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Master & Dynamic’s first wireless speaker is a 35-pound block of concrete

Master & Dynamic’s first wireless speaker is a 35-pound block of concrete

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Master & Dynamic has made a name for itself with headphones that combine style, premium materials, and good sound. For its first wireless speaker, the company is going all in on style. Thirty-five pounds worth, to be exact.

The new $1,800 MA770 speaker is unlike most other wireless speakers you’ve seen because its housing is a molded piece of concrete. Tipping the scales at 35 pounds, the MA770 is designed to be put in your house and stay there — there’s no taking this to the beach.

In that sculpted body, which was designed in partnership with architect Sir David Adjaye, are two 4-inch kevlar woofers and a 1.5-inch titanium tweeter powered by a 100 watt Class D amp. For connectivity, the MA770 has Chromecast built in, as well as Bluetooth and a wired auxiliary input. According to Master & Dynamic, the MA770 is the first Chromecast speaker that uses multiroom audio for stereo pairing.

The front of the MA770 has controls for power, source input, and volume. The front is protected by a metal grille that snaps to the base with magnets; you can remove it for a cleaner look if you prefer.

Master & Dynamic says the reason it used concrete for the speaker’s housing was because of its unique properties: it can dampen vibrations much better than wood or plastic cabinets. That means that when the MA770 is bumping at full tilt, the concrete absorbs much of the vibrations caused by the speakers and doesn’t transfer them to the surface it’s placed on.

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Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

And boy does the MA770 bump. Its kevlar speakers and titanium tweeter can handle a lot of volume. Though the speakers are too small to really let you feel the bass in your chest, the MA770 has no issues filling a large room with sound.

Master & Dynamic expects the speaker to be popular among design aficionados as well as public spaces such as art galleries. To support that, it will be available for purchase at the MoMA Design Store starting on April 25th. But if you can’t wait until then, you can preorder the speaker direct from Master & Dynamic’s online store starting today.