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Mars levitating Bluetooth speaker promises better sound all round

Mars levitating Bluetooth speaker promises better sound all round
The creators of the Mars speaker say that with the speaker levitating, it limits wave absorption and provides better quality sound
The creators of the Mars speaker say that with the speaker levitating, it limits wave absorption and provides better quality sound
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Mars has also developed a companion app to be available on both iOS and Android
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Mars has also developed a companion app to be available on both iOS and Android
Its cylindrical charging station doubles as a 3.75 inch high excursion subwoofer, along with two USB ports for charging your devices
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Its cylindrical charging station doubles as a 3.75 inch high excursion subwoofer, along with two USB ports for charging your devices
Waterproof up to three feet (91 cm), the so-called Mars Craft recharges automatically when docked in the base and can be thrown in your bag like a regular Bluetooth speaker
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Waterproof up to three feet (91 cm), the so-called Mars Craft recharges automatically when docked in the base and can be thrown in your bag like a regular Bluetooth speaker
Mars has also developed a companion app to be available on both iOS and Android
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Mars has also developed a companion app to be available on both iOS and Android
The Mars speaker also incorporates a microphone, which sees it also function as a speaker phone
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The Mars speaker also incorporates a microphone, which sees it also function as a speaker phone
Its cylindrical charging station doubles as a 3.75-inch (9.5 cm) excursion subwoofer, along with two USB ports for charging your devices
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Its cylindrical charging station doubles as a 3.75-inch (9.5 cm) excursion subwoofer, along with two USB ports for charging your devices
The Mars speaker also incorporates a microphone, which sees it also function as a speaker phone
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The Mars speaker also incorporates a microphone, which sees it also function as a speaker phone
The creators of the Mars speaker say that with the speaker levitating, it limits wave absorption and provides better quality sound
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The creators of the Mars speaker say that with the speaker levitating, it limits wave absorption and provides better quality sound
View gallery - 8 images

With the Bluetooth speaker marketplace becoming increasingly crowded, designers are looking at their products from new angles to gain an edge over the competition. For Honk Kong-based startup Crazybaby, this included the speaker's underside, with the team developing a levitating Bluetooth speaker that floats above its charging station to project sound from every surface.

The Mars speaker comes hot on the heels of the floating Om/One, which we looked at in August. This spherical speaker levitates using magnets, and is claimed to offer enhanced performance through its entirely unobstructed surface area. The innovative design catapulted the Om/One to crowdfunding success, with the speaker now available for preorder at US$199.

The Bluetooth 4.0 Mars speaker, however, does have a few points of difference in functionality. Its cylindrical charging station doubles as a 3.7-inch (9.5 cm) excursion subwoofer, along with two USB ports for charging your devices. In addition to this bass boost, the developers claim that suspending the speaker in the air above avoids waves being absorbed by surfaces, said to improve sound quality.

Waterproof at up to three feet (91 cm), the so-called Mars Craft recharges automatically when docked in the base and can be thrown in your bag like a regular Bluetooth speaker, providing up to eight hours of playtime on its own. Mars has also developed a companion app to be available on both iOS and Android. One feature of the app is proximity volume, which sees the system identify how close the user is and adjusts the sound level accordingly. It also incorporates a microphone, which can see it serve as a speaker phone as well.

The spaceship-like Mars speaker is currently the subject of a crowdfunding campaign. Early pledges of $169 are available, with shipping estimated for April 2015 if the campaign runs as planned.

You can hear from some of the Crazybaby team in the pitch video below.

Source: Crazybaby

Mars by crazybaby: The Levitating Bluetooth Hi-Fi Speaker #ElevateYourAudio

View gallery - 8 images
3 comments
3 comments
EddieG
In real life, people and instruments do not "project sound from every surface." I would not expect realistic sound from this speaker.
Gregg Eshelman
All these monophonic Bluetooth (and wired) speakers these days.
Dad (born in 1938) was right. This crazy stereo thing was just a passing fad!
Oscar Garvilov
This Bluetooth speaker has an intelligent design and has great sound quality. It features a UFO-style disc that floats above its base stand like a freaking flying saucer. I don’t want to cast a shadow on this product, as I really think Mars is great, but in my opinion, audio and video equipment should be tested in person, as everyone perceives these very differently from the person standing next to them.