It might look like a cross between a Roomba and a spaceship, but the Proper Audio 2 neither cleans nor flies – it’s actually a Bluetooth speaker that can be mounted on a wall, and easily moved from room to room.
The concept is essentially to get the best of two worlds out of one speaker: the portability of a portable Bluetooth speaker with the more permanent look of a fixed system. The disk comes in black or white, and can be installed using 3M adhesive. When you want to move the tunes from the kitchen to the basement – or even take the device to the office – just turn and click the disk off the mount to remove it. The adhesive doesn’t leave any residue behind. But keep in mind that the mounts are meant to remain on the various walls throughout the home, even when you don’t have a Proper Audio2 speaker housed within it. This may turn off particularly décor-conscious folks.
That said, the speaker is small so it might just blend in with the look of a room.
iPhone users get an added benefit: there are four, high-powered neodynimum magnets hidden beneath the “M Lock” mount in the centre where you can mount an iPhone using the Proper M Lock iPhone cases (available for the models 4-6 Plus), then orient it either vertically or horizontally, and manipulate it right from the wall to initiate music playback, a FaceTime call, or other multimedia experiences. Too bad there isn’t an iPad case with mount option as well.
Australian-based StudioProper promises “big sound” with a high-performance acoustic chamber and driver cone design that, thanks to its shape, can reportedly provide full, 360-degree, well-balanced audio. The speaker operates for up to eight hours on a single charge. And if you want to use it while out and about where a mount isn’t handy or feasible, you can still rest its soft rubber base on any flat surface.
Funny that the company uses the shortened name “PA2” to describe it, as the design, and wall-mounting option, sort of remind us of a Public Address (PA) or intercom system. It’s ok if you’re tempted to speak into the device, because it can actually function as a speakerphone as well using a connected smartphone – it even has a built-in noise canceling microphone.
At the time of this writing, the Proper Audio 2 had received just shy of $20,000 in pledges by 180 backers – halfway to its $40,000 goal with 21 days to go. Will the idea of the hybrid portable/permanent speaker design PA stick? Stay tuned.
