Earlier this year, a Japanese man named Shigeichi Negishi died at the age of 100, but his legacy lives on through his invention: the world’s first karaoke machine. His coin-operated Sparko Box, dreamed up by the engineer in his electronics workshop in 1967, quickly spread in popularity in Japan and eventually around the world, and you can now find a karaoke bar in most cities around the world .

This hugely popular hobby is proof that you don’t have to be good at something to have fun, and now you can bring the joy of singing to a group of friends in a booth or on a scene in front of strangers. at home for US$59. While it’s not the first portable karaoke machine to hit the market, the intelligent SonicPlay system takes things to a new level while keeping the cost low.

Kickstarter

To line up a song, simply add a library to a microSD card and insert it into the back of the speaker housing, or stream it directly from your phone via Bluetooth. It uses Bluetooth 5.3, which allows for seamless audio and connection stability.

Plus, you don’t need to add instrumental tracks; one click and the smart speaker removes the vocal tracks, leaving you with just the music. Essentially, any song you can find can be karaoke, no matter how obscure or new it is. (You can also just stream music and use it as a powerful portable speaker.)

Then the LED screen will load the song title and artist, and sync the scrolling lyrics on the screen to the beat of the music to guide you through the fun part: the singing. If, like me, you love music and karaoke but have a brain like a sieve for lyrics, this is a great feature.

Kickstarter

The creators of SonicPlay have also gone to great lengths to improve the sound of portable karaoke machines. Here, two two-inch full-range speakers equipped with a passive bass radiator are meant to deliver powerful, meaty output, helping to make home karaoke more immersive – something that’s often compromised compared to traditional setups. professional (and extremely expensive).

This immersive experience – and its absence in existing portable systems – was the driving force behind the creation of SonicPlay. The lighting system features seven colors that can be static or playfully synchronized with music. And two wireless microphones provide approximately 10 hours of use between charges. Here you’ll also find buttons to turn singing songs on and off, and there are five curious sound modes to play with: Goddess, Uncle, Monster, Baby and KTV – or private cabin style karaoke TV.

Cleverly, the creators designed SonicPlay to be much more than just a karaoke machine or portable music speaker. It can be transformed into a bedside alarm clock and daily planner, providing alerts for scheduled meetings, tasks and appointments. The ambient lighting also makes for a decent mood night light.

Kickstarter

“SonicPlay defends a fundamental belief: music is not only intended for listening, it is also intended for participation and sharing,” note the creators of the little intelligent machine that it took them two years to build . “Every SonicPlay user is not just a listener but a creator in their own musical universe. Through this brand, we hope music can bridge the gap between people, giving every voice a way to express themselves and each person a stage for their unique sound In the world of SonicPlay, music isn’t just something you “hear”, it’s something you “play”.

And while karaoke is somewhat of a niche, it has the ability to bring people together, regardless of their singing skills. In fact, the worse you are, the more fun it becomes.

Kickstarter

SonicPlay ends a Kickstarter campaign now, a few weeks from the end. You can buy a single setup – case, two microphones, and charging cables – starting at $59 (40% off the $99 retail price), and it can ship worldwide. As the goal has been largely exceeded, with 75 contributors to date, delivery is expected to begin in March 2025.

Source: Kickstarter

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