Bluetooth speakers have come a long way in a fairly short time, not just technologically speaking but in terms of design as well. You’ll still find plenty of the utilitarian black or gray boxes that abounded during the early days, but more companies are pushing the boundaries, whether it’s the gravity-defying Meizu Gravity or a wooden enclosure instead of the standard plastic.
While we’ve seen plenty of wooden speakers before, Hazang’s, which recently launched on Kickstarter, might be the first pair we’ve seen that is handmade from bamboo by a single craftsman. Each speaker is built in Vietnam from locally sourced materials, and the company says each one takes several weeks to manufacture from start to finish. The speakers certainly look striking, and Hazang says the bamboo makes for great sound. Bamboo is also one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet, meaning the material is sustainable.
“By using this local craft and naturally growing materials, we managed to create a contemporary bamboo bluetooth speaker,” Hazang founder Bruno Chandon said in a statement. “Engineers, designers and craftsmen, working together allows us to offer a product that we are incredibly proud of.”
Two models are available: the larger Hazang and the smaller Hazang Bé. Both are vaguely spherical in shape, and come with the customer’s choice of natural, hazel, slate and terracotta hemp covers. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, both models feature a 3.5mm auxiliary jack and a volume knob. While both models are powered by a 30 watt class D amp, the Hazang features larger drivers than the smaller model.
Assuming the campaign is successful, the cheaper Hazang Bé will eventually retail for roughly $340, but Kickstarter backers can nab it for roughly $290. Early Bird and Super Early Bird pricing is available at $250 and $220, respectively, though only for a limited number of early backers. The larger Hazang is planned to retail for $500, with Kickstarter backers paying closer to $430. Early Bird and Super Early Bird pricing is also available for this model, coming in at roughly $390 and $330, respectively.
If you like the look of the speakers, but aren’t a fan of Bluetooth, both the Hazang and Hazang Bé are available as passive stereo pairs that can be used with the user’s own amp. The Hazang pair will cost Kickstarter backers roughly $530, while the Hazang Bé pair goes for around $300. As with the Bluetooth models, Early Bird and Super Early Bird pricing are also available for both passive pairs.
The campaign launched on Tuesday, and at the time of this writing had already raised more than $3,000 of its relatively modest $14,000 goal. The campaign comes to a close on July 14, so there is plenty of time left for Hazang to meet that funding goal. For more information, see Hazang’s campaign page on Kickstarter.
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