You can’t go to a concert any time soon. Can a pair of wooden speakers bring the show to you?
Oda’s creators never meant for the speakers to replace live music, even if the timing seems prescient. They say the service is an alternative to the Instagram Live and Facebook gigs that have been popping up during the pandemic as well as the seemingly endless scroll of virtual meetings. You cannot listen to an Oda concert on your phone, laptop or your Sonos speakers. The shows are transmitted through an illuminated box, or “lighthouse,” that connects to the specially designed speakers, which cost $299 a pair. Oda’s business model is to earn most of its income off subscriptions. The first season, which runs through March, will be free as a kind of dress rehearsal. After that, subscribers will pay $79 per season.
“We have so many ways to get distracted, and we’re already seeing people looking for more minimalist experiences,” Ohanian says. “What Oda does is it forces you to be present and just paying attention with your ears.”
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