Skip to main content

Build your own modular speaker system with Sonic Blocks

sonic blocks
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Usually when you buy a wireless speaker, choice only extends as far as picking which model you want — once you’ve made your purchase, that’s it. But what if that wasn’t the case?

Enter Sonic Blocks, the product of a father-and-son team recently launched Indiegogo that takes a much more flexible approach to sound. As the name implies, the Sonic Blocks system is modular, allowing the customer to choose between different woofers, tweeters, and midrange drivers in addition to more cosmetic touches like lights.

Related: Find your happy place in these audiophile cans from Beyerdynamic

“Sonic Blocks is a unique new modular approach to audio/music system design that allows users to quickly and easily swap or add individual speakers to meet their individual preferences and needs,” Sonic Blocks co-founder and CEO Scott Wilker told Digital Trends. “The virtually limitless expansion options and future-proof architecture of Sonic Blocks makes other music systems obsolete.”

Whether or not the system is so revolutionary you’ll want to throw out your home stereo or other speakers remains to be seen, the specs do look pretty impressive. Not only is Bluetooth connectivity supported, but Wi-Fi and DTS Play-Fi are as well, while wired connections are available in both analog and digital forms, with S/PDIF, TOSLINK, and USB connectors available.

Actual performance will vary based on the configuration, but the class D amplifier is claimed to be capable of producing over 90 dB SPL at one meter distance, which would mean plenty of volume. The lithium ion battery is described as offering over 15 hours of playback, though again, this could vary based on any number of factors. Light panels not only pulse to the music, but can show Wi-Fi strength, battery power, and more.

Backers can pledge as little as $25, but to actually get your hands on a speaker, you’ll have to pay at least $200, and that’s for the limited edition starter bundle, of which only 50 units are available. Most backers will have to spring for at least the $430 Double Stack, which includes one “brain,” two “exoskeleton” housings, two tweeters, four full-range drivers, three bass drivers, and a total of nine speaker grilles.

For $530, a sound bar kit is available that uses a similar component list for a more home theater-oriented setup. For those willing to spend even more, a $650 twin stereo kit is available as is a $1,600 kit offering multiroom functionality for up to a total of five rooms. While the kits offer a starting point, users can mix and match components as they wish.

The 30-day campaign is looking to raise a total of $50,000, but this is a flexible funding campaign, so the creators intend to move forward no matter the outcome. If everything goes according to plan, finished units will ship in early 2017, but potential backers should keep in mind that as with all crowdfunding campaigns, there is a level of risk here. For more information, see the Sonic Blocks campaign page on Indiegogo.

A version of this post was first published on our brother site, Digital Trends.

Kris Wouk
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
The Ghostbusters have a new ride in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter plays a pivotal role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The ECTO-Z makes its debut in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

Read more
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more