Earlier this year, we covered the new xMEMS speaker technology and confidently called it the earbud tech of the future. That was the launch of xMEMS’ first speaker, Cowell, which debuted inside the impressive Creative Aurvana Ace 2 Earbuds. Today, the company added Sycamore to its line, which xMEMs calls the smallest and lightest micro-speaker.
As a quick refresher, MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems) is a new innovation in audio technology that aims to replace the traditional coil speakers that have been in our earbuds, headphones, and hearing aids for years. MEMS speakers are produced from a single silicon slab instead of the standard coil and magnet setup on a traditional speaker, which offers several advantages. These include a more detailed sound profile, deeper low-end, and increased robustness. Did you know the IP58 water resistance on a MEMS speaker can make it survive an entire washing and drying cycle in a washing machine?
Sycamore’s biggest selling point is its compact form factor, resulting in a feather-light weight and an incredibly small size. xMEMS calls this the “world’s first 1-mm thin near-field full-range MEMS Micro Speaker.” I’m aware that that’s a mouthful. In simpler words, this is the world’s smallest speaker designed to be close to the user’s ear. So, possible uses of this speaker include AR glasses, VR headsets, smartphones, car headrests, or smartwatches.
VP of Marketing and Business Development at xMEMS, Mike Housholder, explained that the existing smartwatches and AR glasses on the market are considerably heftier than they need to be because of the bulky speakers embedded within them. Well, that’s one of the reasons. Switching to a significantly lighter speaker will hopefully shed some weight off these gadgets. I was told in the briefing that a thicker and larger speaker also needs proportionally sized space behind it to move freely. Replacing that with a thinner chip will free up a lot of that space, also known as “back volume area.”
According to the company, Sycamore is one-seventh the size and one-third the thickness of traditional speakers—a traditional dynamic driver is 3mm thick. Sycamore measures 8.41 x 9 x 1.13 and weighs only 150 milligrams. It takes up 70% less volume and weighs 70% less than a traditional driver. Another ambitious claim is that the speaker does all that (takes up far less space) while performing better than standard dynamic drivers in terms of sound. The claim includes “better performance at both the low and high ends” and “powerful, full-range audio.”
Housholder explains some of the possible benefits of the speaker. “In smartphones, Sycamore offers a higher quality earpiece speaker for clearer calls. In cars, Sycamore’s size, weight, and performance makes it a micro-sized tweeter for headrests, and […] not only does Sycamore’s audio performance deliver a full sound experience for smart watches and glasses, but its size allows designers to create sleeker, fashion-forward products that consumers will love.”
The benefits of a compact speaker are not limited to size and weight. By reducing the space and weight of a component, you’re allowing for a slimmer, better-looking build and more space for other components, potentially making the device more advanced. Like the Cowell, Sycamore is also rated IP58 for water resistance, which means it’s a good choice for folks with active lifestyles.
Since the Sycamore will not be in any commercial devices until at least 2026, the folks at xMEMS set up an interesting little system to demo it. The speaker was embedded inside a transparent glass housing and then connected to a pair of circuit boards and an iPad playing the content. I listened to a few demo songs and then switched to one of my favorite songs that I’ve listened to on speakers ranging from $50 to $40,000, so I’m confident about all of its nuances and subtleties.
The features that popped out the most to me were its power, warmth, and clarity. I was impressed with how loud and powerful the sound was. I certainly didn’t expect this feather-light, tiny object to be capable of producing volumes as high as it did. Integrated into a smartwatch, for instance, the speaker would be perfect for easily filling up a room with sound.
My biggest issue with the traditional speakers on smartphones is how tinny they sound. The audio is often painfully devoid of warmth and soul and comes off overly harsh and sharp. I was pleasantly surprised to see a tinge of that warmth on this speaker. The sound borrowed much of its personality and soul from a noticeably punchy low-end. It was crisp and clear enough for me to make out the intricacies of a song. The bass never sounded muddy, and the treble didn’t overstep into sounding shrill at any point. Every song maintained its crispness and strength regardless of the volume at which it was played.
Sycamore will begin testing in the first quarter of 2025, with mass production most likely starting in October 2025. I’m aware it will take time for OEMs to adjust to brand-new tech and strip their existing offerings of their current components, but I’m genuinely hoping they’re able to do that soon.