Take a look at it and you’ll go back in time to the days of the good ol’ gramophone. What’s more, it sounds like one too! There are no external batteries, no external power and you can connect to the speakers with earphones. It uses passive horn acoustics and the output can go up to 55 decibels.

Once you connect earphones to the Phonofone II, suddenly you get a warm and resonant sound. It’s so good to look at too. For one, it’s ceramic and for another, it’s such a beautiful melding of the first technological sound breakthroughs and the technology of today. The other great thing is the fact that it uses no power or batteries but relies in acoustics to give you sound.

Maybe it’s not quite right for every kind of music, Classical and easy listening music would probably sound better on it than a more bass-heavy kind of music. However, it can give you sound that your laptop can give you without using power and that is remarkable.

The Phonofone II is right now only a limited edition prototype version and it is estimated that there will be around 200 units sold. The promise is that come next spring, there will be production in larger numbers. Coming from the Science and Sons sound stable, it is priced currently at $875 CAD. Might be worth getting one just as a keepsake and a wonderful reminder of the sound and technology of yesteryears, wouldn’t it?