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HTC redefines opulence with an $8,000 phone trumpet

HTC redefines opulence with an $8,000 phone trumpet

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gramohorn ii
gramohorn ii

From its very debut, the HTC One has rightfully been lauded as having the best speakers on any smartphone. The front-mounted BoomSound speakers produce sound that is both loud and clear, almost good enough to make audio accessories unnecessary. Almost.

As part of the HTC Here's To Creativity campaign, the company is endorsing young designers' work, starting off with the extravagant Gramohorn II. Designed by Justin Wolter, it's shaped like a hybrid of the two objects forming its name — there's a horn-like gramophone cone amplifying the sound of each BoomSound speaker. There are no electronics involved, it's just good old acoustics at work, though production is done via the decidedly modern method of 3D printing.

Gramoh

Should the size and ornamentation of the Gramohorn II not wow you sufficiently, its price surely will. The basic dock, made out of a plaster composite and finished by hand, costs £999 (or roughly $1,600), while the stainless steel and bronze variety quintuples the cost to £4,999 (north of $8,000). These are all custom-made to fit the HTC One, so don't expect them to be compatible with anything else.