Musician Tom Vek Releases Sleevenote Digital Music Player
Musician and entrepreneur Tom Vek has launched Sleevenote, a dedicated digital music player designed to mimic the tactile and visual experience of vinyl record packaging. Initially conceived in 2020 with bulky, hard-to-source components, the device has been downsized and is currently available as a limited Day One Edition priced at $349.
Key points
- Tom Vek, a musician and entrepreneur known for albums such as his 2005 debut We Have Sound, developed the Sleevenote digital music player.
- The device is designed to restore the visual and tactile appreciation of album artwork and liner notes to digital listening.
- Early prototyping faced hurdles including sourcing square screens and dealing with a bulky design comparable to a thick 7-inch vinyl single.
- The refined Day One Edition is now available for purchase at a price of $349.
Musician and entrepreneur Tom Vek has introduced a new hardware product aimed at altering how listeners interact with digital audio. Known for his indietronica albums such as We Have Sound and Leisure Seizure, Vek began developing the device, named Sleevenote, in 2020. The project was born out of a desire to reintroduce the artistic and tactile elements of physical vinyl packaging—specifically cover art and liner notes—into the digital music landscape.
Developing the concept proved challenging during the initial phases. Vek encountered difficulties sourcing specific hardware components, such as square display screens, and the earliest prototype was impractically large, resembling the dimensions and weight of a 7-inch single record.
Following design iterations, a smaller and more affordable iteration has been produced. The remaining units of the limited Day One Edition are currently available for purchase at $349 as Vek transitions the niche media player into its next commercial phase.
Sources
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