Earlier this year, a Japanese man by the name of Shigeichi Negishi passed away, aged 100, but his legacy lives on, thanks to his invention – the world’s first karaoke machine. His coin-operated Sparko Box, which the engineer dreamt up in his electronics workplace in 1967, quickly spread in popularity around Japan and eventually the world, and now you can find a karaoke bar in most cities across the globe.

The hugely popular pastime is proof that you don’t need to be good at something to have a whole lot of fun, and now you can bring the joy of singing to a bunch of friends in a booth or on a stage in front of strangers into the home for US$59. While not the first portable karaoke machine to hit the market, the SonicPlay smart system takes things to a new level while keeping the cost low.

Kickstarter

To line up a song, simply add a library to a microSD card and slot it in the back of the speaker box, or stream directly from your phone via Bluetooth. It uses Bluetooth 5.3, which enables seamless audio and connection stability.

What’s more, you don’t need to add instrumental tracks; one click and the smart speaker removes vocal tracks, leaving you just the music. Essentially, any song you can find can be karaoke-fied, no matter how obscure or new it might be. (You can also just stream music and use it as a powerful portable speaker.)

Then, the LED display will load the title of the song and artist, and sync scrolling lyrics across the screen in time with the music to guide you through the fun part – the singing. If, like me, you happen to love music and karaoke but have a brain like a sieve for lyrics, this is a standout feature.

Kickstarter

The makers of SonicPlay have gone to great lengths to improve the sound of portable karaoke machines, too. Here, dual two-inch full-range speakers equipped with a passive bass radiator are claimed to provide a powerful, meaty output, which help make home karaoke more immersive – something that’s often compromised compared to professional (and wildly expensive) setups.

This immersive experience – and the lack of it in existing portable systems – was the driving force behind SonicPlay’s creation. The light system has seven colors that can be static or playfully synced to the music. And two wireless microphones offer around 10 hours of use between charges. Here you’ll also find buttons to switch song vocals on and off, and there are five curious sound modes to play around with: goddess, uncle, monster, baby and KTV – or private-booth-style karaoke television.

Cleverly, the creators have built SonicPlay to be more than just a karaoke machine or portable music speaker. It can be turned into a bedside alarm clock and a daily planner, sounding alerts for programmed meetings, tasks and appointments. The ambient lighting also makes for a decent mood-setting night light.

Kickstarter

“SonicPlay upholds a core belief: music isn’t just for listening – it’s for participation and sharing,” note the creators of the smart little machine that took them two years to build. “Every SonicPlay user is not just a listener but a creator in their own musical universe. Through this brand, we hope music can bridge the gap between people, giving each voice a way to express itself and each person a stage for their unique sound. In the world of SonicPlay, music isn’t just something you ‘hear’; it’s something you ‘play.'”

And while karaoke might be somewhat of a niche, it does have the ability to bring people together – regardless of singing skill. In fact, the worse you are the more fun it becomes.

Kickstarter

SonicPlay is winding up a Kickstarter campaign now, with a few weeks to go. You can pick up a single setup – box, two microphones and charging cables – from $59 (40% off retail price of $99), and it can be shipped worldwide. Since it’s well surpassed its goal, with 75 backers so far, shipping is expected to begin in March 2025.

Source: Kickstarter

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