Sound Fun launches lower-priced Mirai Speaker Mini to help TV viewers hear dialogue better

Machine Translated by DeepL:

February 29, 2024

PRESS

Press Release "Mirai Speaker Mini" goes on sale

Mirai Speaker Mini" for Clear Speech without Volume Increase

Patented "Curved Surface Sound" technology eliminates the difficulty of hearing TVs

The lowest-priced model in the Mirai Speaker Series, which has sold more than 200,000 units in total

Aiming to surpass 1 million units within 3 years at an affordable price of 19,800 yen (tax included)

(Location: Taito-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroshi Yamaji; hereinafter referred to as "SoundFan"), which offers a new perspective on the "100-year history of speakers" by eliminating the difficulty of hearing, and provides new value and possibilities in the sound field with its patented "curved surface sound" technology, (Location: Taito-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroshi Yamaji; hereinafter referred to as "SoundFan"), which provides new value and possibilities in the sound field, announces that it will start selling MIRAI SPEAKER Mini from February 29, 2024.

Mirai Speaker® is a speaker that improves the hearing of TV words caused by aging and other factors. By simply placing it next to the TV, even those with hearing difficulties can hear words clearly and audibly without having to increase the volume, allowing the whole family to enjoy TV together in comfort. The unique "Curved Surface Sound" technology, which was inspired by the trumpet part of a phonograph, uses a curved flat diaphragm to deliver words clearly and widely over a long distance. 87.9%*1 of people who have actually experienced this technology have experienced improved "hearing. This technology has not only been patented in Japan, but also applied for a worldwide PCT patent and a Taiwanese patent.

In October 2023, we will launch the "Mirai Speaker®" series, which will not only enable customers to hear words clearly and audibly, but also provide them with a sense of presence from content such as movies and TV dramas. In October 2023, we launched "Mirai Speaker Stereo" as a high-end model in response to customers' requests for a sense of presence from content, such as movies and dramas, in addition to hearing words clearly and distinctly. As a result, the cumulative domestic sales volume exceeded 200,000 units. 2

About half of our EC purchasers choose "Mirai Speaker®" as a gift for their family members, not only for those who have hearing problems due to aging, but also for people of all ages. Customers have given high marks to the product, saying, "I feel safe because my family doesn't warn me about loud noises," "I enjoy watching TV because I can hear the words," and "My parents are very satisfied with the product.

On the other hand, some customers said, "It sounds great, but it's expensive" or "It's a little too expensive for a gift. In response, we will launch "Mirai Speaker Mini" as the successor to "Mirai Speaker Home" on February 29, just before Ear Day (March 3), with a more user-friendly, stylish design and affordable price, while maintaining the same hearing, functions, and size.

1 Survey period: 10/26/2021 ~11/29/2021 Results of 116 purchaser surveys conducted during this period (those who returned the products are not included).

2 Totaled by number of units shipped, as of November 2023.

Mirai Speaker Mini Features

More affordable while maintaining the same clear sound

While evolving the curved diaphragm that produces audible sound, we have achieved pricing in the 10,000-yen range by simplifying the structure.

Simple design that does not over-emphasize the curved surface sound while respecting its originality

While maintaining the fan-shaped form typical of curved surface sound, the simple and stylish design looks like a black rectangle from the front that does not interfere with TV viewing.

Attention to user-friendliness based on customer feedback

The Mirai speaker can be easily connected in two steps, "anyone can install it without hesitation. In addition, we have made efforts to improve the usability of the product, such as a "packing box" with a device to prevent loss of accessories, an "instruction

" with illustrations for intuitive understanding, and a "longer cord" to accommodate larger televisions.

Hearing/Sound-related Problems in Daily Life, No. 1: "TV Sound

According to the results of our survey, the most common problem related to hearing/sound in daily life is "TV sound". Those in their 30s and 40s cited difficulty in hearing the TV sound mixed in with the sounds of daily life, those in their 50s cited problems caused by their parents watching TV too loudly, and those in their 60s and older cited difficulty in hearing TV dialogue. These results clearly indicate that there is a need for TV listening comprehension regardless of generation. Therefore, by keeping the price of "Mirai Speaker Mini" low, we hope to help make the daily lives of more people more comfortable.

*For more information on the survey results, please refer to

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000052.000042881.html

We have made a number of creative efforts to make this product available to a wider audience

Comment from Hiroshi Yamaji, President/CEO, SoundFun, Inc.

We developed "Mirai Speaker Mini" so that more people with hearing difficulties and their families can lead comfortable lives. Even in the midst of the world's rising prices, we were able to achieve pricing in the 10,000 yen range through our ingenuity without sacrificing quality. Through this product, we hope to surpass 1 million cumulative sales of the Mirai speaker series in Japan within the next three years. In addition, the problem of "hearing" in an aging society is common throughout the world, and it is said that one in four people in the world will have a hearing problem by 2050*2. For this reason, we will further strengthen our expansion into overseas markets and show the world our presence with our unique speaker technology that Japan is proud of.

*2Source: World Health Organization

https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2021-who-1-in-4-people-projected-to-have-hearing-problems-by-2050

Mirai Speaker Mini" Specifications

The sound is emitted from the entire diaphragm, so it has a wide directivity and can be heard anywhere in the room.

The high voice clarity and pronunciation efficiency in the voice band allow the user to hear sound clearly even without increasing the volume.

The hybrid structure of the curved diaphragm and drive unit eliminates phase shift and delay.

Model】Compact amplifier built-in curved surface sound speaker

Speaker Type】Newly developed hybrid type curved diaphragm speaker unit (patented)

Frequency Response】180Hz〜20kHz(Total characteristic)*Reference

Amplifier Output】15W(Digital amplifier drive exclusively designed for MAX)

Input/Sensitivity] 3.5mm stereo mini jack

Operating environment: -10°C to +40°C. Avoid using in humid environments.

Size] W90mmxH154mm (including maximum projection) xD200mm

Weight] Approx. 0.6kg (excluding power adapter approx. 100g)

Power supply】With accessory power adapter (DC IN 12V 1.5A)

Accessories] Power adapter x 1 Audio cable (2m) x 1 (3.5mm stereo mini plugs at both ends) Instruction manual x 1 Separate sheet "For more comfortable use of Mirai speaker" x 1

Mirai Speaker official EC site

shop.soundfun.co.jp/Landing/Formlp/miraispeaker_home.aspx

What is "Mirai Speaker®"'s unique "Curved Surface Sound", a new technology that transforms "sound" itself?

The diaphragm of a conventional speaker is a cone-shaped diaphragm, whereas the diaphragm of the "Mirai Speaker®" is a curved flat plate. The curved sound emitted from the curved diaphragm delivers clear sound over a wide distance, helping people who have trouble hearing.

Difference of "sound waves" from conventional speakers

Sound waves are difficult to visualize, but with the cooperation of Associate Professor Okubo of Tokyo Metropolitan University, we conducted a simulation analysis of the movement of the diaphragm to understand why sound waves unique to Mirai speakers are generated. It was confirmed that, unlike conventional speakers, the Mirai speaker creates a sound field that firmly delivers sound over a wide area in the high frequency range. We will continue our research on the "curved surface sound" that will change the history of speakers for the next 100 years.

Company Profile

Company Name: Sound Fan Inc. soundfun.co.jp

Headquarters: Cosmos Asakusabashi Sakai Building 4F, 1-32-6 Asakusabashi, Taito-ku, Tokyo

Established: October 7, 2013

President and Representative Director: Hiroshi Yamaji

Capital: 50,000,000 yen (including capital reserve: 100,000,000 yen)

Business description: Development, manufacturing, and sales of "Mirai Speaker®," a technology that converts TV and other audio into audible sound

▼ Press release can also be found at

prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000053.000042881.html