Draft:Hörbert

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗

Hörbert (styled hörbert) is a self-contained wooden audio player designed for simple operation. It is manufactured and sold in Germany by HMC Hightech Media Components GmbH & Co. KG (HMC). The Hörbert uses common file formats and interfaces and can be loaded with new content without requiring an internet connection. The device does not collect data about usage, playback or users.[1]

The Hörbert was created in 2011 by the company Winzki, based in Stuttgart.[2] The firm became insolvent in 2022, and in 2023 it was acquired by HMC Hightech Media Components of Bremen; development and service have since been based in Nürtingen.[3]

Operation

The Hörbert uses an SD card as its storage medium. Audio content such as music or radio plays is transferred to the card either through an SD card reader on a computer or via a web browser, and is organised into nine playlists that are accessed using nine coloured buttons. The amount of content that can be loaded is limited only by the capacity of the SD card.[4]

Pressing a playlist button repeatedly advances playback to the next track within the selected playlist. An additional button provides audible fast-forward, and another jumps to the start of the current track. A push-button rotary encoder switches the device on and off and controls the volume.

Inside the device, which can be opened by removing a single screw, four NiMH rechargeable batteries can be fitted, giving a runtime of about 35 hours at medium volume. The SD card can also be replaced.

Materials

The casing combines solid beech (sides), solid birch (playback buttons), poplar plywood (front panel) and birch plywood (sliding cover). Metal components include a stainless steel speaker grille and a chrome-plated aluminium knob (formerly brass). The device is finished with water-based lacquer.

Add-ons

Since launch, the Hörbert has gained additional features that can also be retrofitted to existing devices. A Bluetooth audio module allows two Bluetooth headphones to be connected simultaneously and lets the device act as a Bluetooth speaker. Later features were incorporated into revisions based on the ESP32 microcontroller.[5]

Models with simplified operation are available for people with disabilities, using only three large playback buttons. A further variant has a 3.5 mm jack socket for connecting external switches and sensors used in assistive control devices.

Audio content

The Hörbert is an open system: files in MP3, WAV or M4A format can be transferred to the storage card. Since October 2024 this is done through a browser-based "Set Mode" on the device itself, without removing the card; previously a dedicated desktop application was required to write the card on a computer.[5] No internet connection or licensing shop is needed to load content. On the original devices the software converted content into uncompressed WAV format, which required little processing power and energy to play back; current devices also handle MP3 files. DRM-protected titles cannot be transferred.

In addition to the supplied card, which comes preloaded with more than two hours of content, further preloaded cards are available featuring titles from selected publishers such as Janosch, as well as cards with international content or in Swiss German. Special editions such as Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi und Tina contained complete audio plays and a laser engraving on the back of the device.

Manufacturing

According to the manufacturer, the casing is produced and assembled in the Ore Mountains. The electronics of the current model are based on the ESP32 microcontroller. The device is designed to be repairable: because it is assembled with screws rather than adhesives, owners can repair or replace many components themselves.[6]

History

The company was founded by Rainer Brang in Stuttgart in 2011, initially shipping only within Germany, and emphasised handcrafting in Germany from the outset.[7][8]

In 2014 the Museum of Modern Art in New York displayed the Hörbert for ten months as part of the exhibition "Art Lab: Places and Spaces".[9] In 2016 Winzki won the KfW Award GründerChampion for Baden-Württemberg.[10] From 2018, a Hörbert was built into the "StoryBoxx" of the "Field Trip" project, a converted telephone box on Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin in which visitors could listen to recorded memories of the former airport.[11] In 2019 the device was rated the test winner among 13 children's music players by Stiftung Warentest.[12]

In October 2021 the design was substantially revised: the mechanical toggle switch and potentiometer were replaced by a push-button rotary encoder, and the electronics moved to the ESP32 microcontroller. An internal volume-limiting switch was replaced by a "SET" button giving access to a settings mode. The coloured buttons have since been made of turned birch rather than ABS plastic.[13]

Preliminary insolvency proceedings were opened against the manufacturer Winzki on 26 July 2022.[14] From 1 January 2023 the Hörbert has been developed, produced and sold by HMC Hightech Media Components following an asset deal.[3]

In autumn 2024 the "Butterfly" firmware introduced the browser-based Set Mode, removing the need for separate desktop software; settings such as volume limiting, Bluetooth pairing and microphone options are configured through a web browser.[5] On 12 January 2026 the "Butterfly 2" firmware added a podcast function, allowing the device to play podcasts and download new episodes from the internet.[15] Since 13 March 2026 the Hörbert has shipped with a USB-C charging socket and a status LED, so the batteries no longer need to be removed for charging; until then it had shipped with disposable batteries.[16]

The Hörbert is sold in ten countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Liechtenstein.

Reception

Reviewers have praised the device's robustness, ease of use, long runtime and privacy-friendly operation without an internet requirement.[1][17][4] Criticism has focused on the high entry price, which has been attributed in part to its extensive features.[4]

In the maker community, the device's electronics have been available separately for private projects since 2014.[6] Both the availability of a kit and the simple operating concept led to numerous projects and clones in the independent maker community.[18]

References

  1. "Hörbert – die etwas andere Hörbox". Elternguide.online (in German). 19 July 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  2. "Ein MP3-Player aus Vaihingen – ein Hörbert für alle". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). 30 April 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  3. "MP3-Player aus Nürtingen – Neue Hoffnung für Hörbert". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). 27 January 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  4. "Musikbox für Kinder im Test: Sieger der Stiftung Warentest". Chip (in German). 24 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  5. "hörbert fliegt mit Butterfly – großes Firmware-Update, neuer Webauftritt und neue Produkte für Senioren und Pflege". hoerbert.com (in German). 25 November 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  6. "Hörbert im Eigenbau". c't (in German). Heise. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  7. "Hörbert aus Holz spielt jetzt die Musik im Kinderzimmer". CleanKids-Magazin (in German). 21 February 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  8. "Türöffner-Tag der Sendung mit der Maus begeistert Klein und Groß". Focus (in German). 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  9. "Art Lab: Places and Spaces". Museum of Modern Art. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  10. "Winzki GmbH & Co. KG gewinnt im Unternehmenswettbewerb KfW Award GründerChampions 2016 für Baden-Württemberg" (Press release) (in German). hoerbert.com. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  11. "Field Trip". kuk-nk.de (in German). 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  12. "Musikspieler für Kinder im Test: Drei Player sind empfehlenswert". Stiftung Warentest (in German). No. 11/2019. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  13. "Der Auslieferungsstart für den neuen Hörbert hat begonnen". hoerbert.com (in German). 4 November 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  14. "Investorensuche für hörbert-Hersteller Winzki wird im vorläufigen Insolvenzverfahren unverändert fortgeführt" (Press release) (in German). Schultze & Braun. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  15. "hörbert Firmware Butterfly 2 ist da". hoerbert.com (in German). 12 January 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  16. "Neu: Serienmäßig USB-C-Ladefunktion und Betriebs-LED". hoerbert.com (in German). 13 March 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  17. "Musikplayer für Kinder im Test". allesbeste.faz.net (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  18. "DIY-Musikbox für Kinder". Make (in German). No. 4/2021. Heise. 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2026.