Mechanical vibration devices produce sound from flat surfaces

A new type of device has become all the rage, they work by vibrating on any flat surface and producing a sound current. They require no loud speakers but come with the option of headphones which you can stick in your ear.

The Olympia SoundBug is a UK release of this technology, based on research from Hull University it uses a new material called Terfenol-D, some pictures below show the device,

As you can see it uses a sucker to be placed on any smooth flat surface like a car window or fridge. The sucker creates a partial vacuum when fastened firmly and when a sound current is applied will vibrate turning the surface into a natural speaker. The sound reproduction quality will vary from surface to surface and is far from being Dolby digital. It's aimed as a novelty gift item and is usually sold at that type of site.

Another popular vibrating device is the Vibro Blaster pictured below,

In my opinion it's certainly a more attractive device and looks somewhat like a tub of hair wax or Vaseline. It's available in both black and silver as shown above and we have read it's sound reproduction is far superior to that of the SoundBug. It weighs only 445g, produces 15 watts (RMS) and can be stuck to most flat surfaces just like the SoundBug.

Rating 1-5 Your Name Product Pros Cons Additional Comments

Enter the text above