AVAILABLE THROUGH CHARLES AND MARIE
Why-fi?
Patent pending
Through passive amplification alone, These unique pieces instantly transform any personal music player + earbuds into a sculptural audio console.
Without the use of external power or batteries, the Phonofone inventively exploits the virtues of horn acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to up to 55 decibles* (or roughly the maximum volume of laptop speakers)
Upon connecting active earphones to the Phonofone their trebly buzzing is instantly and profoundly transformed into a warm, rich and resonant sound.
The Phonofone is constructed entirely from ceramic. Not only environmentally low impact, ceramics are inherently rigid and resonant, lending themselves well to this application.
Material: Ceramic
Dimensions: 11" x 9.5" x 20"
To date, all phonofones are considered design prototypes and crafted by the designer at his ceramic fabrication facility in Toronto, Canada. These production prototypes are recognizable by their signed bases and serial edition number. Phonofone II will be produced as part of a larger serial edition as early as spring 2008 – for information on the availability of these pieces please email info@scienceandsons.com
Ph II
serial edition limit at 75 units
$875 CAD ea.
New models and materials such as porcelain along with different glaze colours and decal patterns will be launched shortly to mark future editions…check back soon.
The design and technology of the phonofone collection is regarded proprietary and is protected by patent. Science and Sons is interested in discussing licensing arrangement which could see this product produced in larger volumes. Please email.
The fine print on Phonofones
Truly an an amazing awebject, the phonofone is clever piece of applied science, a beautiful icon of nostalgia, and an ironic twist on the insular nature of personal listening devices. It is not intended to be used as home stereo system. To fully exploit the amplification potential of your phonofone the following considerations are strongly urged
Mp3 player – The output power of full size Apple brand iPods and iPod minis (HD size non specific) is ideally suited for powering a phonofone. iPod nano’s and shuffles are only recommended if used with an inline headphone amplifier (see point #5). It is also recommended to override your iPod volume restriction settings before hooking it up to a phonofone.
Headphones - Only Apple Brand earbuds (with the adapters provided with your phonofones) are recommended for this application. Be aware that after prolonged use at loud volumes, the earbuds can start to degrade in audio quality.
Types of music – The phonofone is excellent for amplifying Blues, Classical and Folk music, but is less ideal for Electronic music and Rock. This is because the heavy bass associated with both Rock and Techno can result in clipping (buzzing) when played at its loudest volume. If clipping is occurring in a song, it can be overridden by selecting the “bass reduction” equalizer setting in your iPod or by playing the song at a slightly lower volume.
Mp3 Quality – Not all music is mastered the same. That is, the baseline volume of each song can differ from each other significantly especially if your music library consist of illegally downloaded material (which I hope it isn’t). If you are experiencing a large degree of variation in the listening volume of your MP3s try adjusting the gain (volume) of each file accordly by using free 3rd party software (see links) Science and sons will not assume responsibility for any damages that this software might incur.
Headphone Preamplifiers - If you plan on using your phonofone with an iPod shuffle or nano, or are simply seeking more volume from this device, you can purchase a headphone amplifier. A headphone amplifier is small battery operated device that is placed in-line between your Mp3 player and your earbuds. This device will increase the power of the signal to the headphones which will result in a higher volume (and actually makes the phonofone sound rather loud). Please note that using a preamplifier can significantly limit the life of your earbuds and should be used with discretion. If you hear the earbuds “crackling” then its time to turn the volume down.