Shinola unveiled its newest addition to the growing line of audio products today with the announcement of a new set of Bookshelf Speakers “completely reengineered…from the ground up”. The new duo appear to replace the old Runwell Bookshelf speakers models that paired with the audiophile-grade Runwell turntable ($2.5k) as the older models of speaker are no longer available on the company website. Interested parties might want to check the brink-and-mortor stores to find any remnant inventory.
Helping with design this time around is Barefoot Sound, which hails from the more pro side of things. The speakers are assembled in the US and will indeed include internal bluetooth connectivity along with USB/Coaxial, SE analog and 3.5mm input. Pushing the fidelity on the opposite side will be a 1.5″ soft dome tweeter and 6.5″ woofer enclosed in a oak composite cabinet. It is the newest in the range of high-end, made-in-the-US products the company sells which now includes watches, bikes and even a $1k leather backpack. Expect the new bluetooth bookshelf to hit retail on July 12th, most stores have both the Runwell Turntable and Speakers to demo at each location. More details and full presser below.
“SHINOLA AND BAREFOOT SOUND INTRODUCE BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS WITH BLUETOOTH®
New partnership delivers quality craftsmanship with a new collection of bookshelf speakers
DETROIT, MI – July 9, 2018– Shinola has partnered with Barefoot Sound, a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording monitors, to create our first bookshelf speaker system with Bluetooth®technology. This introduction marks the first time Barefoot Sound has ventured out of the studio and mixing landscape.
Thomas Barefoot designs speaker systems that are embraced by the world’s most elite recording artists and producers who demand the very best. His name is synonymous with precision and inspiring sound.
Barefoot and the Shinola Audio team have completely reengineered the Shinola Bookshelf Speakers from the ground up, creating an exciting new product that is as comfortable in a professional recording studio as it is in your home. This level of sonic excellence, once strictly reserved for music producers, is now available to the Shinola customer for the first time.
“We couldn’t think of a better partner to help re-launch our bookshelf speakers,” said Shinola’s CEO, Tom Lewand. “Thomas Barefoot’s know-how and reputation in the pro-audio world married with our commitment to quality and our design ethos has produced a stunning speaker system. We are so proud of what Barefoot and our audio team have created and can’t wait for our customer to hear it.”
“Working with Shinola has been an amazing experience,” says Barefoot Sound founder Thomas Barefoot. “I grew up in Pittsburgh which has a similar riches-to-rust story as Detroit. Creating US jobs while building incredible products is Barefoot Sound’s mission. I can’t think of a better way to enter the consumer space than partnering with a company that so deeply shares our core values. I’m very excited about this collaboration and bringing studio level sound to a wider audience with this new bookshelf speaker.”
Assembled and tested in Portland, Oregon at the Barefoot Sound factory, the bookshelf speakers are equipped with Bluetooth®functionality for streaming audio sources, versatile connectivity, including RCA, Aux, S/PDIF or USB, and a removable magnetic grille.
Available in black and a natural oak finish, the Shinola Bookshelf Speakers will launch on July 12thand will retail for $1,500/pr.
ABOUT SHINOLA
We are a design brand predicated on meaningful American job creation through the manufacturing of timeless, well-designed goods. Across a growing number of categories, Shinola stands for skill at scale, the preservation of craft and the beauty of industry.
ABOUT BAREFOOT SOUND
Barefoot is an American speaker company headquartered in Portland, Oregon where their speakers are assembled and tested.
Barefoot Sound was founded by scientist, engineer and inventor Thomas Barefoot who developed his first studio monitor in 2004. Since then, his company has taken the pro audio world by storm, raising the bar and influencing a new generation of music.”