Yamaha Design “Synapses” YVC-200

2018 / UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SPEAKERPHONE


A portable speakerphone enables natural remote communication no matter where you work.

Honest

To prevent the microphone at the front from interfering with the speaker at the rear, the YVC-200 features a gentle incline sloping down from the rear to the front of the device in a gentle shape reminiscent of a seashell. Additionally, the direction and spacing of voice inputs and outputs have been adjusted to provide superior sound control.

Well-Made

To give the structure an overall feeling of unity, the seam joining the upper and lower casing is thickest at the front, growing gradually thinner and smoother towards the rear. Together, the different textures of the case and components create a harmony that gives the product in its entirety a pleasing ambiance.

Beloved

The switches and jacks have been integrated with the body of the YVC-200 to soften the mechanical impression it projects, in order to give the product a gentler image that does not dominate the surrounding area. It also features soft LED lighting and gentle operating sounds.

Instantly-usable

Compact and equipped with an internal battery, the YVC-200 slips neatly into your bag. It also fits nicely in the hand, allowing it to be taken anywhere with ease. The gentle swelling of the surfaces is intended to suggest its functional internal structure, giving users a feeling for the quality of its sound.


Toshihide Suzuki
Toshihide Suzuki
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory

A partner with a gentle presence.

The YVC-200 is a conference speakerphone suited to modern styles of working, in which remote meetings may be held from people’s homes or in open spaces. Even if you’re listening to music while working, should you receive a call you can switch to meeting mode with the touch of a button.
Prompted by the need to balance compact size with superb sound quality, we obtained requirements definitions and 3D data for the components from the product development staff, and used these to transition from our initial sketches, creating a detailed design proposal. Separating the locations of the microphone and speaker resulted in excellent performance, with the microphone unit positioned towards the front near the base of the product, thus suppressing sonic reflections. Placing the speaker unit high at the rear of the body provided space to house the internal battery, allowing sound to be output in every direction.
For this proposal we also devoted a great deal of effort to creating a shape that would express the concept of quality sound, and to giving the product itself an air of charm. An example of this work can be seen in how the shapes of the vertical surfaces of the upper case are different at the front and rear. The speaker holes are arrayed in a concentric radial pattern, with shapes and depths that vary depending on their location. We used rubber feet carefully shaped in a mold, with a unique design that hides the screw holes in the base of the product, arraying them evenly in a pentagon.
Although many of the proposals for the YVC-200 were extremely difficult to implement in the production process, in many cases the product development staff agreed that they were for the better. In that respect, this project served to remind us of the shared desire of everyone involved—regardless of their position—to create a truly superlative product.
The resulting product has a gentle presence, with endearing button lighting and operating sounds. We have tried to avoid giving the YVC-200 an overassertive air and prevent it from being too intrusive or dissonant a presence in a room, and so I think it can be used in a casual manner. It is our hope the YVC-200 will help people in their work, and be a useful partner to have at one’s side.

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