Open Source Bluetooth Speaker Launched by Teufel
The Teufel Audio MYND Bluetooth speaker is making waves in the audio industry with its innovative open-source and repair-friendly design. This unique approach, which is rare among major brands, allows hobbyists and repair enthusiasts to understand, modify, or fix the speaker themselves.
At the heart of the MYND speaker's repairability is its modular construction, designed with ease of disassembly in mind for facilitating repairs and part replacements. The speaker also places a strong emphasis on sustainability and longevity, aiming to make the device potentially eternal.
The open-source approach provides users with detailed hardware documentation and software, including CAD models, circuit diagrams, and even the speaker's firmware. This wealth of information helps troubleshoot or upgrade the device, making it easier for users to maintain the speaker.
However, the speaker does have some practical repair challenges. The screws are difficult to access, and no specific tools are included with the speaker to ease this process. Additionally, replacement parts, such as the battery, tend to be relatively expensive, partly due to some non-standardized components that can increase service costs.
Despite these challenges, the MYND speaker offers several features that complement its design philosophy. It functions as a powerbank, allowing users to charge other devices, and includes a USB sound card, supporting versatility beyond just Bluetooth audio. The sound performance is balanced at moderate volumes but less impressive at higher volumes or for highly dynamic music genres, reflecting a focus on sustainable design rather than purely high-end audio fidelity.
The MYND speaker was designed to be easy to repair, even for users without specialist knowledge. When a battery dies, only the battery needs to be replaced, not the entire speaker. In fact, users can even make their own MYND speaker if they wish. The company developed its own speaker drivers for the MYND speaker, but off-the-shelf replacements can be used instead.
The strategy of making the MYND speaker easy to repair is not expected to be emulated by many other manufacturers. However, the importance of repairability has been emphasized by industry figures such as Jenny List, who stated, "You own it, you should be able to fix it!" in 2021.
The design files for the Teufel Audio speaker have been open-sourced on GitHub under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. The latest speaker from Teufel Audio aims to enable end-user maintenance, making it a standout choice for buyers who prioritize sustainability, ease of repair, and longevity, although some ergonomics and cost aspects related to repair remain suboptimal.
Jonathan Mueller-Boruttau of Teufel was part of the team behind the development of the MYND speaker. The speaker was designed with a lower environmental footprint in mind due to its repairability, making it an attractive option for environmentally conscious consumers.
In conclusion, the Teufel Audio MYND Bluetooth speaker is a groundbreaking device that puts repairability and sustainability at the forefront. While some aspects of repair could be improved, the speaker offers a unique blend of functionality, versatility, and a commitment to longevity that is hard to find in the audio industry.
- The modular construction of the Teufel Audio MYND speaker, designed for ease of disassembly, aligns well with the electronics and hardware components commonly found in smart-home devices and gadgets.
- The open-source hardware documentation and software provided for the MYND speaker, including CAD models, circuit diagrams, and the speaker's firmware, is similar to the approach often taken by creators of open-source technology projects.
- For consumers seeking sustainable, repairable options, the Teufel Audio MYND Bluetooth speaker, with its focus on longevity and repairability, serves as a prime example among other consumer electronics like smart-home devices and popular gadgets.
