Sonos Playbase
Research showed that most people who buy soundbars do not mount them on the wall because of the time, tools, or skill required. The soundbar often sits in front of the TV (obstructing the screen) or gets tucked into a corner. The Sonos Playbase addresses this problem by acting as a TV pedestal equipped with a single, low-profile smart speaker that brings room-filling bass and crisp, cinematic sound to your TV.
What we did
We designed the Sonos Playbase to deliver a first-class audio experience through a minimalist, unobtrusive design. Following initial prototyping, we brought early mock-ups into homes to test our theories on size, shape, and the overall perception of our concepts. User feedback led us to create an elongated, oblong shape with generous, rounded corners that provide deeper bass and broad sound projection. We wanted the technology to disappear within the room. So we removed all evidence of construction, such as split lines and material breaks, to achieve a low-profile design that practically disappears. Aside from the interactive sound and control elements and a gently recessed that links the speaker to a network and other Sonos speakers, the Playbase looks as though it were hewn from a solid piece of material. This simple, seamless design with no split lines meant we had come up with a unique manufacturing solution that involved machining 43,000 individual holes.
