Music player speakers that dare to be different

May 23rd, 2010

A recent Buxr deal for an unusual coffee cup speaker made me wonder how many more items like this were available to use with electronic devices that have a 3.5 mm audio jack. The cup featured a 2 watt amplifier, 2 audio-jacks, and a built-in rechargeable battery that plays up to 6 hours of music.

I was delighted to find so many interesting designs, which will surely add visual amusement to your audio experience, and most styles are inexpensive. If you’d prefer something small, there’s a mini jukebox keyring speaker or a 5-inch Star Wars R2D2. If you’re an Elvis fan, you’ll like this realistic poseable head speaker that runs on 4 AA batteries.

This miniature iron is a multifunctional radio and alarm clock that can be connected to any MP3 player or computer to play music. A sports enthusiast might enjoy the basketball style portable speaker set. It can be connected to MP3 players, computers or cell phones and provides good quality sound.

The giant earbud speakers are 500 times the size of tiny earbuds, and include a built-in amplifier. The building brick speaker gets power from your iPod, and needs no batteries.

The B-Flex 2 USB speaker is completely self contained with audio card, amp and speakers in one and runs solely off of USB power. The X-mini iHome capsule speakers run 8 hours on a charge, and provide rich deep sound in a speaker no bigger than a hen’s egg.

Several are animal styles, like a piggy, a panda, or a puppy.

Mouse speakers are also a popular design, and some have lithium batteries that are rechargeable through a USB port.

For “explosive” sound you might want to try the bomb speaker, or some “woofers” that look like headless dogs.

Need something waterproof? Here’s a wireless 900 MHz floating speaker that can transmit up to 150 feet for your pool or hot tub, or a wireless iDuck model that floats in the bathtub – just connect the egg transmitter to your music device and the iDuck will sing away. This waterproof tube style speaker system for iPod would hang or stand in the shower.

These tiny 2 watt lips can be worn on a lanyard around the neck and also include a built-in lithium ion battery; the stereo frog style easily fits in your pocket and is powered by 2 AAA batteries.

A few wooden designs include this tiny acorn and radio set, a hexagonal compact portable pair, and a speaker/pencil sharpener combo.

There are even some neck pillow speakers in many whimsical shapes, including a dolphin and various fruits. The more expensive SleepSounds Music and Alarm Pillow features an integrated sound system built right in, and there’s a timer for music shut-off.

For some outdoor fun, there’s a wireless weather-resistant model that looks like an ordinary thermos. It’s eco-friendly, using solar power for the 5 watt speaker, and includes a remote control and battery-powered transceiver with a 150-foot range. The Gastar miGrill Portable Propane Grill is a serious all-in-one choice for a picnic. Measuring 18 x 14.5 inches, it actually cooks in addition to having built-in speakers and an amplifier for any MP3 player. The grill comes in silver, black, red, and white.

This 5-in-1 solar mini speaker includes a clock, radio, temperature data, solar charger for cellphone and other portable devices, and MP3 player. It has both an SD card slot and USB port, and can play music files from any type of smart phone, computer or netbook, as well as USB flash drives and SD cards.

I even found a couple of little Do-It-Yourself projects to create some mini speakers. With directions from Instructables, you can make a furry monster speaker. It may not produce the best sound, but the most unusual speaker set was made from 2 Altoid tins, using a pair of old headphones, 2 playing cards, some glue and electrical tape. It was chosen as an Altoid Challenge winner, and I guess you could call it a “Curiously Strong” project.

What interesting speaker designs have you seen lately? Please share your favorites in the comments. If you read this article via our email newsletter then please use the link at the top to go to the online version to leave a comment.

Entry Filed under: Shopping