Muro Box-N40 Materials/ Functions/ Specifications
The Brand New Chapter of Music Box
What is Muro Box?
Muro Box is the world’s first and only app-controlled mechanical music box.
Its patented cylinder has flexible pins that break the limitation of the 200 years old music box industry. With Muro Box (music box), you can enjoy the whole song, not limited to a 15 second segment anymore.
With our free Muro Box App, you can easily find free melodies, compose melodies, and edit your playlists before sending them to play on the Muro Music Box. You can even schedule multiple playlists to start playing music at different times to bring you surprise and joy in daily life. Let’s create happy memories with your family by creating your own melodies to play on the Muro Box!
The following video shows the Muro Box-N20:
Muro Box-N40
is about to be born.
Compensate for Muro Box-N20's Diatonic Scale with Chromatic Scale
Since the Muro Box-N20 came out, the dream of “playing everyone’s exclusive memories with a music box” has finally been realized. Unfortunately, our first-generation product only has 20 notes on a diatonic scale, which is equivalent to a piano with only white keys and no black keys. Many songs need to be transposed and re-arranged in order to match with the N20 music range.
Fulfill Musicians' Dream
Under the petition of customers from 50 countries around the world, we decided to develop Muro Box-N40 to widen the music range and fulfill everyone’s dream of finding songs or arranging songs by themselves.
We took the challenge to refine the mechanism to upgrade the sound quality again. N40 will make the dream of musicians come true to turn a new chapter for the 200 years old music box industry. It is also the world’s only smart music box that can be used as a MIDI music instrument.
Check Out the New Models
Comming Soon in Kickstarter!
- A New Chapter in Music Boxes -
Muro Box-N40 Sublime
We utilize four vibration plates (combs) to create the “Sublime Harmony”
and achieve top-tier music box performance effects.
Use Acacia Wood Aged for 60 Years (Native to Taiwan)
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.
Special Sound Effect of Top-Tier Music Box
Top-tier music boxes often utilize multiple combs in order to create the effect of simultaneously producing two tones with the same pitch, differing by 14 cents in frequency.
(100 cents = 1 semitone).
This is the unique effect known as “Sublime Harmony”, exclusive to top-tier music boxes.
Please listen to the audio below, where we actually compare the effect with and without the 14-cent difference using the same melody. It’s Chopin’s “Minute Waltz” in D-flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 (“Valse du petit chien”).
The sound is sampled from actual N20 recordings and simulated within the N40’s music range. For the Muro Box-N40 Sublime model, it will use the -14 cent version of sound effect as shown in the audio file below, while the Muro Box-N40 Standard model will use the -0 cent version of sound effect in its design.
Fulfill Your Ultimate Dream of a Music Box
The history of music boxes has embarked on a new chapter.
Sublime Harmony: Top-tier music box performance effect
Like the sound of heavenly music, each note is played simultaneously by two vibrato plates differing by 14 cents, meticulously remastered with four vibration plates (combs), showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of the luxury music box’s unique design.
Caramel Scented Acacia Wood Box
The box is crafted from thermally modified Taiwanese Acacia Confusa wood, aged over 60 years, paired with hand-applied wood wax to preserve its naturally emanating caramel aroma.
Bright and Warm Solid Brass Base
With a minimalist design, the entire base is crafted from solid brass, harkening back to the authentic origins of music boxes from two centuries ago. The warm-toned metallic texture exudes understated luxury, embodying the charm of classical simplicity.
Uniqueness through Customization
If customized music arrangement still cannot convey your feeling thoroughly, we employ personalized laser engraving design to fulfill your wish.
The N40 Sublime edition is our flagship version, and its price encompasses a customized laser-engraved metal plate and a customized two-minute long music arrangement service.
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Muro Box-N40 Standard
Turn your dream of using a music box as an instrument into reality with its 40 notes.
Complete Music Range : 40 Notes
Using two vibration plates to cover notes in a chromatic scale to truly satisfy the composition needs of musicians and faithfully reproducing your most cherished melodies.
Zinc Alloy Base
The traditional music box base is crafted from zinc alloy to produce warm and mellow sounds.
Classic Maple Wood Box
Following the Muro Box N20 series, the classic light hard maple wood is used for producing the wood box for the Muro Box-N40 Standard.
Maple wood provides a neutral sound without adding additional tonal qualities. You have the freedom to choose an external resonator box that meets your preferences, allowing the N40 to showcase your unique taste. You can also purchase our resonator box as an add-on option.
More Types of MIDI Input Slots
Both N40 Sublime and Standard models support Din 5 MIDI input signals and USB-C MIDI input signals, offering greater convenience for music enthusiasts who love to compose new music!
Customization and Add-On Options
Create a uniquely tailored Muro Box-N40 Standard Edition
Laser Engraving
Engrave your motto or words for your loved one. If our customized music arrangement still cannot fully express your heart, let us use laser engraving to assist you.
Musical Arrangement
Lack of music arranging skills? No problem. With Muro Box’s experienced music arrangers and a complete 40-note range, your beloved songs will be faithfully represented in the classic music box.
Upgrade to Acacia Wood Box
Thermally modified Acacia Confusa wood combines numerous excellent characteristics – elegant wood grain, timeless sound, and durability against insects. We earnestly hope that you will join us in supporting the Taiwanese Acacia Confusa wood.
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Increase Music Range to 40 Notes
The characteristic of the N40 scale is that every whole tone and semitone are continuously included from D4 to C7, while the lower range part F3-C4 is discontinuous, and some semitones (F#3, G#3, A#3, and C#3) are not included. To understand why we chose to exclude these four semitones, please refer to this Muro Box-N40 update #8.
When users want to cover other people’s songs, the current N40 scale range can restore the original songs’ features easily. N40 also gives you more freedom to create your own melodies and chords.
More Compatible Free Melodies Export from Music Box Maniacs
Support more tracks to be exported from Music Box Maniacs ( MBM ) to Muro Box-N40 for free!
The rich music collection made by global music box fans can be imported to your Muro Box App simply by scanning the QR code of the melody you like!
Upgrades of Muro Box-N40
Enjoy the Amazing Sensual Visual Audio Feast when you watch the N40 playing each note!
Brand New Detachable Transparent Lid
Complete 360-degree close contact, where all the mechanisms’ mysteries are touchable by your fingers.
Bigger! Higher Quality!
Continuing the classic imagery of “square within circle, circle within square” from the N20 series.
All-metal mechanism and one-piece solid wood box form this impressive 3KG music box!
We heard Your Music Creation and Recording Need!
Both N40 models come with the DIN 5 MIDI input and USB-C MIDI input (Host/Device Mode), allowing you to connect the Muro Box-N40 to any MIDI devices.
Both N40 models support 6.5mm audio signal output by incorporating a transducer pickup system for recording its live music performances.
N40 Widens Music Range to Break the Limitation for Music Arrangement
The N40 music range covers 40 notes from F3 to C7.
The music range spans nearly 4 octaves, providing you with more varieties in arranging your own accompaniment and melody.
The Music Industry's Strong Anticipation
After our Muro Box-N20 was released in the market, we came to understand that due to the profound historical and cultural significance of music boxes, musicians from all around the world are seeking programmable music boxes as a medium for their creative endeavors. However, due to the limitations of the mechanism, arranging music for music boxes is a task that is nearly impossible to accomplish in reality. It is expensive and comes with numerous compositional constraints.
Yen-Ting Chen
Muro Box helped me overcome the barrier of “having music in my mind but lacking the ability to perform.” With the scorewriter in the Muro Box App, I can gradually refine my compositions, shape them bit by bit until they are satisfactory, and then entrust the machine to perform them. This way, even if I can’t play a musical instrument well, I can still have the music in my heart being played by the music box.
Throughout the arrangement process, I explore new techniques and hone my ears. When inspiration strikes, I swiftly bring it to completion, and when I encounter obstacles, I patiently refine my work. Upon finishing a new melody, I relish the gratifying experience of sharing my creation online. I’m truly elated to have discovered this unique Taiwanese innovation, the Muro Box. Thanks to it, the music box has become an indispensable part of my life!
Hanneke Debie
I’m willing to pay as much as an antique or modern big music box (which also comes around 2000 euros or more) for Muro Box-N40! I’m also happy with the final note selection! I’m going to try to convert some of my songs into N40 format in the coming time.
As for arranging songs, I’ve written guides on how to arrange songs (plus some basic music theory). With some adjustments it could be usable to share with future N40 users as well. The guide was co-written by Musicboxrox, and reviewed by several music box enthusiasts.
Muro Box-N20 Lite Battery Ver.
If you don’t have the need to connect the music box to a MIDI keyboard or laptop when arranging your own music, the most cost-effective N20 Lite battery version can already fulfill your dream of “using a mechanical music box to play all your cherished memories!”
Not only can you listen to songs shared by others, but also you can create your own music box melodies using the app. Turning the Muro Box into your music box version of a Spotify player is easy. There are thousands of songs in the music library for you to choose from. Not only that, the N20 version also offers custom music arrangement and engraving services for you to craft a personalized music box!
The classic N20 Lite version, combined with the long-awaited battery compartment, completely frees you from the annoying wire! The traditional sturdy DC power interface is simply the best choice. With the same features as the N20 series, you can freely play any song you desire.
The World’s First App-Controlled Music Box was Invented and Produced in Taiwan
Developed and manufactured by Tevofy Technology Ltd. located in Taiwan, this mechanism shares the same design as the N20 Standard and N20 Lite versions, which are already in stock for sale on the Muro Box official website. The product has achieved stable sales in over 50 countries worldwide and deserved your trust.
Want to learn more about how the first generation of Muro Box-N20 was developed? Welcome to read its founders’ story.
Precise and Durable Industrial Design in Craftsmanship
Each vibration plate (comb) contains 20 different notes, and each note’s plucking action requires the precise assembly of 6 intricate components to control its movement. 120 tiny components form a 20-note cylinder, and one unit of Muro Box-N20 product comprises over 500 components. Each component has undergone countless experiments to ensure their optimal performance. Every Muro Box is a unique piece of craftsmanship that deserves your close appreciation.
Muro Box Products Were Co-Developed by Experienced Manufacturers in Taiwan
The Muro Box-N20 product has continuously been optimized based on global customers’ feedback. Thanks to our production partners from various fields contributing their expertises and know-hows to help the Muro Box music box become sturdy and durable products.
1. Vibration Plate (Comb) : Kyooh Precision Technology Co., Ltd. has 40+ years in manufacturing music box movements for global dealers. The comb pieces are manufactured using specialized machinery and fine-tuned by hand. Their durability is tested through continuous play for over 1000 hours.
2. Cylinder’s Metal Components: Airwise has 40+ years in designing metal molds and metal stamping.
3. Battery Compartment: Mighty Net Electronics has 35+ years of experience in electronic development and manufacturing. With their help, we can have additional assurance for the final stretch before mass production.
4. Gear Sets: Model Mark has 35 years in designing and manufacturing various gears.
5. Professional Lubricating Oil: Yamanala Industry Corp. has 28 years in customizing lubricating oil for various industry uses.
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The Product Development Milestones of Muro Box
2016 Start from Scratch｜
Start to design the Muro Box (abbreviated from “Music Robot in a Box”).
2017 Gain Patents and Mentor｜
US/China/Taiwan patents; Kyooh’s mentorship for producing music boxes.
2018 1st Campaign in Taiwan｜
Zeczec crowdfunding campaign for the 1st-generation N20 model. (15V DC power socket)
2020 Indiegogo Campaign｜
the first-generation N20 model with improved noise reduction and MIDI input jack, switching to a Type-C power source.
2022 Muro Box Brand Store Opens｜
Selling N20 Standard version (with MIDI input jack and Type-C mobile power source) and N20 Lite version. (without MIDI input jack, using a 15V DC power socket)
2023 Kickstarter Campaign｜
N20 Lite Battery Version, N40 Sublime and Standard Models.
Muro Box App Functions
No matter which model of Muro Box you have, you can enjoy the same composing functions and music cloud library.
Start Playing Your Favorites by Pressing the Knob!
All family members can collaboratively edit the “same” offline playlist!
All of the family members who have paired with the same Muro Box can edit an exclusive offline playlist for this music box by adding or removing songs and adjusting the order.
Adding songs to the “offline playlist” is similar to copying and pasting files from your cloud drive folder to a local folder at your desktop. Even if the files in your offline playlist are accidentally deleted, the original files will still be in your “online playlist.”
You can create songs as gifts for others or ask our music arrangers to create customized melodies for you. Worried about gifting a music box to someone not familiar with tech products? Don’t worry, we can configure the offline playlist for you before shipping. This way, with just one press, your loved one can activate the music box and enjoy the surprise you’ve prepared!
How many songs will be preloaded in the music box?
If you haven’t ordered our customized music arrangement service, the music box will include 30 official complimentary tracks in the offline playlist. There will be famous classical music and children’s songs as well as some original music.
If you have ordered our music arrangement service, the melody you requested will be added to the offline playlist, while the initial 30 complimentary tracks we made will be stored in the online playlist for you. This allows you to directly play your customized melody by pressing the knob after you or the gift receiver unboxes the product. Your customized melody playing from the music box will touch his/her heart with a surprise!
Note: Search “official list” in the Muro Box App, and you will find the 30 complimentary tracks we provide.
Resonance Box for Muro Box ( N40 & N20)
We welcome you to place your Muro Box on various surfaces to test how different materials of the table create different sound effects. You can even try to place it on a guitar to see if you love its sustaining sound effect.
In our specially designed resonance box for both N40 and N20 models, the top and bottom wood plates are made with zebra wood. Using zebra wood will make the sounds in the middle and high range sound richer. The sides of the Resonance Box are made with hard maple, which is also commonly used in making guitars, because it will make the sound become brighter.
Kickstarter Campaign Coming in Oct. 2023:
Contribution / Perk Options
After the campaign ends, the future retail price will be listed as the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) in the image below. There will be a limited amount of units set for Kickstarter early bird discount.
Compare the 2 N40 Models
Swipe right to view the complete table.
| Ｎ40 Sublime | Ｎ40 Standard | N20 Lite Battery Ver. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Sublime Harmony only in premium music boxes | Turn a Music Box into a Music Instrument | Use Battery, No Power Cord | |
| Music Range | Chromatic Scale: F3~C7 (no F#3, G#3, A#3, C#3) | Diatonic Scale: C3~A5 | ||
| Number of Combs | Four 20-note Combs | Two 20-note Combs | One 20-Note Comb | |
| Metal Base Material | Brass One-Piece Design Cut with CNC Present the Classical Music Box | Zinc Alloy creates warm and mellow sound | ||
| Wood Box Material | 60+ Years Old Acacia Wood Native to Taiwan with handmade wax diffusing natural caramel fragrance | Light Hard Maple (+ 90 USD to upgrade to Acacia Wood) | Light Hard Maple | |
| Battery Compartment | None | Included, not extra fee | ||
| MIDI Input Slots | Include both DIN 5 MIDI input and USB-C MIDI input (Host/Device Mode) | None | ||
| Audio Output | Support 6.5 mm audio output with Transducer Pickup System | None | ||
| Customized Metal Plate Engraving | Included, not extra fee | Add-On: +30 USD per metal piece | ||
| Customized Music Arrangement | Included, not extra fee | Add-On: +40 USD per 2-min melody | ||
Get Voucher before Kickstarter Campaign Starts
Limited Time Voucher:Available before our Kickstarter Campaign Starts in Oct. 2023.Prepaid $30 USD to Save Your DHL shipping fee $90.
If you decide not to pledge to our campaign, the voucher is 100% refundable.
If you think the N40 Sublime/N40 Standard, or N20 Lite Battery version is what you like, please prepaid $30 in our store now to help us estimate the amount of new orders for the new models. We hope to start purchasing their components sooner so that we can ship the goods in 4 months after our Kickstarter campaign ends.
In our Kickstarter campaign, all of the pledge options will not include shipping fee. We will collect the shipping fee after the campaign when we can make sure each pledge option’s packaging box size. However, we will give a shipping price range table to show the quotes for airmail and DHL options in order to let backers know the estimated shipping cost.
To thank for your super early support for our Kickstarter campaign by purchasing our store’ voucher before our Kickstarter campaign officially starts (The Launch Date is TBA this October, 2023), we will automatically waive your shipping fee and use DHL to ship your order.
This automatic DHL shipping waive is worth 90 USD because both N40 models and N20 Lite Battery versions are large and heavy items for international air shipping.
Why do we still need to do a crowdfunding?
Our current resources are not enough for us to complete the mass production of N40, so we need your support. After we conquered the endless challenges of the N20 product development journey, we immediately encountered the impact of COVID 19. Although we still strive to provide the best service and quality we can, unfortunately we have no extra resources to complete the development of new products.
Hence, we wish that you and all music box fans around the world can join our N40 development journey to turn a new chapter for the music box industry.
Developing N40
Based on Our Previous N20 Experiences
The Muro Box N40 and N20 series are independently developed by Tevofy Technology Ltd., who own patents in the United States, Taiwan and China. Through multiple international crowdfunding campaigns and global cross-border e-commerce efforts, the existing N20 models have been produced and shipped steadily, with customers’ support from 50 countries worldwide.
Building upon the foundation of previous product development and benefiting from a mature and stable supply chain for components, the new generation N40 model will significantly reduce the risks associated with new product development. We highly value each contribution you make, and the team is committed to efficiently managing development and manpower costs. We will provide monthly updates on development progress through email newsletters and our Facebook posts to keep our global backers informed.
We anticipate the new product to launch on Kickstarter (USA) and Waybay (Taiwan) in October. After the conclusion of the campaigns, production and shipping will commence four months later.
Derived from Japanese Technology, 40 years of Music Box Design and Production Culmination in Taiwan.
You may not know that, in the past, about 40 percent of music box movements in the world were actually made in Taiwan. Starting from producing music box movements for a Japanese brand as their OEM partner, Kyooh Precision Industry Co. Ltd. has absorbed the Japanese brand’s technology and know-how, allowing Kyooh to develop more intricate models.
Thanks to Kyooh’s mentorship on music box movement design and production, we (Tevofy Technology Ltd.) can invent the world’s first and only app-controlled music box and bring it to life. The success of Muro Box-N20 has shown the world that Taiwan has the most advanced technology to create the next brand new chapter for the music box industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
We will integrate the music library from Musicboxmaniacs.com (MBM) before shipping. This means you will be able to search for all MBM songs directly within the Muro Box app. Additionally, we will provide 10 classical songs within the 40-note range for you to enjoy.
Our user community has many talented arrangers and enthusiasts, and they frequently upload new songs to share with our global users. We assure that you will have countless songs for you to save into your Muro Box playlist for free.
We will add a form on our official website for customers of this crowdfunding campaign. Once you’ve placed an order and obtained the order number from the Kickstarter campaign, you can enter this order number into this form to tell us your melody request.
You can provide reference audio files in WAV/MP3 format or YouTube video links and specify which section you want to include in the 2-minute custom arrangement segment.
If you wish to arrange the entire song, we will evaluate the additional cost based on the information you provide. We will confirm that you agree to pay the extra cost before starting arranging it.
Each melody request will be provided with a MP3 audio file for you to review first. Once you confirm that you like this version, we will proceed to create the MIDI version of this melody and upload it to your music box. This allows you to hear the customized arrangement by simply pressing the knob on the music box.
We will add a form on our official website for customers of this crowdfunding campaign. Once you’ve placed an order and obtained the order number from the Kickstarter campaign, you can enter this order number into this form to tell us your engraving request. The form will include example images to let you select font styles and know the suggested width/length for the content. If you wish to engrave a language other than English/Chinese, we will require you to provide an image of the text to ensure its spelling is accurate.
(1) File format limitation: Only single-track MIDI files can be read; other formats are not supported.
(2-1) N20 model’s music scale: It can play notes from C3 to A5, equivalent to the white keys of a piano (excluding black keys). Any piece containing flats and sharps needs to be transposed before uploading the MIDI file or can be manually transposed in the app’s arrangement interface.
(2-2) N40 model’s music scale: The lowest note is F3, and the highest note is C7, including all semitones within the range D4 to C7. The low-pitch range between F3 and C4 lacks the following semitones: F#3, G#3, A#3, C#4. For more details on why we chose to exclude these four semitones, please refer to this Muro Box-N40 update #8.
(3)Melody Length Limitation:We set up the maximum duration/length per song is 30 minutes long to prevent your cell phone overload.
(4)Performance Speed Limitation:Muro Box can play as fast as 4 beats per second for the same note, which means consecutive eight notes at BPM 120. When there is any note that is faster than the above speed limitation, it will be skipped by our firmware so the Muro Box will not play it. The basic unit of notes in Muro Box is eighth note (quaver).
Yes, the N40’s range can fully encompass the N20 music library, so whether you’ve composed music specifically for the N20 or you wish to play other customers’ music created for the N20, both can be directly played on the N40 device without any modifications.
We provide 1-year limited warranty, which applies on the body of Muro Box but does not include the attachments. The warranty period starts from the date we start to ship your Muro Box. This warranty covers only defects in material or workmanship under normal use during the warranty period. Please also notice that warranty will be void once you open the body of Muro Box to do any maintenance not guided by our team.
We also provide 3-year limited maintenance. Shipping and handling charges may apply except where prohibited by applicable laws. This limited product warranty is valid only where the products are sold by our company or through its authorized retailer or local agent.
When we begin to announce the commencement of shipments through our email newsletter, if you wish to change your shipping address, please be sure to proactively email us. Please make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to avoid missing important notifications related to shipping arrangement. If you do not contact us to inform us of a change in address or phone number, we will proceed with shipping based on the information you provided at the time of your order.
For customers who have requested custom engraving or arrangements, we will individually reach out to confirm that you are satisfied with the engraving or arrangement details and that no further modifications are needed. Without receiving your confirmed reply, we will hold its shipping until we receive your confirmation.
We will assist you in estimating your country’s import tax based on the website provided by DHL. If you require assistance with this estimation, please email us at: support@tevofy.com.
Currently, only the N20 device has been set up for live streaming, allowing you to try playing remotely. Please refer to this blog post for step-by-step instructions. You can use your mobile app to select any song from the music library, and the Muro Box-N20 Lite prototype shown in the video will play any song you click from the Muro Box App. The N40 music box is still in preparation, and once it’s ready, we will also utilize live streaming for you to test playing it remotely.
Welcome to Read Our N40 Product Development Journey
Our customers from various countries provided feedback to help us design N40.
We visited many manufacturers in Taiwan in order to turn our design into products.
Some updates even record the history of the industry about the music box!
Subscribe / Question for N40
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