Muro Box-N40 Update #13 (Dec. 2023) -
Production Plan for Each Part
Hello everyone, I’m Dr. Feng, the inventor of Muro Box.
The following are the key points of this update::
1. We successfully completed N20 Lite shipping for all backers this December. We hope you can enjoy the wonderful New Year holiday with Muro Box.
2. In December, I underwent a surgery for a rectal condition, but now I have recovered and returned to work at the office.
3. The summative report of the N40 production preparation.
More details are as follows:
All of the Muro Box-N20 Lite Orders are Shipped in Time!
Due to our commitment to ensuring that everyone receives their Muro Box-N20 Lite before Christmas, everyone has been working tirelessly to assemble the music boxes. As the year-end is also the peak season for normal sales, we have received many last-minute urgent orders for gift shipments, adding to the urgency. Even our music arranger, Teacher Liu, and designer Xiaoyu (as shown in the picture below) joined in to help with packing. We want to express our gratitude to three special backers who replied to our request and allowed us to ship their orders in January, alleviating some production pressure.
We also appreciate the cooperation of Kyooh Precision Industry Co., Ltd., who allowed us to squeeze into their original production line schedule, enabling us to finally fulfill and dispatch the orders to everyone. Don’t forget to share your experiences on the Kickstarter campaign page after using Muro Box, share your joy, and help us spread the word to more people.
About the Firmware Update:
Due to our recent efforts to address the issue of unstable rhythm (Swing) in the music box, recipients may notice increased motor noise in their music boxes due to the new firmware. We have received customer reports on this matter and will resolve it through a software update in the near future. Please remember to agree when prompted to perform a firmware update in the app.
Why was this update published later?
I underwent a surgery at the beginning of December (2023) and have already recovered and returned to work. I apologize for the delayed update during this period. Besides, everyone in our team was busy with shipping arrangements. I underwent a rectal surgery and stayed in the hospital for nearly one month. It began with rectal bleeding, and a colonoscopy revealed that it has a tumor, leading to prompt surgical removal.
Please don’t worry about the impact on N40 production and shipping. I have fully recovered and am cycling to and from work for an hour and a half every day, physically prepared for the challenges of the upcoming production.
(From left to right: Music Arranger – Ms. Liu, Co-founder -Dr. Tsai, Product Quality Control -Ms. Gong Jing, Founder-Dr. Feng, Production Process Engineer – Mr. Tsai. Thanks to my partners for taking care of both the company and household matters while I was undergoing surgery and hospitalized, allowing me to rest assured and recover quickly to return to work before 2024 starts.)
N40 Production Status
The current status of our production preparation is introduced below:
About the Resonance Box:
We encountered an issue with the resonance box. Due to the high cost of Acacia wood, we need to assess the actual demand before preparing the materials. We have discussed the development options decided in Update #12 with the production factory, and they confirmed that the design itself is feasible for production.
We want to thank our Kickstarter backer, Siegfried, for providing design suggestions once again. Also, Mr. Pan, a backer from Wabay campaign in Taiwan, also expressed his preference for the dovetail joint in our existing N20 resonance box design. After negotiating with the factory, they agreed to change the joint from a 45-degree mitered butt joint to a dovetail joint on the side of the resonance box to enhance the strength and craftsmanship. This enhancement comes with an associated cost increase, but we believe it’s a worthwhile investment aligned with our goals. If you’re interested in wood joint types, you can find a comprehensive introduction here: https://www.thespruce.com/types-of-wood-joints-6822939
However, during the factory’s assessment of wood material costs, they found that we hadn’t considered the cost of materials lost due to production losses, such as discarded materials due to poor appearance or irregular shapes of the wood. As a result, the final price will exceed our initial estimate of $200, and the actual suitable price is $350. Considering distributor profits after crowdfunding, the final price will need further adjustment.
We also discussed with the factory the possibility of using cheaper, dark-colored woods like walnut wood to reduce the production costs. However, the key issue is that since the outbreak of COVID-19, raw material costs have unreasonably skyrocketed. Even if we change materials, it only saves a small amount and doesn’t address the fundamental problem. You might suggest that we skip the dovetail joint to reduce costs. The answer is not much can be saved because raw material’s cost has outweighed the processing service cost.
The current plan is to use solid pine for the free version of the resonance box, and use Acacia wood for the $350 add-on version. Please carefully consider your preferences and share your choice with us using the following questionnaire to help us prepare the appropriate materials for processing.
N40 Resonance Box upgrade to Acacia wood – Additional $350, Survey for willingness.
Regarding the impact of materials on sound quality, we will conduct tests on the samples to ensure that, as we use solid wood in our production, regardless of the wood type, we believe the quality will be above standard. You can confidently choose the free version.
You don’t need to dwell on the price issue either, as you likely already have better resonance boxes at home, such as solid wood tables, cabinets, or even the soundboard of a piano. As long as the material is solid wood, it is likely to produce a good sound.
The purpose of our resonance box is not to design the best sound in the world but to generate pleasant sound in small spaces. Your wooden table or bookshelf at home may already have better sound effects than our resonance box due to their flatness and large surface area. Discovering the connection between material and sound can be enjoyable, so don’t limit your options in using Acacia wood alone.
About the Muro Box-N40 Music Box’s Production Status
The material preparation for the wooden box has started. Since the wooden box is commissioned from the same supplier as the resonance box, Ching Kung Woodworking in Wugu , the materials will be prepared together. The estimated production time for the wooden box, including material preparation, is about 60 days, and we will start in January.
The electronic components are also being prepared, and the design drawings have been handed over to our cooperating partner, Might Electronics, located in Hsinchu. The current plan is to produce a small quantity of samples by February for process verification and safety testing (CE, FCC, BSMI, PSE, KC, CCC). The production is expected to be completed by March.
Accessories with longer lead times, such as power supplies, have been ordered in advance, with a scheduled delivery in mid-March.
The components for the cylinder have been entrusted to Airwise Ltd. in Wugu District in New Taipei City, and the expected completion time is the end of February.
Regarding the assembly of the N40 finished product, I will bring samples to Kyooh Precision Industry in Taichung this week to discuss the assembly process and division of labor.
Muro Box has always been a collaborative effort among numerous Taiwanese manufacturers to design and produce the best music box. The goal of everyone involved is to create the best music box, leading to the birth of the N40. The current plan for N40 to start assembly and shipment in April remains unchanged. Please rest assured.
Muro Box Inventor
Dr. Chen-Hsiang Feng
