The sound of style
BY NADINE PELZER
Bluetooth speakers generally sound pretty well and are easy to use. In terms of style however, they rarely blend in with, shall we say, more carefully orchestrated surroundings. Not so the Caruso, a rather hip example which cleverly combines acoustics with storage space and sports a gramophone mimicking speaker made of ceramic.
With the “music cabinet” made for the Italian company Miniforms, Paolo Cappello won a first place Contemporary Design Award. The Veronese designer asked himself if a piece of furniture can improve our quality of life. And so he crafted from a common music player a distinctive and promising music cabinet with vintage flair: “I wanted to design something that even in our digital age would resonate music because of its shape, something with a strong iconic and recognisable attraction. Even when there is no music to be heard, everyone should immediately understand it to be a music cabinet.”
The furniture gem with a width of almost one meter has an integrated Bluetooth 4.0 audio system; indeed a remarkable mix of modern technology and classic shapes. Its custom-developed audio system provides a clear high-performance sound. The Caruso app that comes with the cabinet also works when disconnected as it will work with any other Bluetooth-enabled device. In conclusion, here is a new visual music experience offering both an individualised player and a playlists layout.
The design can be ordered in different colours and materials. Combinations of these come each with its own personality. For lovers of luxury there is a limited edition made of 18th-century oak and a 24-carat gold-plated speaker. Oh, how Enrico Caruso, the greatest Neapolitan opera tenor of all times, would sound from these; in fact, a suitable tribute!
This article was published in The Produktkulturmagazin, issue Q4 2016. Picture credit © Paolo Cappello
