Which Music Box Is Suitable for Me?
Which Music Box Suits Me?
N20 Lite / N20 Standard / N40 Standard / N40 Sublime
Let's Choose the Perfect Music Box for You!
I am looking for a custom song music box as the perfect gift for my family or friend.
The Muro Box came ready to play “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins, our special song since I was a little girl. He would always play Phil Collins’ CD in the car; my dad, sister, and I would sing along, driving with the windows down in the summertime.
Since the song has such a special meaning to us, I chose it as our Father-Daughter dance at my wedding. It’s a beautiful song that perfectly describes a father-daughter relationship. When I opened up the Muro Box from my dad before my wedding and it played “You’ll Be in My Heart,” I immediately started crying! -Extracted from Emily’s email.
Conveying emotions through music is the reason many people choose Muro Box. When our customers share their stories with us, we realize that Muro Box is not just a music box; it’s an heirloom that can store and play your memories and heartfelt sentiments.
I am looking for a programmable music box as my MIDI-Controlled musical instrument.
Since its inception, the Muro Box’s external MIDI functionality makes the dream of using a music box as an instrument a reality. Especially with the N40’s 40-note scale, which includes semitones, it meets the arrangement and composition needs of musicians!
Take a look at how two of our regular musician customers are using their Muro Boxes in practice: Shawn, who lives in Japan but is from the United States, connected the N40 Standard to the OP-1 synthesizer, creating beautiful melodies with the unique sound of the music box (click here to watch the video). Similarly, Christophe from France used the N40 Standard with other instruments to compose atmospheric music (click here to watch the video).
Muro Box not only allows you to play like a piano with the N40, but it can also connect to computer composition software, letting the music box perform your compositions!
I am looking for a premium music box as the heirloom to play my collections.
N40 Sublime utilizes four combs to create the unique sound of Sublime Harmony, a feature found only in top-tier music boxes. Its proprietary brass base faithfully recreates the authentic beginnings and contemporary elegance of music boxes from two hundred years ago.
In your shelves for showcasing the collections of memories and classics, make sure you reserve a place for this unique Muro Box-N40 Sublime, which has combined the delicate mechanical design and a cloud-based music library!
The Music Scale of Muro Box Products
The N20 Has 20 notes
The 20-note scale does not include semitones (the black keys on a piano).
Most popular songs can be rearranged with these 20 notes.
C3 – A5 (Middle C = C3 = at 261.6 Hz)
The N40 Music Box Has 40 Notes
The 40-note scale has an expanded range and includes semitones (flats and sharps).
Allowing the music box to offer greater expressive possibilities and versatility in performance.
F2-C6 (excluding F#2.G#2.A#2.C#3,Middle C = C3 = 261.6 Hz)
You may notice that the N40 scale is not a continuous sequence of notes. We have designed it to provide more versatility in composition. Feel free to read this blog post to learn how we selected the N40’s scale.
The Combs Used in Different Music Boxes
N20 Standard Music Box
The N20 Standard and N20 Lite use the same 20-notes comb to produce a crisp and bright tone.
N40 Standard Music Box
The N40 Standard uses two combs (40 notes), producing a sound similar to the N20, with a crisp and bright tone.
N40 Sublime Music Box
The N40 Sublime music box differs from other Muro Box music boxes as it uses four combs working together to recreate the luxurious resonance of a high-end music box. Each note simultaneously strikes two comb teeth that are 14 cents apart, with a total of 80 comb teeth and 40 programmable scales, producing a rich and dense sustain.
What Is the Difference in Their Sounds?
N40 Sublime has a unique “sublime harmony resonance”, while the N40 and N20 Standard perfectly reproduce the pure music box sound from your memories.
Here is an excerpt from an email by Daniel M, a loyal customer from the US, who purchased the N40 Sublime and N40 Standard music boxes at once. Let’s hear what he has to say:
I’m enjoying the music boxes very much. Truth be told, I haven’t spent much time playing music on the N40 Standard because of the captivating sound of the N40 Sublime. I literally spend hours a day listening to music on the Sublime, and couldn’t be happier.
Let's Find Which One Produces Your Favorite Sound!
▲Muro Box-N40 Sublime/N40 Standard Live Demo: Beethoven’s Spring sonata
▲Muro Box N20 Standard
Live Demo: Swan Lake- Dance of the Little Swans
▲ Comparing the Sound with “My Grandfather’s Clock”
0:00 N40 Sublime
1:07 N40 Standard
2:15 N20 Standard
How the Specially Designed Parts Contribute to the Sound Effects
Adding Tuning Weight for Enhancing Lower Notes
The N40 has a wider range than the N20, with the bass notes requiring additional weight. To address this, we designed a tuning weight made of brass that maintains the appropriate thickness at the base of the comb teeth during tuning. This ensures sufficient strength, prevents comb deformation, and results in a fuller sound.
The Pure Brass Base
N40 Sublime uses a brass base, resulting in a total weight of 3.5 kg. This means the normal volume of the N40 Sublime music box is lower and the sound duration is extended longer when compared with the N20 music box. The extended sustain is not due to the brass material itself but rather the larger volume and increased total mass of the base, which allows the sound to linger longer and gives it a more mellow sound.
Adding a Resonance Box below the Music Box Can Produce a Richer Sustain
The resonance box designed specifically for the N20 music box features the top panel and the bottom panel both are made of zebra wood. Using zebra wood can enrich the sound in the middle and high music ranges. The 4 sides of the wood box are made of solid maple to enhance the brightness of the sound.
The resonance box designed specially for the N40 also serves as the shipping box for the music box. Currently, it is available in two types of wood: pinewood (softwood) and chicken wing wood (hardwood).
How Big and How Heavy is the Music Box?
130(W)x130(L)x105(H)(mm)
Weight: N20 Standard 1.0 kg
260(W)x160(L)x96(H)(mm)
Weight: N40 Sublime 3.5kg/N40 Standard 2.4 kg
Features of The Music Box Appearance
N40 Sublime
The wood box is crafted from dark acacia wood.The wood grain of Acacia is prone to warping due to its spiral structure, and it’s difficult to be shaped due to its hardness. However, after undergoing heat modification to prevent deformation, it emerges as the optimal tonewood choice, distinguished by its high strength and density. The finish is complemented by hand-applied wax, preserving the natural caramel aroma.
The series of brass parts and bases used in the N40 Sublime are modeled after antique music boxes but incorporate contemporary materials. Their warm metallic luster creates a subtly luxurious elegance.
(Note: The brass parts include the front engraving metal plate, the transparent lid’s clips, hand-twisted screws, 2 flywheels that help stabilize the cylinder’s rotating speed, and the brass base, which is key to producing a warm and mellow sound.)
N40 Standard
N40 Standard music box features a warm and elegant maple wood box paired with a zinc alloy base that stabilizes sound transmission. Its minimalist design highlights the beauty of its mechanism.
Like N40 Sublime, the front metal plate can be customized with laser engraving.
N20 Standard
The warm maple wood box, paired with a solid zinc alloy base, combines a square shape with rounded edges in a perfectly sized design. The front metal plate can be customized with laser engraving.
N20 Lite
Using the same materials as the standard model—a maple wood box and zinc alloy base—the Lite version replaces the metal engraving plate with a unique smiling hole on the front. Consequently, the customization for laser engraving is available on the left and right sides of the wood box instead of on the front side.
Connect with Another MIDI Instrument
Transform the Music Box into an Musical Instrument!
The Muro Box-N20 Standard, N40 Standard, and N40 Sublime all feature a USB-Type C MIDI input interface, allowing for connecting the music box with a MIDI controller /keyboard. This enables the music box to be played directly as a musical instrument. Additionally, you can connect it to a computer’s DAW to play your composition.
The MIDI input port on the Muro Box-N40 supports both DIN 5 MIDI input signals and USB-C MIDI input signals, providing greater convenience for music creators.
(Note: The N20 Lite music box does not have a MIDI input slot for connecting the music box with any other MIDI devices.)
Most Models Can Use a Portable Power Bank
Except for the N20 Lite model, all other Muro Box models can use a portable power bank when needed.
Want to give a gift at the right moment? Want to enjoy the Muro Box while camping? Have more plans to take the Muro Box on the go?
No problem!
All of the following models (N20 Standard, N40 Standard and N40 Sublime) use USB-PD and can be powered by a portable power bank, allowing you to take your Muro Box wherever you go!
(Note: The N20 Lite uses a traditional DC power supply and does not support external power bank functionality.)
Compatible power bank specifications: Minimum of 30W USB-C power supply. Please use a model that supports 15V voltage and at least 2A current (such as 30W 15V/2A or 45W 15V/3A).
Please refer to the following power bank models used in our internal testing: https://www.mi.com/global/product/mi-50w-power-bank-20000/
All Muro Box Series Have the Following Features
One-Touch Playback
Simply plug in the power cord and press the knob to play the offline playlist. It’s easy to operate.
The default offline playlist:
*If you do not purchase any customized melody arrangement service, we will include 30 free melodies for the N20 music box, and 15 free melodies for the N40 music box.
*If you purchase our customized melody arrangement service, the offline playlist will include your chosen song(s). The gift receiver can simply push the knob to make the music box start to play your chosen song(s) and surprise him/her immediately to warm his/her heart.
Create Your Own Melodies
A music box can be used for composing music as well as for educational purposes!
Muro Box fulfills the musical dreams of both adults and children. The app offers a composition feature that is easy to use with just a few taps of your finger—intuitive, quick to respond, and both fun and enjoyable!
Play Unlimited Songs of Your Choice
The world’s first patented music box movement breaks through 200+ years of limitations in music boxes, allowing them to play an unlimited number of songs. No longer confined to a single tune, it fully showcases your carefully selected songs that capture your precious memories.
Thousands of Songs in Our Library
Music lovers worldwide have collaborated to create a cloud-based song library. Paired with a dedicated app, you can access a vast collection of songs, along with practical features like music composition and alarms.
Find the Right Music Box Based on Your Needs
Let's Compare the Different Models!
Model Names | N40 Sublime | N40 Standard | N20 Standard | N20 Lite | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Features | Muro Box Ultimate version: Superior music box performance A Must-Have for Collectors: A rare collectible item | Turn the Music Box into an Instrument: Fulfill your musical dreams | The Perfect Gift Choice | The Perfect Gift Choice | |||
Scales | Non-continuous 40 notes: From F2 to C6 (Excludes F#3, G#3, A#3, C#3) C3 = Middle C (261.6 Hz) | Non-continuous 40 notes: From F2 to C6 (Excludes F#3, G#3, A#3, C#3) C3 = Middle C (261.6 Hz) | Continuous 20 notes: From C3 to A5 (Excludes black keys) C3 = Middle C (261.6 Hz) | Continuous 20 notes: From C3 to A5 (Excludes black keys) C3 = Middle C (261.6 Hz) | |||
Number of Combs | 4 combs with 20 notes each | 2 combs with 20 notes each | 1 comb with 20 notes | 1 comb with 20 notes | |||
Base Material | Full Brass Base | Zinc Alloy Base | Zinc Alloy Base | Zinc Alloy Base | |||
Wooden Box Materials | Taiwanese Acacia Wood (60+ years old) | Hard Maple Original Color (can upgrade to black wood box with a fee) | Hard Maple Original Color (can upgrade to black wood box with a fee) | Light-colored Hard Maple | |||
MIDI Input (for connecting with other MIDI devices) | 5-Pin Traditional and USB-C MIDI Interfaces | 5-Pin Traditional and USB-C MIDI Interfaces | USB-C MIDI interface | None | |||
Customized Melody Arrangement | Available for All Models | ||||||
Customized Laser Engraving | Front metal Plate | Front metal Plate | Front Metal Plate / Wooden Box Side(s) | Wooden Box Side(s) | |||
Power Supply | USB-C power | USB-C power | USB-C power | Traditional DC power adapter | |||
Use Portable Power Bank | Yes, it supports USB-C power supply with at least 30W. Please use a power supply rated for 15V and 2A or higher (30W 15V/2A or 45W 15V/3A). | No |
All Muro Box Models Can Be Customized
Customized Laser Engraving
You can pay an add-on service fee to include customized laser engraving on the surface of the music box to convey your personal message or memory.
Fill out the form to submit text or image you want to be engraved. Our designer will create a layout draft for you to review before we engrave and ship it.
Please refer to the form for available fonts and engraving areas:
Note: N20 Lite can only engrave on the sides of its wood box because the front side has limited space, not suitable for laser engraving.
Customized Melody Arrangement
If you have a specific song in mind, you can choose the two-minute segment, and our arranger will adapt it for the music box.
If you prefer the entire song, please contact us to get a quote. After the arrangement is complete, we will provide a MP3 file for preview and offer two opportunities for revisions. After you approve it, the song will be uploaded to the music box before shipping, so you or the recipient can hear the customized song by simply powering on and pressing the knob.
Customized Playlist
We offer a service to upload your specified playlist to the music box. You can use the Muro Box free app to browse the song library and select 1 to 10 songs in the order you prefer. Your music box will be preset to play this playlist when it is shipped.
Understand the Difference Between the Lite and Standard Models
SAME:
The mechanism, sound quality, and app functions are the same.
DIFFERENT:
The Standard model includes a USB MIDI interface, allowing you to connect to a computer, USB drive, and MIDI devices.
FAQ
N20 Series: Please place your order on our official website store:https://murobox.com/en/shop/
N40 Series: Currently available only for pre-order on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/muro-box-n40-programmable-mechanical-music-box/x/37929358#/
You can visit our San Chong office to listen before purchasing. Please make an appointment and confirm availability before coming.
Address: 1st Floor, No. 16, Ren Ci Street, San Chong District, New Taipei City 241
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
For any questions, please contact us for assistance:
Line: https://page.line.me/435xygyd
Email: support@tevofy.com
Phone: (02) 2974-4649
Currently, we have display points in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea where you can try the product. Please email us to schedule a date with us: support@tevofy.com
Please Note:
N40: Currently available for trial only in our headquarter center in New Taipei City, San Chong District. N40 is not available for immediate purchase. It must be pre-ordered online.
N20:
In Taiwan, you can purchase it in stores only in our San Chong office or in Taichung modern music box museum store. If your music box does not require customization service, you can buy it in store. For customized laser engraving or melody arrangement service, you need to order the music box via our Muro Box online store. Other display locations only allow for test playing without product in stock. Be sure to request the local store’s unique Muro Box code after you visit it, and then you can use that coupon code to purchase it in our online store.
In Hong Kong:
-Wake Concept Store: Immediate stock available and offers custom laser engraving services.
-The Ukulele Store: Provides sample machines for trial. Orders can be placed on-site, with shipping from Taiwan within 2 business days (3 business days will be needed if adding customized engraving service).
Please go to the Muro Box website’s live streaming page, and follow the instructions to log in with account and password. You will then be able to remotely control the live streaming device!
(Updated July 2024)
N20:
Shipping Time for Orders on Our Official Website:
– For non-customized models, shipping is within 2 business days.
– For customized laser engraving or arrangements, verification of laser engraving images or song files will be done via email or Line. Including communication and review work time, shipping is estimated within 3 business days for customized engraving and within 5 business days for customized arrangements.
N40:
Currently Only available for Pre-Order:
– N40 Standard orders will ship 2 months after the order is placed.
– N40 Sublime orders will ship 3 months after the order is placed.
The one-year warranty and three-year limited repair service for this product are only available to customers who purchase through our company or designated partners.
One-Year Limited Warranty: Starting from the date of shipment, this covers defects in materials or assembly but excludes other accessories and damage caused by improper use by the consumer.
Three-Year Limited Repair Service: Shipping and repair costs will be calculated based on the actual situation.
Please Note: The warranty will be void if you open the Muro Box yourself. If repairs or inspections are needed, do not open the device yourself. Please return it to us to check if the issue is covered under the warranty.
If you have purchased a customized arrangement along with your order, we will send you a form after receiving your order. Please fill in the song details, provide reference audio files or video links, and specify which two-minute segment you would like arranged. If you want a full-length arrangement, our arranger will evaluate the additional cost and confirm the fee with you via email.
After each arrangement is completed, we will:
Provide a Preview: Send you an MP3 file for review. You will have two opportunities to request adjustments.
Final review: Once the arrangement is approved, we will output the MIDI file and upload it to the music box. You will be able to hear the customized arrangement by simply powering on the music box and pressing the button.
If you have purchased a customized laser engraving along with your order, we will send you a form after receiving your order. The form will include sample images, font options, examples, and available engraving sizes.
The text or image files you submit will be formatted into a preview by our designer. You will need to review and approve this preview before we proceed with the engraving.
N40 Customized Laser Engraving Form
N20 Customized Laser Engraving Form
N20 Wooden Box Engraving Form
We offer a service to upload a custom playlist to your music box. You can use our free app to find and select 1 to 10 songs in the order you wish them to be played. Your music box will be pre-set to play this playlist upon shipment.
If you have purchased this service, we will upload your chosen playlist to the music box before it is shipped. When the recipient receives the music box, they will simply need to plug it in and press the button to play your custom playlist without any additional setup.
Note: Each music box can only have one playlist service, with a maximum of 10 songs selected from the app’s library, and you can arrange them in any order.
If this service is not purchased, the music box will come with a default playlist of official songs (N20 has 30 songs / N40 has 15 songs).
The Muro Box app is designed to be user-friendly and similar in interface to popular streaming music services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. On the main page, you can view the song list, create your own playlists, and play songs with a single tap.
The first time you connect to the music box, it may take a little time to follow the setup steps. Once connected successfully, the music box will automatically connect to the network whenever it is plugged in, without needing to repeat the setup process. Additionally, our app offers other features such as custom arrangements and alarm functions. You can download and explore these features for free!
To find and download our app, simply search for “Muro Box” on the App Store or Google Play on your phone.
Our music library is continuously updated with new songs by talented arrangers and shared with the community. Additionally, we have integrated with Musicboxmaniacs.com (MBM), the largest music box community, expanding our library to nearly 50,000 songs. You can freely search, browse, and add songs to your playlists. We also offer official songs for free (30 songs for N20; 15 songs for N40).
Not familiar with connecting to the app? No worries! The music box comes pre-loaded with the official playlist (30 songs for N20; 15 songs for N40). Once plugged in, simply press the knob to play the default playlist. If you have a custom arrangement, it will be uploaded to the music box before shipping, so you can listen to your selected songs by just plugging in and pressing the knob, without needing the app.
The Muro Box music box plays MIDI files, and the hardware itself has flash memory that can store around 2,000 songs.
Thus, the maximum number of songs that can be stored in the offline playlist on the app is approximately 2,000. The music box can directly play the last synced offline playlist by simply pressing the knob.
However, we recommend that you create additional playlists to categorize your collection, such as by genre or tempo: sleep, pop, classical, 80s hits, etc. This way, you can play different playlists according to the situation, enhancing your listening experience.
To adjust the songs in the offline playlist. you need to connect the music box to the app, where you can add or remove songs from the offline playlist or drag them to change their orders in the offline playlist.
Songs placed in the offline playlist can be played directly by pressing the knob on the music box. The Muro Box music box reads MIDI files for playback and has built-in flash memory that can store up to 100 songs.
To adjust the songs, connect the music box to the app, where you can add or remove songs from the offline playlist, or drag to reorder them.
(1) File Format Restriction: Muro Box can only read single-track MIDI files and does not support other formats.
(2) Range Restriction:
N20: Range from C3 to A5, covering the white keys of a piano (excluding black keys).
N40: Range from F2 to A6, excluding F#2, G#2, A#2, and C#3.(Middle C = C3, 261.6 Hz)
(3) Track Length Restriction: Each song can be played for a maximum of 30 minutes as set in the app to prevent insufficient space on the mobile device.
(4)Playback Speed Restriction: At a BPM of 120, continuous single notes can be played with a minimum unit of eighth notes; thus, the fastest continuous single note can be 120 notes per minute. The maximum number of simultaneous notes = 10 (up to 10 notes can be played simultaneously).
The N40’s range is downward compatible with the 40, 30, 20, and 15 notes music boxes, including the Muro Box-N20. So, any compositions created for the N20, whether by you or other customers, can be directly played on the N40.
We will use the website provided by DHL to estimate the local import duties based on the product price. If you need assistance with the estimation, please email us at support@tevofy.com.
Due to the complex safety regulations involved in transporting batteries, we decided from the very beginning of the design process not to include a battery, allowing the music box to be shipped to as many countries as possible.
If you need to use the music box on the go, the N20 Standard/ N40 Standard/ N40 Sublime models all support using USB-C power banks, making it easy to take the music box with you anywhere.
Both the N20 Standard, N40 Standard and N40 Sublime use USB-PD and can be powered by a portable power bank, allowing you to take your Muro Box wherever you go!
(Note: The N20 Lite uses a traditional DC power supply and does not support external power bank functionality.)
Compatible power bank specifications: Minimum of 30W USB-C power supply. Please use a model that supports 15V voltage and at least 2A current (such as 30W 15V/2A or 45W 15V/3A).
Please refer to the following power bank models used in our internal testing: https://www.mi.com/global/product/mi-50w-power-bank-20000/
No, it doesn’t. You can consider the Muro Box as an “unlocked” or “one-time purchase” music box.