While Yamaha‘s vast catalog includes connected devices designed to take full advantage of digital music, such as the Yamaha MusicCast WXC-50 network player, the Yamaha MusicCast 20 and Yamaha MusicCast 50 connected speakers as well as the Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable with Bluetooth receiver, the brand recently unveiled a new line of conceptual connected objects called Stepping Out of the Slate. Presented as a way to recapture the tactile aspect of music while enjoying the benefits of streaming, these music devices are designed to work in symbiosis with smartphone apps.
Yamaha TurnT
The Yamaha TurnT speaker/turntable is designed to interact directly with a smartphone screen as if it were a record. Simply place the stylus on the record that appears on the phone’s screen to start playback. The music is then reproduced by a driver located on the front panel, like a Muse MT-501 ATC turntable for example. To change tracks, you can use the smartphone screen or reposition the stylus. The action of carefully placing the stylus on the record lets you relive the vinyl experience digitally.
Yamaha Winder
The Yamaha Winder concept is a key dedicated to a single song, like a music box. When the key is wound up, the selected song on the connected smartphone starts playing. Sound movements are generated according to the flutter of the spring, which produces a unique sound texture.
Yamaha MusicLight
The Yamaha MusicLight is designed so you can listen to music while watching the flame of a candle. The concept is to light a candle to start the music from your smartphone. The sound oscillates subtly with the flickering of the flame. When the flame goes out, the music stops.
Yamaha RhythmBox
The last concept presented by Yamaha in its Stepping Out of the Slate line, the RhythmBot is based on the concept of a metronome. Each of these four little robots plays a unique sound and can be connected to your smartphone to play rhythms to the tempo of the track being played. The Yamaha RhythmBot can even join in and accompany you in real-time.
With its Stepping Out of the Slate line, Yamaha aims to restore the physical connection between the listener and their music while taking advantage of the vast music catalog offered by streaming services. Has the Japanese manufacturer found the perfect compromise to combine the tactile experience of vinyl with digital music?
