Soniphorm

09/04/2025

Hainbach using the Active system with the new app he's released!

11/12/2024

NEW Soniphorm Active exciter speaker system now available for experiments with resonance, reamplification and feedback.

What is it? Active comes in two varieties, the four channel Active 4 and the 2 channel Active 2. There's the base unit, a 5v powered amplifier with 1/4" jack line level inputs so you can connect into standard audio production workflows, and powered minijack outputs for feeding the exciter speakers.

Exciters are a special type of loudspeaker that must be put in contact with a surface to work. Imagine a normal speaker without a cone: whatever you put the felt pad from the Active Exciter onto will effectively become the speaker cone. This opens up a lot of interesting creative opportunities for sound design, from playing back recordings through resonant objects like musical instruments, vessels and various materials.

Who might like this? Sound designers, sound artists, experimental musicians, sculputors, field recordists, performers. Over the years we've had plenty of conversations with people who've experimented with exciters but we haven't seen any products that are aimed at making this process easy. Generally to use exciters you'd have to use a consumer level music player which is tricky to connect audio gear to, or wire up a bare driver to a suitable amplifier, and deal with the inherent hassle of makeshift arrangements. Active takes the hassle out of the experience so you can simply dive in and explore.

There's a video in the works highlighting some applications, but it's an open ended system that could be used in multiple ways with a bit of creative thinking. Luckily, the customer base for Soniphorm products sit squarely in the Creative Type category of humans...

See the new Soniphorm Instagram account or Ed Devane's Instagram for video examples of the system in use.

Pricing: 2 channel version €180 plus tracked mail
4 channel version €250 plus tracked mail

Order page www.soniphorm.com/active

https://www.instagram.com/soniphorm/
https://www.instagram.com/ed_devane/

21/12/2020

Pre order a magnetic contact mic now from the Soniphorm website

A piezo disc epoxy potted in a tough 3D printed enclosure with a strong magnet and strain relief microphone cable in a choice of lengths. Designed with external field recording in mind, for...

25/02/2019

A little play around with some new things in the works. The SoundSniffer with coil sits between the assemblage of wires and motors that is the source of the sound, and the amplifier and looper in the top left corner.

Part of an ongoing quest to remove the computer from music making!

If you'd like a SoundSniffer preamp they're very useful for sound design and listening experiments. Buy a DIY kit or a fully assembled one from
https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p1/SoundSniffer_preamplifier_kit.html

18/02/2019

The SoundSniffer is a listening device that can come in handy in a range of settings. Here I have a play around with two piezos amplifying some metal rods and a sculpted can of Guinness.

Want one? https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p1/SoundSniffer_preamplifier_kit.html

Ed Devane of soniphorm playing with a pair of SoundSniffer preamps. While many owners of this device are using it for field recording and generating source m...

24/01/2019

https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p4/Single_Coil_Magnetic_Pickup.html
I've a batch of 30 of these new passive coils made. Perfect match for the SoundSniffer preamp. The coil is secured within a waterproof 3D printed enclosure, which features a 3mm mounting hole for positioning options. High quality shielded mic cable with Neutrik minijack. Suitable for EM sensing as well as instrument amplification.

Personally I'm having a lot of fun with these as expressive instruments in their own right for live performances. Want one? €33 + p&p

15/09/2018

This morning I sent Soniphorm packages to Kiev, Tokyo and Helsinki. I am open to receiving orders from places even more exotic relative to Donegal, Ireland. Still some SoundSniffers for sale!
https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p1/SoundSniffer_preamplifier_kit.html

20/06/2018

In this piece Jürgen De Blonde is amplifying the sound of clay dissolving in water using the piezo. Thanks for the photos Jürgen!

07/06/2018

In this video, the potential of the SoundSniffer as a sound design tool is explored by sound artist Robin Parmar (http://www.theatreofnoise.com/).

To purchase visit https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p1/SoundSniffer_preamplifier_kit.html

17/05/2018

what do digital fabrication, sound art and interaction design have in common? soniphorm summer courses in Donegal!

15/05/2018

SoundSniffer preamp kit for piezo, electret and coil now available from https://www.soniphorm.com/store/p1/SoundSniffer_preamplifier_kit.html

10/05/2018

Posted some audio samples of the different sensors (coils, piezo, electret mic) in the link below