Sony's SRS-ZX1 speakers with "Mobius Duct" for mobile thump

While you won't find us dropping our wad on their new $480 head-mounted, speakers anytime soon, Sony might just tempt us with these. Their SRS-ZX1 speakers feature what Sony calls a new "Mobius Duct" meant to bring a decent, low-frequency response in a relatively portable 3.1 × 6.6 × 7.4-inch package. So it's small, just not that small. This active speaker system with built-in amp gives 20W x 2ch output off 2x analog inputs. Available October 20th in Japan for ¥49,350 or about $426.

[Via Impress]

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 9:32AM]

Seems nice, but the price is damn stiff for just a pair of stereo speakers...

And by the way, what is a "Mobius duct"? A duct with only one edge and one side? Please, someone, explain, 'cause right now my head is spinning in cricles (or Möbius strips?).

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 9:44AM]

I'd assume the shape/path of the duct is based on the moebius strip?

Or it could just be a fancy name with no real significance.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 11:29AM]

I'm guessing that the duct could be shaped like a Klein Bottle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klein_bottle) which is a kinda 3D Mobius strip, but I'm not sure what acoustic benefit it would have - it would have to be open to allow aitr movement inside at which point it's no longer really a Klein Bottle at all. I smell marketing BS.

[Danja Posted Sep 3rd 2007 11:42AM]

If the speaker was inside the klein bottle it'd work. Sort of.

*Walks off to put a speaker in a Klein Bottle*

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 11:55AM]

ah, but there is no "inside" to a Klein Bottle - that's the point. The inside is the outside is the inside, etc, like there is only one side to a Mobius strip. But yeah, I know what you mean.

[Danja Posted Sep 3rd 2007 12:09PM]

Argh! My head, it hurts! I can't find the inside of the bottle!

Damn.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 11:49AM]

I doubt the so called "Moebius Duct" is anything more that your standard folded horn that is has been around forever. Here's the deal. Sound is, of course, waves. Certain frequencies of sound need more time/distance to fully develop, this tends to be the lower frequencies (low end yo', thump, thump). Like a bass wave takes about ten feet or so to completely unfold, if you stand close to the source you won't really hear it.

Now with this in mind, to assist the creation of a fully developed wave you create a horn in the speaker box. The horn starts small and gets bigger nearer the end . Think of a saxophone. To give the wave more time to develop and to fit it in a speaker box you fold the horn.

So to the "Moebius Duct" I say it's pure marketing hoo-hah. These are just powered ported bookshelf/reference monitor speakers. This idea has been around and in use forever. Look in any recording studio.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 12:45PM]

In other words, it's just a run-of-the-mill stereo speaker set with a couple of small, bent bass refex tubes glued on?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 3:47PM]

Looks just like a u-shaped tube on it's butt.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 3rd 2007 6:15PM]

for some reason, the word mobius reminds me of whales...

[Wwhat Posted Sep 3rd 2007 6:39PM]

Why are all speakers rising in price lately? is it because copper is twice as expensive? or did they put some outrageous tax on speakers to 'help' the consumers?