This weekend I did some research through pro audio blogs to see what a Musician and Audio Producer user would want out of a portable bluetooth speaker.
A little background: I started studying and learning design in 2013 but before that I spent a lot of my free time in college composing music and doing the audio production that goes into making a mixed and mastered track. I started thinking about this stereo bluetooth speaker idea after seeing all the time I spent carefully mixing individual instrument tracks across the stereo space go to waste on a portable bluetooth speaker with two speakers that were only 4 inches apart. Because of this, the sound that hits you ears is essentially monophonic and producers even use these bluetooth speakers to check their mono mixes.
Here is the ideal stereo speaker setup from a top view which maximizes the stereo space, instrument clarity, and immersion while listening to a track.
With this target user in mind, I created a list of features from the research I did to help shape this concept going forward.
Portable Stereo Sound (two seperate speakers with the ability to attach together)
Aux input
Analog sound knob - tactile buttons
Control of the track (play/pause/rewind/ff/next song/previous song)
Flat EQ response (most bluetooth speakers are overly bassy)
Speaker stays in place on the table at full volume
Prioritize sound quality - it’s ok if the product is a little larger and heavier than typical bluetooth speakers (musicians are used to hauling around really heavy gear because it sounds better)
Incorporate natural materials where possible
I did some sketches and overlays to incorporate more tactile controls into the latest form concept. I also sketched a quick scene showing the scale and how they would be used in stereo mode.