Electronics these days are a dime a dozen. With large companies like Apple and Microsoft duking it out for consumers’ attention, smaller brands need to find creative ways to present themselves to stand out from your run-of-the-mill Beats By Dre.
Mapuguaquén (which translates to ‘sound of the earth’ in South American Mapuche) isn’t the easiest brand name to pronounce, but its range of handmade clay speakers are most certainly easy on the eyes. While the acoustics are made in Germany, the sourcing of organic materials and production are done by native craftsmen in Nacimiento, Chile.
And it shows…
The speakers give you some sweet sounding tunes while showcasing the different cultures, materials, and craftwork that goes into making them (and they’re biodegradable to boot). Wooden cones and caps made from raulí and avellano reflect the acoustics in the speaker which are pumped out from the drivers.
To keep the acoustics insulated, wool and leather from Bio Bio, Chile is placed inside the speakers. Seeing as wool doesn’t conduct static electricity, it also protects the electrical components inside the speakers. Likewise, leather is resistant to heat, making sure the Mapuguaquén won’t suddenly combust and melt away.
The body of the speakers is made from clay and is shaped in such a way to avoid sudden sound resonances whenever you’re blasting Bohemian Rhapsody through them. They are cooked at over 1000°C before hardening to make it sturdy and provide little oscillation.
Lastly, the electronics stored inside consist of Class D amplifiers with Bluetooth v4.0 AptX codec technology, a digital-analog converter (DAC) with SpeakerGuard, and a digital signal processor (DSP). The speaker itself can be paired with any Bluetooth device up to 10 meters or by using an AUX 3.5mm audio jack.
There are three Mapuguaquén speakers, each with their own specs and different drivers. The MAPU Mono and Stereo are almost exactly alike, save for their audio output. They use 4” full range drivers using 30/45W of power.
The bigger MAPU 2.1 doesn’t have two extra speakers for show. The more prominent speaker uses a 5¼” woofer, while two 3” mid/high drivers are set inside the smaller speakers. This lets it give off a bigger stereo sound while running on 60/105W of power.
With traditional craft rooted in its design—combined with a promising sound system—the Mapuguaquén has already exceeded its Kickstarter goal of $11,675 (it currently has funding of $29,166) and is well on its way to production.
You can find out more on this down-to-earth speaker on its Kickstarter page or on the Mapuguaquén official webpage.
