Interview about One618 Omnee Wireless Speaker, winner of the A' Audio and Sound Equipment Design Award 2024
An indoor and outdoor omnidirectional concrete wireless speaker with a built-in amplifier and powerful batteries. It streams music from any source anywhere and emits sound 360 degrees, creating an ultra-wide listening area. Concrete enhances the sound quality and provides a unique visual and tactile appeal. The speaker harmonizes form and function, inspired by the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. It stands out for its design, versatility, quality, and natural and clear sound reproduction. It can be paired with more speakers to create a continuous immersive audio image.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsConcrete’s selection was motivated by a deep fascination with its duality: a material traditionally associated with architecture and infrastructure, yet rarely exploited for its acoustic properties in consumer audio. I was inspired to push material boundaries, seeking a solution that combined mass, rigidity, and tactile richness while breaking free from expected forms. Ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete allowed me to create a dense, non-resonant enclosure that virtually eliminates unwanted vibrations and coloration, letting the music remain pure and unmasked. Beyond physics, the honesty and timeless elegance of raw concrete provide a sculptural, tactile presence—each speaker feels unique to the touch and eye, maturing gracefully with use and handling. By simultaneously serving engineering and artistic goals, concrete transforms the speaker into both an instrument and an object of architectural beauty.
The golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence guided the speaker’s proportions and internal architecture from the outset. The exterior follows φ (1.618), giving rise to harmonious, balanced curves that feel intuitively “right” to the human eye and hand—a visual clarity that also guides the flow of sound waves. Internally, the curvature and spacing of the acoustic lens and driver chamber are mapped to Fibonacci spirals, optimizing sound dispersion and minimizing standing waves. This results in not only a visually calming object but also a shell that naturally supports omnidirectional, uncolored sound propagation. The mathematics that underpin the form are mirrored in the way sound energy radiates smoothly from the core, achieving both an aesthetic and an acoustic ideal.
Marrying dense concrete with sensitive wireless electronics brought a suite of technical hurdles. Achieving precise tolerances in ultra-thin, monolithic concrete shells—while avoiding cracks, voids, and air leaks—required bespoke molds and many cycles of prototyping. Integrating touch controls, fiber optics, amplification, batteries, and antennas within a highly shielded enclosure meant carefully isolating sensitive electronics from electromagnetic and material interference. Because concrete results in a heavier overall structure compared to plastic or wood, it became essential to address how this extra weight would affect portability and battery efficiency. I had to optimize battery size and placement to ensure long playback time without sacrificing performance or making the speaker too cumbersome. Additionally, the mass and density of concrete can sometimes reduce wireless range or complicate antenna positioning—so meticulous internal layout and shielding were required to achieve reliable connectivity. These challenges demanded an inventive blend of computational modeling, material science, and hands-on experimentation throughout the development process.
The quest for omnidirectional, full-range sound began with the principle that music should not be confined to a narrow “sweet spot.” Traditional speakers focus energy toward a single axis, but I wanted sound to fill the room evenly. After extensive acoustic simulations and prototype testing, I adopted a downward-firing driver paired with a custom-molded acoustic lens inspired by natural wave patterns and geometric principles. The lens was meticulously shaped to scatter sound in a 360° horizontal and 95° vertical field, ensuring that music remains coherent and tonally accurate no matter the listener’s position. Special attention to mass distribution and damping materials inside the enclosure preserves clarity, taming any resonance. The result is a truly immersive experience, where the speaker disappears and only music fills the space.
Winning the Gold A’ Design Award affirmed the value of taking creative risks and defying convention. It convinced me that the design community recognizes and rewards multidisciplinary innovation that bridges architecture, acoustics, and user experience. The visibility from this award not only brought new collaborations and client interest, but also fueled my resolve to further question the status quo—exploring new forms, unusual materials, and user-centric technologies in future projects. It’s a reminder that bold, well-researched ideas can resonate globally, and that craftsmanship and originality still matter in today’s tech-driven world.
I wanted the interface to be as discreet and intuitive as the music itself—present when needed, but invisible otherwise. Embedding touch sensors and guiding light via fiber optics beneath the concrete’s surface preserves the object’s monolithic, minimalist aesthetic while offering tactile and visual cues only upon interaction. This approach invites a sense of discovery, letting the user “learn” the device over time and deepening their connection with it. It also means less visual clutter—no distracting buttons or screens—allowing the speaker to integrate naturally into any environment as a functional object and an artwork.
Engineering for acoustic neutrality required a shell of precisely calculated thickness and mass, free of internal parallel surfaces to disperse standing waves and echo. Multiple layers of damping and absorbent material line the interior, while the exterior remains tactile—cool, smooth, but never harsh—thanks to careful casting and hand finishing. The resulting form is sensorial; its density and texture invite touch, and its weight signals authenticity. Every surface detail was iterated to harmonize with the acoustic goal: an enclosure that neither adds nor subtracts from the sound, yet stands as a beautiful, inviting presence.
Maximizing battery life without sacrificing continuous high-fidelity playback involved a holistic approach. High-capacity lithium cells were paired with a custom-designed power management system and ultra-efficient Class-D amplification, all optimized to minimize idle drain and heat loss. The DSP platform dynamically adjusts output according to listening levels and ambient conditions, further improving efficiency. The control circuit isolates charging and playback functions, and multiple input voltages—including solar—allow for truly flexible, off-grid operation. Each component was chosen for maximum performance-per-watt, resulting in a portable speaker that delivers both endurance and sonic excellence.
The One618 omnee.m sets a precedent for reconciling material authenticity with digital sophistication—proving that technology need not hide behind plastic or composite shells. I anticipate a new generation of audio products that prioritize lasting, honest materials and sensory experience alongside smart features and wireless capability. By harmonizing tactile and visual pleasure with acoustic and digital precision, this approach makes audio equipment into functional art. I hope it encourages others to explore natural, architectural materials in ways that heighten both sound reproduction and aesthetic delight, while promoting responsible, enduring craftsmanship.
To bridge the gap between indoor acoustics and outdoor weather, the enclosure is tightly sealed for resistance to dust, humidity, and temperature swings. Concrete’s inherent durability and thermal mass help regulate internal conditions for stable performance. The coatings and finishes are selected for UV resistance and tactile comfort, while weather-sealed gaskets and corrosion–resistant connectors safeguard electronics. The acoustic design avoids reliance on boundary reflections—allowing natural, balanced sound whether in a reverberant living room or an open-air patio—while the robust battery and flexible charging ensure reliable operation wherever music is needed.
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