Muro Box-N20 Lite Battery Version is Coming Soon!
Why did we invent this Battery Version?
Designing the Battery Version is a Challenge
When we were developing the first-generation Muro Box-N20 music box, it coincided with the Samsung smartphone’s lithium battery self-ignition incident.
Considering that products with batteries can complicate the process of air shipping and international customers might face difficulties when purchasing music boxes containing batteries, we decided to avoid designing products with batteries from the beginning.
Moreover, products with batteries presented higher design complexities and compliance testing requirements, which posed significant challenges for us as we embarked on product development for the first time in the early days of our company.
Customers expect the music box
containing batteries
However, since we successfully mass-produced and shipped the N20 Music Box in 2020, we have continually received suggestions from customers that the music box should not be limited by the length of power cords or the location of electrical outlets, allowing them to listen to it wherever they desire.
For instance, one customer mentioned their preference for taking the music box to outdoor camping trips, enjoying the natural scenery while listening to the music box’s tunes. He wished for a battery-powered version to make this possible.
Music Box is Your Assist for the Important Moment
Some people also wish to present the music boxes as important gifts on significant occasions (such as wedding proposals or birthdays) and hope that they can play the music smoothly regardless of the presence of electrical outlets on site. If you pull out the music box during a proposal but then have to awkwardly search for a socket, it can be quite embarrassing.
The Power Bank Still Has a Cord!
We have thought of a wedding proposal scenario before, so we released the Muro Box-N20 Standard model that allows its user to use a USB-C power bank to connect to the music box’s USB-C PD power input. We thought that using a power bank can already increase its portability. Unfortunately, someone still thinks that the Muro Box still cannot get rid of its long power cord to make it less attractive, so he strongly suggests we should hide the power cord.
Hence, making a battery version of N20 has stayed in our to-do list for several years, until now we finally found a good time to make it come true.
Review Our Customers’ True Needs
This year, we are launching a new product, the Muro Box-N40, which comes with higher specifications. Considering the materials and assembly time required for the N40, it is inevitable that this will need to be reflected in the final retail price. While planning crowdfunding for the new model, we realized that this would deviate too far from our original intention – ‘bringing music boxes back into everyone’s homes. So, we paused to think about what most people really need.
Let Everyone Find the Music Box that Fit His/Her Need
Most people probably just want to have a lot of good music to listen to and don’t really care about the self-composition feature. In fact, the Type-C power source is usually fixed on the wall and used as a regular power adapter, except for when it’s used with a portable power bank. Most people don’t care about the difference between it and the traditional DC plug. What everyone does care about is the price and the ability to operate the music box directly on batteries for important occasions.
So, we’ve decided that, during this crowdfunding opportunity, we will launch the battery-powered version N20 Lite model, which has received the highest demand, alongside the N40.
Why do we need to do a crowdfunding campaign for the N20 Lite battery version, while other N20 products are already available in our store?
One of the biggest expenses for mass-produced goods is inventory. Our current resources are insufficient to stock up components without enough new orders, so we need your early support for our Kickstarter crowdfunding in advance.
After a challenging design journey with our previous model, the N20, we were hit by the impact of COVID-19. While we have persevered, unfortunately, we no longer have the extra resources to complete the development of the new product.
Please give us this opportunity to embark on a miraculous journey with all the dreamers of music boxes.
We hope that those of you who have been observing our Muro Boxes for a long time can understand the efforts of our team and resonate with our vision of making music boxes that play everyone’s unique memories. We invite you to support us in the Kickstarter crowdfunding project in October 2023 by pre-ordering our products, which will allow us to collect funds in advance to arrange for production.
Additionally, with the crowdfunding campaign’s record, we can attract more international distributors to support our team to invent more types of music boxes to cater to various users’ needs.
The Overview of the Muro Box N20 Lite Battery Model
If you don’t have the need to connect the music box to a MIDI keyboard or laptop when arranging your own music, the most cost-effective N20 Lite battery version can already fulfill your dream of “using a mechanical music box to play all your cherished memories!”
10k+ Melodies to Choose in Our Muro Box App
Not only can you listen to songs shared by others, but also you can create your own music box melodies using the app. Turning the Muro Box into your music box version of a Spotify player is easy. There are thousands of songs in the music library for you to choose from. Not only that, the N20 version also offers custom music arrangement and engraving services for you to craft a personalized music box!
Add a Rechargeable Battery’s Compartment
The classic N20 Lite version, combined with the long-awaited battery compartment, completely frees you from the annoying wire! The traditional sturdy DC power interface is simply the best choice. With the same features as the N20 series, you can freely play any song you desire.
The battery version requires an enlarged wooden box to accommodate the additional batteries, with the extended side of the casing serving as the battery compartment for using a rechargeable lithium battery pack.
For shipments within Taiwan, the battery will be included with the music box. In other regions, the battery and the music box will be shipped separately and require the user to assemble it on their own.
Larger Wood Box for Better Resonance Effect
The N20 Lite battery version features upgraded sound, delivering a wider and louder resonance that travels further through the spacious casing!
20-Note Scale Can Already Meet Your Listening Needs in Daily Life
The music box mechanism in the N20 Lite battery version is identical to the currently available N20 standard and Lite versions. The wooden box is also crafted from North American hard maple, and the functionality of the rotary knob for offline playlist selection will be consistent with the existing N20 product design.
N20 Lite Battery Version | Wooden Box Design
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Let’s listen to N20 Lite playing a customized melody requested by our customer:
Start Playing Your Favorites by Pressing the Knob!
All family members can collaboratively edit the “same” offline playlist!
Friends who have paired with the same Muro Box can edit an exclusive offline playlist for this music box, adding or removing songs and adjusting the order.
Adding songs to the “offline playlist” is similar to copying files to a cloud drive. Even if they are accidentally deleted, the original files will still be in your “online playlist.”
How many songs will be preloaded in the music box?
If you haven’t ordered our customized music arrangement service, the music box will include 30 official complimentary tracks in the offline playlist. There will be famous classical music and children’s songs as well as some original music.
If you have ordered our music arrangement service, the melody you requested will be added to the offline playlist, while the initial 30 complimentary tracks we made will be stored in the online playlist for you. This allows you to directly play your customized melody by pressing the knob after you or the gift receiver unboxes the product. Your customized melody playing from the music box will touch his/her heart with a surprise!
Note: Search “official list” in the Muro Box App, and you will find the 30 complimentary tracks we provide.
Resonance Box for Muro Box
(N40 & N20)
We welcome you to place your Muro Box on various surfaces to test how different materials of the table create different sound effects. You can even try to place it on a guitar to see if you love its sustaining sound effect.
In our specially designed resonance box for both N40 and N20 models, the top and bottom wood plates are made with zebra wood. Using zebra wood will make the sounds in the middle and high range sound richer. The sides of the Resonance Box are made with hard maple, which is also commonly used in making guitars, because it will make the sound become brighter.
Kickstarter Campaign Coming in Oct. 2023:
Contribution / Perk Options
After the campaign ends, the future retail price will be listed as the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) in the image below. There will be a limited amount of units set for Kickstarter early bird discount.
Compare the 3 Models
Swipe right to view the complete table.
| Ｎ40 Sublime | Ｎ40 Standard | N20 Lite Battery Ver. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Sublime Harmony only in premium music boxes | Turn a Music Box into a Music Instrument | Use Battery, No Power Cord | |
| Music Range | Chromatic Scale: F3~C7 (no F#3, G#3, A#3, C#3) | Diatonic Scale: C3~A5 | ||
| Number of Combs | Four 20-note Combs | Two 20-note Combs | One 20-Note Comb | |
| Metal Base Material | Brass One-Piece Design Cut with CNC Present the Classical Music Box | Zinc Alloy creates warm and mellow sound | ||
| Wood Box Material | 60+ Years Old Acacia Wood Native to Taiwan with handmade wax diffusing natural caramel fragrance | Light Hard Maple (+ 90 USD to upgrade to Acacia Wood) | Light Hard Maple | |
| Battery Compartment | None | Included, not extra fee | ||
| MIDI Input Slots | Include both DIN 5 MIDI input and USB-C MIDI input (Host/Device Mode) | None | ||
| Audio Output | Support 6.5 mm audio output with Transducer Pickup System | None | ||
| Customized Metal Plate Engraving | Included, not extra fee | Add-On: +30 USD per metal piece | ||
| Customized Music Arrangement | Included, not extra fee | Add-On: +40 USD per 2-min melody | ||
Get Your Voucher before Our Kickstarter Campaign Starts
Limited Time Voucher:Available before our Kickstarter Campaign Starts in Oct. 2023.Prepaid $30 USD to Save Your DHL shipping fee $90.
If you decide not to pledge to our campaign, the voucher is 100% refundable.
If you think the N40 Sublime/N40 Standard, or N20 Lite Battery version is what you like, please prepaid $30 in our store now to help us estimate the amount of new orders for the new models. We hope to start purchasing their components sooner so that we can ship the goods in 4 months after our Kickstarter campaign ends.
In our Kickstarter campaign, all of the pledge options will not include shipping fee. We will collect the shipping fee after the campaign when we can make sure each pledge option’s packaging box size. However, we will give a shipping price range table to show the quotes for airmail and DHL options in order to let backers know the estimated shipping cost.
To thank for your super early support for our Kickstarter campaign by purchasing our store’ voucher before our Kickstarter campaign officially starts (The Launch Date is TBA this October, 2023), we will automatically waive your shipping fee and use DHL to ship your order.
This automatic DHL shipping waive is worth 90 USD because both N40 models and N20 Lite Battery versions are large and heavy items for international air shipping.
The Product Development Milestones of Muro Box
2016 Start from Scratch｜
Start to design the Muro Box (abbreviated from “Music Robot in a Box”).
2017 Gain Patents and Mentor｜
US/China/Taiwan patents; Kyooh’s mentorship for producing music boxes.
2018 1st Campaign in Taiwan｜
Zeczec crowdfunding campaign for the 1st-generation N20 model. (15V DC power socket)
2020 Indiegogo Campaign｜
the first-generation N20 model with improved noise reduction and MIDI input jack, switching to a Type-C power source.
2022 Muro Box Brand Store Opens｜
Selling N20 Standard version (with MIDI input jack and Type-C mobile power source) and N20 Lite version. (without MIDI input jack, using a 15V DC power socket)
2023 Kickstarter Campaign｜
N20 Lite Battery Version, N40 Sublime and Standard Models.
Precise and Durable Industrial Design in Craftsmanship
Each vibration plate (comb) contains 20 different notes, and each note’s plucking action requires the precise assembly of 6 intricate components to control its movement.120 tiny components form a 20-note cylinder, and one unit of Muro Box-N20 product comprises over 500 components. Each component has undergone countless experiments to ensure their optimal performance. Every Muro Box is a unique piece of craftsmanship that deserves your close appreciation.
Muro Box Products Were Co-Developed by Experienced Manufacturers in Taiwan
The Muro Box-N20 product has continuously been optimized based on global customers’ feedback. Thanks to our production partners from various fields contributing their expertises and know-hows to help the Muro Box music box become sturdy and durable products.
1. Vibration Plate (Comb): Kyooh Precision Technology Co., Ltd. has 40+ years in manufacturing music box movements for global dealers. The comb pieces are manufactured using specialized machinery and fine-tuned by hand. Their durability is tested through continuous play for over 1000 hours.
2. Cylinder’s Metal Components: Airwise has 40+ years in designing metal molds and metal stamping.
3. Battery Compartment: Mighty Net Electronics has 35+ years of experience in electronic development and manufacturing. With their help, we can have additional assurance for the final stretch before mass production.
4. Gear Sets: Model Mark has 35 years in designing and manufacturing various gears.
5. Professional Lubricating Oil: Yamanala Industry Corp. has 28 years in customizing lubricating oil for various industry uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
about the Muro Box-N20 Lite Battery Version
A larger wooden box enhances resonance, allowing the sound to travel farther and be more vibrant through the spacious chamber. We will assemble the sample parts and record a performance video for everyone to listen and watch. You’re also welcome to subscribe to our newsletter through the form below to stay turned for our offline events, exhibitions, and presentations. We will announce which model’s product sample will be presented in what events to welcome visitors to listen to them in person.
We will also use a live stream device to let you remotely control the live performance of new products on our website. When the live streaming setting is ready, we will remind you to give it a try via our email update.
The battery version requires enlarging the wooden box to accommodate the added battery, which is housed within the extended chamber. The music box units shipped within Taiwan will include the battery. For customers living in other countries, the batteries and music boxes will be shipped separately and require self-assembly.
