Industrial Design Student Project support/research

[Industrial Design Student]

I am currently working on my final year project ‘Musical system with an emphasis on organic acoustic form and creating a new sound experience/phenomenon’. I was hoping that some people would be kind enough to spare a few moments of their time answering some questions which would help in relation to my project.

- When it comes to buying speakers do you consider the form/shape of the product in relation to the environment you will be placing it?

- If so, what triggers these visceral emotive respone do you think? Size, shape. driver exposure?

- Do you consider what your partners ( if you have one) will feel ?

How long do you usually keep sets of speakers for?

At what point do you feel the need to upgrade or change?

Do you sometimes restrict people from using your audio kit, due to their lack of understanding and the fear they will misuse it? They get confused by control display interaction etc?

What are your thoughts on the ability to control this system through hand gestures or motion control? Do you think this could add to the overall experience? Do you think this would allow people/partners/family to be more inclined to use high end audio kit?

Thank you for reading and if you can add any constructive comments on the following points I would be most grateful.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I don't wish to be rude but I'm afraid your "questions" are purely framed and vague. You may need to work on the nature of your questions in order to elicit responses giving information worthy of analysis.

I suggest you use a (free) survey utility and maybe some forumites would help out. They tend to be a friendly bunch.

 

[chebby]

They tend to be a friendly bunch.

I'm not friendly.

Grrr.

 

[drummerman]

They tend to be a friendly bunch.

I'm not friendly.

Grrr.

I can vouch for that. Grumpy little thing.

 

[chebby]

- When it comes to buying speakers do you consider the form/shape of the product in relation to the environment you will be placing it?

Cuboid and - ideally - covered in a nice wood veneer.

- If so, what triggers these visceral emotive respone do you think? Size, shape. driver exposure?

The proportions of the cabinet concern me for technical (not 'visceral') reasons. I don't expose my drivers.

- Do you consider what your partners ( if you have one) will feel ?

Yes of course. We often listen to it together and even chat about hi-fi sometimes.

How long do you usually keep sets of speakers for?

The longest was 11.5 years and the shortest was about 1.5 years.

At what point do you feel the need to upgrade or change?

When I can comfortably afford it and when I think a change is required. Ninety nine times out of a hundred I have a brief upgrade 'urge' which is forgotten the next day.

Do you sometimes restrict people from using your audio kit, due to their lack of understanding and the fear they will misuse it? They get confused by control display interaction etc?

My friends know I would club them to death even if they just looked at my hi-fi! (Not really.) My wife knows her way around a hi-fi. (We've had hi-fi systems for 35 years - since we first got together in our late teens - so she'd be a bit dim if she didn't know by now!)

What are your thoughts on the ability to control this system through hand gestures or motion control? Do you think this could add to the overall experience? Do you think this would allow people/partners/family to be more inclined to use high end audio kit?

No thanks, no and definitely no. I don't want my bl##dy hi-fi mis-reading every time I move my arms. (We are fine with apps, remotes and even good old on/off switches, source selectors and volume controls.)

Thank you for reading and if you can add any constructive comments on the following points I would be most grateful.

 

[chebby]

I am currently working on my final year project ‘Musical system with an emphasis on organic acoustic form and creating a new sound experience/phenomenon’.

You might need to read up on this ...

http://en.devialet.com/phantom/#discover

... assuming you haven't already.

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

As some posters before said, it could be better to become more specific in your questionnings, because you will just have a vague overview without it.

- When it comes to buying speakers do you consider the form/shape of the product in relation to the environment you will be placing it?

Of course and I know few persons that don't.

- If so, what triggers these visceral emotive respone do you think? Size, shape. driver exposure?

It's all of that. Every human is sensible to beauty and craftmanship. After that, it depends from the tastes. What some finds hiedous is beautiful for others, it's the reason why some peoples continue to buy and drive GMC cars. For me, I like rounded forms in the back and narrowed fronts like you are finding on usher speakers, but the wood, the finish quality and the integration of the speakers is important too.

- Do you consider what your partners ( if you have one) will feel ?

I have absolutely no choice to go around that. A couple is an act of sharing (love, appartments, time of life) the giant furniture that make sound is although concerned.

How long do you usually keep sets of speakers for?

Until now, it was more than 14 years. But I plan to stay with my actual PMC fact8 for my entire life.

At what point do you feel the need to upgrade or change?

I have a solid experience in hif gear now (because I used the time with my old set to gain experience) and I've made my decisions (and budget planification) on a decade for my actual setup. I have a assembled a set that will not trigger any need of upgrading, only refurbishing the old stuff if it comes in the years. If I would have invested my money in some middle class things, it could have been different, because you will always find some things that will amaze you in the higher classes. But it's now, not my case anymore.

Do you sometimes restrict people from using your audio kit, due to their lack of understanding and the fear they will misuse it? They get confused by control display interaction etc?

Yes. I only let knowledgables persons on it, and it's absolutely normal. We all have this "friend" that try to scratch on your Rega turntable with MC cartidge. Yes... we all have.

What are your thoughts on the ability to control this system through hand gestures or motion control? Do you think this could add to the overall experience? Do you think this would allow people/partners/family to be more inclined to use high end audio kit?

In fact, this would pisses me. This kind of things can only come from a person that as absolutely no childs whatsoever. A child would IMMEDIATELY troll the s_it out of you with an hand gesture responsive hifi kit. Although, with all the electronic spying we have around us, putting some more "intelligent electronic" in my flat is not an option anymore.