproperties over other materials such as metal or plastic so it is specially designed for itsspeakers.purpose. The fabric stops any dusk from getting onto the speaker cones and also adds to theorganic design by rounding the cabinet. 27. Access FM of Secondary Products Aesthetics This speaker is a very modern and vibrant Aesthetics This speaker has organic design throughout, with curves and bends. The speaker is available in two maindesign which features curves and circular shapes colours, white and black, these colours being completely oppositethroughout. The colours of the speaker vary depending on and fairly plain means that the speaker would be able to suit almostthe taste of the customer and also the environment in whichany environment. They are also available in a variety of customit will be placed. The colours are achieved due to the colours which mean the speaker is able to be customised. Thematerials that are used in its construction and these arespeaker looks to me like the small sections within a leaf whichpolymers which can be coloured easily. The flat bottom ofagain shows that the design has been successful in making thethe speaker enables the speaker to stand steadily withoutcustomer see it as organic. The base of the speaker is very smallcompromising on the other aesthetics of the speaker, thisas not to draw attention away from the bulk of the speaker. Thebeing its curves. The speaker is designed to stand out fromaesthetics of the speaker mean that it will suit a modern naturalisticits environment, this is clear to see from its bright colour but environment. Cost At 20,000 these speakers have a limited customer base, however they would appeal tocan also be seen that the curved shapes are like nothing individuals and the professional market. The speakers were made by KEF for their 50 thelse and it is deigned to stand out in this way as well. anniversary, therefore the price is to be expected. The reputation of KEF means that customersCost The high cost of this speaker isnt without reason. The quality of the components usedare not shocked by the price because they know that they are getting excellent buildwithin the speaker and also the build quality and the material quality are all of the highestquality, sound quality and a completely original and unique design. The speakers are the secondstandards. The processes used to form the plastic and join all of the materials together would most expensive made by KEF, the first being the Muon.not have been cheap and this would be part of the reason for the higher costs. But it is mainlyCustomer The aesthetics, Brand and quality of the speaker mean that it will appeal to a fairlydue to the brand name and the excellent sound quality that comes with it. Customers are open large audience, this being both in the professional market and the public market. The public sideto paying larger amounts of money for a brand that they know and can trust for providing the of the market wont be as large though due to the price, this will limit the speaker to upper classbest of everything.people who have a high disposable income. The cost of the speaker is high compared to someCustomer The customer for this speaker would most likely be individuals who enjoy music or of its competitors and this may mean that some customers choose other brands, howeversee it as their passion. The speaker is not designed for use in a studio and therefore this leaveprofessionals would buy this speaker because they know that they are getting what they pay for.the house environment or in an office. The high price of the speaker however does limit theEnvironment Because the speaker would appeal to professionals and the public this meanscustomer slightly but the speaker does not cost as much as some of its competitors so wouldthat its environment will vary. The speaker has been designed to be able to suit many differentbe an option for more people and therefore would have a larger market. The speakersenvironments. The speaker could be placed in a house, office or even a studio. These threeaesthetics would make it appeal more to a younger audience, this being people from 20 40.environments tend to require different styles of speaker and needs, but KEF have successfullyEnvironment The speaker is designed to be placed in a house or office environment where it designed a speaker that suits all three. The speaker would need to be in a large room with lots ofcan add aesthetic appeal to the room and stand out and catch peoples eye. The speaker is space due to its large size.fairly small which means that its environment is versatile compared to other, larger speakers. Safety The speaker has no major safety hazards because it has no lose wires that could beThe speaker can be moved around in a house and would suit almost any room which broadens tangled or tripped on and it has no sharp edges that a user could harm themselves on. The mainits environments. The speaker however is designed to be versatile and be able to sit in many weight of the speaker would be at the top of the blade because this is where the speakers sit.different environments.This coupled with the fairly small base of the speaker means that the weight is not spread outSafety This speaker has very few safety hazards. The curved shapes of the speaker mean over a large surface area and the speaker is top heavy, this means that the speaker could bethat it cannot cut or injure someone from these. There are no exposed wires that a user wouldpushed over fairly easily. KEF have managed to tackle the problem slightly by ensuring that thebe able to trip over or tangle. The base of the speaker is flat and provides stability, however if base is weighted to help hold the speaker down, but there is still a possibility that it could besmall children would be around this speaker then it could quite possibly be pushed over and fall knocked over. The small feet that are attached to the bottom of the speaker are also pointy, thisonto them or another object and cause damage to it.could mean that they damage wires or harm someone if it is placed on top of something bySize The speakers are fairly small but they are too big to fit comfortably onto a desk or shelf. accident.The speakers are designed to be placed on a large surface that is elevated above the Size Being 1.59 metres tall the speaker is on the larger size and would require a lot of space inground, such as a table in front of a television. The smallish size of the speakers means that the environment which it is placed. The size of the speaker is one of the factors that limits itsthey can be moved around the house are not that limited to where they can be placedcustomer base and its environment. The uses of a speaker this big are few, the main and onlythroughout the house. The size plays a key part in the environment of the speaker and thesepractical use is to play music and not be moved. The speaker would need to be placed and thenspeakers are designed so that they are small enough to be versatile yet large enough to be not to be moved because this would be difficult to do. The speaker is floor standing, we can tellprominent and stand out. this by its size because it would not be able to be used for any other purpose.Function Speakers dont tend to serve many other functions than playing music and this is an Function Again this speaker is an example of where sound and quality is put ahead ofexample of another speaker where the sound and build quality is more important than theaesthetics. The only function the speaker serves is to play music, although it does have a varietyfunctions. The speakers only function is that it can play music, it can however be connected toof input ports which could mean it could be used with an MP3 device. The speaker is notan MP3 device which allows it be used with a wider variety of products.versatile either because it cannot be moved easily or its location changed quickly.Materials The material used in this speaker is a polymer. This would have been usedMaterials The cabinet of the KEF Blade speaker is made from GRP (glass reinforced plastic).because it is easy to mould into the complex shapes needed and can also be coloured to giveThis allows easy construction of curves and for details to be added. GRP gives a very strongthe desired effect. Additives can also be added to polymers which can give them enhanced casing that is able to eliminate any unwanted vibrations that could blur the sound.properties and make them more useful for a particular purpose. 28. BRAND PROFILINGHere I am profiling the KEF brand, I am showing a list of applications thatKEF produces to achieve its wide customer base. I am showing theThis is one of KEFs newestprogression of KEFs speakers below from the 1960s up to 2000. KEF has speakers, the Blade. Thisprogressed in all areas from aesthetics to technological advances. When KEF shows the clearwere founded in 1961 they were producing only simple speakers, both inadvancements over timesound quality and aesthetics. KEF has grown to become a world renownedand also in the ten yearsspeaker company that has a very good reputation for producing high qualityfrom 2000 up to 2012speakers. KEFs advancements were fast and Raymond Cooke had decidedto use only the newest and high quality materials in the production of itsspeakers. 29. BRAND PROFILINGTechnologies KEFs technologies have been the thing that have excelled KEF above the rest. KEF has set its own objective to be Innovators in Sound and it is evident from viewing the amount of new technologies they have to see that this is being achieved. All of KEFs technologies are designed to provide a better experience for the user in every way possible. KEFs Uni-Q drivers, SST and Single apparent source are just a few of the technologies that KEF has to improve the listening experience of the user. KEF also has technologies to make their speakers easier to use, a few of these are the Selecta Mount, Wireless, and the Bass Extender. KEF offers huge advances to its customers and in return they earn an excellent reputation and a loyal customer base. It is this that pushes KEF to make these advancements and in some cases lead the market. 30. BRAND PROFILINGKEF is a multi award winning company that has won 92 awards from around the world. KEFwon its first award in 2006 in the UK for Best Product which was for the HT Loudspeaker.Almost all of KEF speakers have won an award ranging from Product of the year to BBCmusic choice awards. The awards that KEF have won have pushed them to createincreasingly unique technology that improves speaker life times and performance and thelistening experience of the customer. 31. Price I have organised a selection of speakers in terms of price and function. This hasHighProduct Profilingshown me that an increase in price does not mean an increase in functionality.An increase in price usually leads to an increase in build and sound quality. Ihave included speakers not only from KEF but other brands across themarket, this has enabled me to gain a greater insight into the market opposed towhat only KEF does.Functions - Few Functions - ManyPriceLow 32. Customer ProfilingThe customer profiling is where I am profiling the target customer for KEFspeakers and my speaker. I am profiling them in all aspects such asage, gender, income, disposable income and other belongings. This isgoing to help me in the design of my speaker because I will be able to seeal l the information about my target customer that is relevant to my design. Iwill be able to see what materials they like, their age, gender and whetherthey own lots of expensive items. All of these will help me decide on theproduction of my speaker and what materials and components I will use. Iwill also be able to make sure that they like organic designs and try to makemy speaker fit with things they may already have.My users will range from peoplewearing branded clothing thatsexpensive to people that are notbothered by brands and will buy anyclothing.The income of thecustomer willrange from highto low, this isbecause KEFspeakers range inprice from around150 to 14,000. The market for the speakers will be upper or middle class business men and women, they will be expecting high quality materials and components throughout the product. The market is also filled with professional music producers or beginners who want to start their own studios, they will be expecting an aesthetically pleasing speaker that has great sound quality and a long life time. 33. Mood BoardAs you can see from my mood board I have taken inspiration from lots ofdifferent types of speaker and lots of different designs. The speakers I havetaken inspiration from all have organic designs which is how I am going todesign my speaker. The materials used in these speakers are the materials thatI plan to use in my designs and then I will pick one or two to build my speakerfrom. All the speakers that have inspired me to consider my designs stand outfrom their environments, instead of an eye sore they are placed as if they are apiece of art, this is how I want my speaker to be placed and used in itsenvironment. Most of the speakers that have inspired me are bookshelfspeakers which is the size I am planning to build my speaker, however thedesigns and shapes of the larger speakers have inspired me to think about howthese designs can be adapted to suit a smaller speaker. I have also looked atspeakers with an iPod dock, although KEFs bookshelf speakers do not haveany other functions I am planning on incorporating this into my design. 34. Research SummaryWhere would you place speakers in your house? What extra functions would youlike to see in a speaker?What material would you most like to 0% 10% 10% Radio 0%Living Room10%see in a speaker? MP3 Docking Bedroom30% 13% 0%30%StantionWood60%KitchenPortable50%37% MetalDining RoomOther 50%Plastic One of the most important parts of my research was my questionnaire. This was an opportunity for me toOther personally ask members of my target market about their preferences. I have used the information from myquestionnaire to decide on materials, sizes, environments and other functions. I have chosen the most preferredoption from each question and ensured that they all fit together in an aesthetically pleasing way and will worktogether. When doing my product disassembled I was able to seeBrand Profiling was anotherhow different functions wouldimportant part of research. I wasneed to be connected to theFrom looking at other speakers I wasable to look at the progression of speakers. I focused mainly onable to see how companies such as KEF speakers and predict for myselfthe functions that I hadKEF and its competitors usedwhere I see them progressing todecided to use from mydifferent materials, shapes and next. KEFs speakers are becomingquestionnaire and have beenfunctions. I looked at the differentmore and more curved every year. I able to see how otherwoods that KEF use in their was able to use this in designing my speakers build these into theirdesigns, although I am not usingspeaker. designs.woods in my design it gave mesomething to differentiate myspeaker from. 35. Research Summary Product Profiling is where I was able to see which materials would be best to use in my design. I could see correlations between brand, Materials and functions compared to price. This gave me the opportunity to not only compare KEF speakers to other speakers on the market but also to try and fit my speaker with the other KEF speakers.My Mood Board isthe last piece ofmy research thathad amajor impact on how I designed my speaker. It shows allthe speakers that I took inspiration from in the designsof my speaker.Customer Profiling is where I was able to use what I found from my Product Profiling and see whichmarket my speaker would be aimed at. Again I was trying to fit with KEF, however KEF are suited toa very large market with speakers ranging in price. I have decided I wan my speaker to fit in middleand upper class market 36. Further Specifications Here is where I am going to use ACCESS FM to write what I am going to do in my designing. I am going to use what I have found from my research and build on my Initial Specifications to show what I am going to include and what I have decided to design my speaker around.Aesthetics CustomerI am going to use plastic and metal in my speaker, this is because it is going toMy speaker is going to be aimed at the middle and upper class markets. Theseallow it to fit with the other speakers that KEF builds. I am going to use organic markets have a wide variety of customers ranging from individuals with a passiondesign and this will be the most important focus of my speaker. My speaker willfor music and also professional recording studios. However my speaker will not benot have any sharp edges or points and will have flowing shapes and curves aimed at the whole of this market and I will be aiming the speaker more towardsthroughout.the individual market opposed to a professional setting in a recording studio.Cost EnvironmentMy speaker is going to fit into KEFs Bookshelf or Floor Standing range. These Because of the customer base that I have chosen to design my speaker for theranges have a wide variety of prices. KEFs Bookshelf range starts at a low priceenvironment for my speaker is going to be in a home environment. Thiswhereas their Floor Standing range start at a higher price. My speaker would be in environment contains a vast amount of different rooms that all require differentthe high end of the Bookshelf range or in the low end of the Floor Standing range. designs and functions. I have chosen for my speaker to be designed for the livingThe materials that I am using in my speaker are not overly expensive but are going room or bedroom environment. These two rooms within a house do not varyto make the speaker stand out. The steel tubing that I am going to use in my greatly in what they need from designs and therefore I will be able to design onespeaker is going to be shiny and make the speaker look expensive without being speaker to suit both of these rooms.really expensive to manufacture. 37. Further Specifications Here is where I am going to use ACCESS FM to write what I am going to do in my designing. I am going to use what I have found from my research and build on my Initial Specifications to show what I am going to include and what I have decided to design my speaker around.SafetyFunctionBecause my speaker is going to use organic design, it is not going to have anyI am going to have an input slot for an iPod or MP3 device built into my design. Isharp edges or points that could be a possible safety hazard. Wires will be hiddenam going to consider other functions that will enable me to direct sound andin the base of my speaker, this means that they will not be a tripping hazard or be change this direction. Because KEF doesnt use many extra functions in its designsable to be pulled loose. My speaker will be weighted so that it is stable and willI am not going to consider any other functions.not be able to be knocked over.SizeMaterialsMy speaker will be on the large side of the Bookshelf range but could also fit into I am going to build my speaker from materials such as metal, plastic and wood. Ithe Floor Standing range but in the lower size end of the range. This means thatmay not use all of these materials in my design but I will not consider any othermy speaker will be more versatile in terms of the environment that it can bematerials that are not used by KEF in their previous speaker designs.placed. 38. Initial SketchesThese are the pages with my initial sketches and ideas on. These sketches are the firstdesigns that I did. The designs follow aspects of my initial specifications and also the sizesthat I had originally decided to build. All of the designs are different and also follow theorganic design path that I had originally decided to do, they all feature flowing curves andno sharpe edges. All of the designs feature an MP3 input because this is what I had said thatI was going to incorporate into my design.These pages are a variety of different sketches on different mediums. I havepages that consist of up to four designs, each shown from a variety of angles. Ihave done this to generate ideas quickly. I have also enlarged certain designsonto coloured paper to show them in greater detail. The dotted paper I haveused adds a sort of scale to the designs and can represent sizes of differentaspects of the design in relation to others. All designs are annotated to showthe different parts and to briefly describe the design behind the speaker. 39. Initial Sketches Again on this pages I have a page consisting of four different designs that have all been annotated. The graph paper has been used to show a scale of the design, as well as this it also makes the page stand out from the others that have many designs on. The blue paper has been used to ensure that the pencil stands out from the paper without the need of a pen. Most of the designs are shown from more than one angle, the ones that are not are the ones that are understandable from one 3D drawing. 40. Initial SketchesThe sketches that are on post it notes weremy original ideas that I sketched ontoindividual notes. These consist of thesketches that I then went into greater detailabout in other sketches. These do not haveany annotation because not all were going tobe considered for my final design. Thedotted paper has been used to use a certainpoint to draw some designs in 3D in greaterdetail that free hand drawing. It has allowedme to show my designs in 3D from specificangles. The squared paper has been used sothat I can sketch my design easily and moreaccurately according to the lines. 41. Initial Sketches Both of these pages consist of many designs, however the sketching styles are different. On one pages the sketches are rough and colour has been used to represent different materials. The second page has sketches that are draw neater and a pen has been used to go over the edges and make the sketches stand out from the paper. I have used a pencil to shade in certain areas of the speaker and show a simple diversity in colour. All the designs are annotated and most are draw from multiple angles to show the speakers sizes and shapes ate different view points. 42. Design Development 43. Design Development For the swivel of theThis is my original design without speakers I willhaving changed any features or look at thefunctions about it. mechanism that is used inHere I have considered being able tothe top of tripods to allowswivel the speakers so that sound cana swivel without feelingbe directed around the room spread outloose.more.Here I have considered twodifferent things. I have thoughtabout making the speakerhousing into a more thin curve.This would help the speaker tokeep with the thin design of thespeaker. I have also considered being able to tilt the speakers backwards, this again will enable the speaker to direct sound and make it moreMy speaker is going to have both a woofer and a tweeter. This is going tospread out. However this would be difficult toenable my speaker to reach high and low frequency sounds. Woofers aredo because of the swivel of the speakers. Itbigger than tweeters and thinking about this I have decided that mywould make manufacturing much harder andspeaker housings will be two different sizes to show the different may also lead to the speakers not staying in thespeakers. This also helps the speaker to look more organic by making itdesired position. Again I would look at theless symmetrical.mechanism in a tripod to see if it would be compatible to do this on my speaker. 44. Design DevelopmentThis 3D design shows thebase that I have chosen frommy sketches. The base ismore organic than myoriginal design and also willbe easier to mould. Here I have considered different designs for the base of the speaker. The 3D design shows my original idea for the base, however I have sketched four different bases of which I will choose one to use. All of the base are using organic design, which shows that I constantly considering my initial specifications. Here I have thought about a range of materials that I could use for the base. I have thought about the properties of each material and used this informationWood wouldnt be Although aluminiumHIPs is easy to mouldto help me make a decision. I have decided to usesuitable for the basewould be easy to shapeand comes in a varietyHIPs which is a material with a high strength to weightbecause it is not easy and create a hollow of colours. This will ratio compared to the other materials I considered. Itto hollow out which is shape, I want all the parts help it stand out fromis also the easiest to mould into shape, and it alsokey for my design to of my speaker to standthe rest of my speakercomes in a variety of colours. This eliminates the needhouse the wires. Itout. I will be using metaland its environment. It of painting. It also has a shiny finish which againwould also not fit for the branches of myis also strong andeliminates the need for it to be treated and finishedwith the aesthetics of speaker so will not belightweight.after being moulded.my speaker.using it for the base. 45. Design DevelopmentHeaterBecause I am using HIPs for the base of myspeaker I am going to vacuum form the materialinto the shape that I want. Vacuum formingrequires a wooden mould to be made of theshape that you want, which is then clampedHIPs sheetinto place above the mould and heated. Themould is then lifted into the softened plasticand the air is sucked out. Vacuum forming cangive small details and is very accurate.Lever to lift mouldinto soften polymer Vacuum switch To join the acrylic to the base I have considered two different methods. I looked at both araldite and self tapping screws. I have listed the advantages and disadvantages of The bottom of the speaker will be an each and have decided to use self oval of acrylic attached to the tapping screws. This is because itbottom of the vacuum formed provides a very strong hold and ismould. I will place the vacuum not permanent which means thatformed mould onto the sheet and the base can be removed to repair draw around it as a template, this wires if it is needed. Self tapping will mean that the oval that is cut screws also come in a variety offrom the acrylic will fit perfectly sizes to suit any use.onto the bottom of the HIPs mould. I will use the hegner saw to cut the oval from the acrylic. This will give a fast and accurate cut. I will need to use wet and dry on the edges are cutting to make sure that they are smooth. 46. However, I have now decided I will use theDesign Development hegner saw to cut the slot for the iPod dock. I will use the hegner saw because it is quicker and gives a better cut than a hack saw. The base of the hegner saw can also be tilted to give a 100% accurate cut, this is also due to the very thin blade on the hegner saw which can give finer detail than say the band saw.I have also decided to incorporate an iPod dock intomy speaker base, this is going to improve thefunctionality of the speaker. I also considered using ahack saw to cut the hole for the dock to fit into. I have also sketched out four possible designs for the branches of my speaker. All of which use organic design and will hold two speakers. The material I will use Here I considered the function of being able to for my branches will be steel. I swivel the speakers together so that they become aam going to use steel because it sphere. However I have found faults with this idea. is a very strong material that can The speakers would not be able to swivel together be bent into the shape that I without the branches being able to be push closer want using a bending jig. Steel and secured there. Also due to the changes with mycan also be polished to achieve aThe design that I have branches it will not be possible. This is because one very shiny finish which is what Ihighlighted in green is the one speaker will be higher than the other and also one is want for my branches.that I have chosen to be my final smaller than the other.branch design. The design isntsymmetrical like my originaldesign and is more organicallydesigned. I have howeverreversed the design and madethe left pole shorter than theright. 47. Development Checkpoint 1 All of the changes that I have made to the aesthetics of my speaker make it fit into the organic design path even more. I have changed my speaker from being symmetrical to beAesthetics asymmetrical, which is a more organic approach because itFollowing KEFs previous designs which all follow an organic design path with represents the uncertainty offlowing shapes and natural looking materials, I will design a speaker that fits with natural objects. All of thethis. The speaker will have no sharp edges or points and feature curves different designs that I havethroughout its design. considered have all been organic so I have constantly been considering different shapes, they also all feature flowing shapes with no sharp edges. The changes and designs I have done all fit with my initial specification.CostThe cost of the product depends on the range that thespeaker is entered into and the materials and technology used In the first section of myin it. KEFs high quality innovations and technologies increase development I have coveredprice rapidly along with their high quality and expensive materials that will be used inmaterials. However KEFs smaller Bookshelf speakers and the the base of the speaker. I havesmaller speakers in their expensive ranges are lower priced toconsidered the three mainmeet needs and suit an entire market. I will try and follow materials used by KEF andthem in using high quality materials and components todecided on HIPs which fits withensure my speaker truly fits with KEF.my initial specification of usinghigh quality materials. 48. Development Checkpoint 1I have gone further than onlyconsidering the functions that I listedin my initial specification and alsoconsidered ways in which the easeFunctionof use could be improved for theuser and also ways in which theKEF speakers previously have not served any other functions than to play music. speaker could be more useful. IWith the expanding market of speakers featuring iPod and iPhone docks I amhave incorporated an iPod dock intogoing to incorporate this into my design to bring KEF into the market so that theymy design which I listed in mycan get a larger customer base. specification and have also decidedto use the function of being able totwist the speakers so that they canpoint in different directions. I havedecided not to use the otherfunctions I considered because itwouldnt fit right with the speakerdesign and would complicate theusability.SafetySafety will play a part in design but shouldnt be a major issue because using the Even throughout myorganic designs their will be no sharp edges or corners. The product will be usedchanges I have beenin a home environment where there may be children so it must be stable and considering the safety of thewiring should not come lose. speaker. There will be no edges that could harm the user as all of the components for my speaker do not have sharp edges. I will be considering the safety through the rest of my development process. I have followed this from my initial specification. 49. Development Checkpoint 1MaterialsAll of the speakers produced by KEF feature the highest quality materials. KEFdoes not have a large range of different materials used to construct itsspeakers, the main materials used are stainless steel, plastic and wood. Thecabinet inside KEF speakers is plastic, this allows easy construction and tight fits sothere will be no vibration. I am going to focus on using these materials and useplastic as the inside cabinet for the speaker.I have decided to use HIPs for the base of my speaker and also forthe speaker housing. The use of plastic for the speaker housing willreduce vibrations and therefore improve sound quality and it is alsowhat KEF use for the cabinets inside of their speakers. The branchesof my speaker will be made of stainless steel or aluminium whichagain is one of the three main materials used by KEF. The onlymaterial that I will not be using in my design that is used by KEF iswood, however, I have considered using it. I will develop and considerthe materials more throughout the rest of my development. 50. Design DevelopmentI have considered three differentmaterials for my bending jig and theseare wood, metal and plastic. I have I have decided to create a bending jig chosen to use wood without having to that I will use to bend my poles research into the materials properties around. This not only makes thefurther. This is because I know that process quicker and easier for wood is easy to mould and is strong bending them it also means that Iand is also easy to adjust very slightly. could bend the poles over and over These are the properties that have again to the same angle every time.made me choose wood over metal orplastic. My jig will be made by cutting the corners off of an MDF block to form the basic oval shape. I will then use the belt sander, sand paper and files to finish the edges and get them to the exact angle that I want. I will then use the first finished oval to create other ovals. I will do this by using it as a template and drawing around it and cutting out the other ovals. The ovals will then be glued together using PVA to create a firm hold. The ovals will be need to be finished once the glue has dried to ensure that the edges are smooth and flat. 51. Design DevelopmentMy original thoughts for thebranches were that I would usesolid poles to add strength to mydesign.I have however now decided to use hollow poles which will bemuch easier and more practical than using solid poles. Usinghollow poles allows the wires to be easily thread through thepoles because trying to drill a hole all the way through solid poleswould have been impossible. It also will make the poles easier tobend around my jig. It will also bring the weight of the speakerdown and mean that the speaker will be more stable.My original design of joining the speaker housing to the brancheswas to use the lathe and make one end of the poles thinner so thatit could be put through a hole on the bottom of the speakerhousing. I would also have threaded the top so that it could bebolted on the inside of the speaker housing. However, this is notpossible when using hollow poles. Joining this way enables theBecause the poles are now hollow I am going to insert a threaded piece of metal intofunction of being able to swivel the speakers.the end of the hollow pole. This will still mean that it is thinner than the pole and socan have the speaker housing rest on it. I will use the pillar drill to drill a hole thoughthe insert so that wires can still be threaded through the poles. 52. Design Development I have thought about the way that the speaker will sit on top of the pole and have realised that the pole may stick out at the front slightly. I have no decided to have a small flat area that will enable the speaker to sit flat on the pole without causing the pole to protrude at the front.I have considered three different materials for the housingof the speaker. These materials are HIPs, aluminium andwood. I have listed the strengths and weaknesses of eachmaterial below. I have decided to use HIPs because it is self coloured and is the easiest of the materials to form into the bowl shape that I want. It is also a strong material and has a shiny finish without the need to finish and polish.I have decided that the easiest way to form the hollow bowl shape that I need fromHIPs would be to vacuum form it over a wooden mould. Vacuum forming is a veryquick process and is easy to do. It can also get very fine details, although I do notneed any fine details for my design