Every meaningful decision in this product, the rationale, and the alternatives we rejected. If you disagree, we want to hear about it.
Running log of every keep/swap/drop decision for the audio-family reframe of WanderSpeaker. Citations per entry.
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Decision: WanderSpeaker v2 is a premium audio family (Sonos/HomePod/Echo competitor class), not a voice-assistant + room-sensor-hub. The voice-assistant + room-sensor-hub function survives and is retained as the default WanderVerse-native voice endpoint when paired with WanderNode Hub, but the product's primary identity is audio.
Prior manifest reframe: The 2026-04-24 manifest (3-tier Lite/Standard/Pro voice assistant at $149/$249/$399 with Pi-based Whisper.cpp + ReSpeaker 4-Mic architecture) is superseded. The Pi-based voice-hub concept is relocated to a separate product (working name WanderVoice — tracked in ~/Downloads/Claude/wandersafe/WANDERVERSE-FOUNDERS-ACCESS-PLAN.md open items).
WanderSpeaker v2 is audio-first. Voice is an integration, not the core.
Why: user brief explicitly positions against Sonos Era / HomePod / Google Nest Audio / Echo Studio / Sonos Roam + Move, and requires IP67 outdoor, Class-D amp thermal discipline, published THD+N curves, and an audiophile reference tier competing with KEF LSX II + Genelec 8030C. That is an audio-engineering product, not a Pi-hub. Attempting to serve both product briefs in one SKU would compromise both.
Source: user's canonical brief 2026-04-24; _HARDWARE-TOOLCHAIN.md; _STANDALONE-AND-PLATFORM-INTEGRATION.md.
Decision: 4-tier audio family.
| Tier | Device ID | Price | Chassis archetype | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Room** | `WV-SPKR-ROOM` | $149 founding / $179 std / $89 nonprofit | Passive bookshelf powered, 1× 4" woofer + 1× 0.75" tweeter, 30W Class-D | Sonos Era 100 ($249), Google Nest Audio ($99), Echo Dot ($49-99) |
| **Portable** | `WV-SPKR-PORT` | $249 founding / $299 std / $149 nonprofit | Handle-carry, IP55, 2× 2.5" FR + 2× passive radiators, 40W Class-D, 12h battery | Sonos Roam 2 ($179), Beats Pill ($149), JBL Flip 7 ($149) |
| **Outdoor** | `WV-SPKR-OUT` | $349 founding / $399 std / $199 nonprofit | IP67, rugged, 2× 3.5" FR + 1× upfiring tweeter + dual passive radiators, 60W Class-D, 20h battery | Sonos Move 2 ($449), UE Hyperboom ($449), JBL Xtreme 4 ($379) |
| **Reference** | `WV-SPKR-REF` | $699 founding / $799 std / $449 nonprofit | Stereo pair, 1× 5.25" Kevlar woofer + 1× 1" silk-dome tweeter per speaker, 80W+80W Class-D bi-amped, networked | KEF LSX II ($1,399), Genelec 8030C ($1,295 ea), Sonos Five ($549), HomePod ($299) |
All prices are per-unit (Reference ships as stereo pair; $699 price IS the pair, competing with KEF LSX II single-pair price).
Rationale: user spec mapped onto 4 use cases — stationary home listening (Room), carry-to-any-room (Portable), outdoor + travel (Outdoor IP67), critical listening (Reference). No tier overlaps — each solves a problem the others don't.
Decision: the WanderVerse-native voice assistant (routed through WanderNode Hub for uncensored local LLM; Rhasspy + Whisper.cpp on-device fallback for standalone) is the default. Alexa / Google Assistant / Siri are user-opt-in passthroughs, not bundled defaults.
Why: (1) the category-defining differentiator is privacy + identity-awareness + no corporate-AI-refusals; bundling the opposite undermines the pitch. (2) Amazon AVS + Google Assistant SDK both require device-ID registration with their cloud, which violates our privacy floor. (3) Survivors / undocumented / trans users specifically need voice that doesn't phone home. (4) These passthroughs are only needed for Smart Home routines users have already built elsewhere — we support them via Matter, not deep cloud integration.
Implementation: opt-in toggles in WanderOS companion app. Off by default. If enabled, scoped permission (wake-word-only passthrough, no always-listening). LED + HW mic-kill switch always authoritative.
Source: WANDERVERSE-PLATFORM-STANDARDS.md privacy floor; memory project_wanderverse_founders_plan.md.
WV-SPKR-ROOM / -PORT / -OUT / -REFv2.0-audio-family-candidateMain SoC (all tiers): ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 N16R8 — 2.4 GHz WiFi + BLE 5 + 16 MB flash + 8 MB PSRAM + dual LX7 @ 240 MHz + integrated ESP-SR wake-word + Espressif audio ADF. Why: audio-optimized, proven in commercial smart speakers, active lifecycle through 2030+, modular cert passthrough, cheap (~$3.50 @ 1k), low-power sleep. ⚠ needs validation: multi-room sync latency under load — Espressif supports ~10 ms group sync via mDNS + NTP; we target <50 ms group lag across network.
DSP / audio pipeline (all tiers): XMOS XU316-1024-FB265 for Portable / Outdoor / Reference — 8-core 32-bit xCORE, runs USB audio + 48/96 kHz I2S + wake-word engine + multi-mic beamforming + psychoacoustic EQ. Room tier omits XMOS and uses ESP32-S3 native I2S + light-weight ESP-SR — tradeoff is less sophisticated DSP but keeps Room BOM at target. ⚠ needs validation: XMOS XVF3800 vs XU316 for WanderVerse's specific beamforming needs — XU316 more flexible, XVF3800 more turnkey.
Class-D amplifier — per tier:
| Tier | Amp | Power | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | TI **TAS5805M** | 2×23W @ 8Ω / 4Ω | I2S in, integrated DSP, built-in EQ + DRC + speaker protection, proven in smart speakers, ~$4 @ 1k |
| Portable | TI **TAS5825M** | 2×38W / 4×23W @ 4Ω | higher efficiency for battery; integrated DSP; sub-40 mW idle; ~$6 @ 1k |
| Outdoor | TI **TAS5825M** ×2 (bi-amped) | 4×38W | dual-amp bi-amp configuration for passive radiators; same DSP; headroom for outdoor SPL |
| Reference | TI **TPA3255** (high-SNR variant) + TAS5825M DSP frontend | 4×80W continuous @ 4Ω | audiophile-class 123 dB SNR Class-D; bi-amp + DSP room correction; ~$22 @ 1k |
Source: TI datasheets; TAS5805M/5825M are the industry standard for smart-speaker class Class-D (Amazon Echo, Sonos One use TI Class-D of this class); TPA3255 is the audiophile go-to for sub-$1k powered monitors.
Audio codec (all tiers): Cirrus Logic CS47L15 stereo codec + integrated HP amp for Ref tier headphone jack; Room/Portable/Outdoor use the Class-D amp's onboard ADC/DAC. 24-bit/96 kHz native, 24-bit/192 kHz oversampled for Reference.
Speaker drivers — per tier:
| Tier | Driver(s) | Vendor | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 1× **Tymphany TC9FD18-08** 3.5" FR paper | Tymphany (Denmark) | inherited from Blueprint v1; proven cheap full-range; $15.50 @ 1k; great mid-range; rolls off above 15 kHz |
| Room + tweeter | 1× **Peerless by Tymphany TG9FD10-08** 0.75" silk dome | Tymphany | $6 @ 1k; extends high-frequency response past 20 kHz; crossover @ 3 kHz |
| Portable | 2× **Tang Band W2-1625SA** 2.5" neodymium FR | Tang Band (Taiwan) | compact full-range; good for portable size; $12 @ 1k |
| Portable radiator | 2× **Dayton SD60-PR** 60mm passive | Dayton Audio (US) | dual opposed PRs cancel cabinet motion; extend bass to ~70 Hz in small cabinet; $12 each |
| Outdoor | 2× **Tang Band W3-1876S** 3.5" weather-resistant FR | Tang Band | IP-rated; handles outdoor SPL requirement (~95 dB @ 1m); $18 @ 1k |
| Outdoor tweeter | 1× **Tang Band 25-1744S** 1" upfiring dome | Tang Band | 360° dispersion for outdoor; weather-treated dome; $22 @ 1k |
| Outdoor radiator | 2× **Dayton DSA80-PR** 80mm passive | Dayton | larger radiators for outdoor bass presence; $18 each |
| Reference woofer | 2× (1 per speaker) **SB Acoustics SB15NRXC30-8** 5.25" Kevlar | SB Acoustics (Denmark) | audiophile-tier mid-woofer; flat response to 2 kHz; Le low for cross; $65 @ 1k |
| Reference tweeter | 2× **SB Acoustics SB26ADC-C000-4** 1" silk dome | SB Acoustics | matches woofer; smooth high end; $45 @ 1k |
Source: driver choices per user brief ("Reference tier competes with KEF LSX II / Genelec 8030C"); SB Acoustics and Tymphany are established audiophile driver vendors; Tang Band is the portable-speaker industry default; Dayton passive radiators are US-sourced + proven.
Power — per tier:
| Tier | Source | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Room | **Mains only**, external USB-C PD 100W brick | — |
| Portable | Mains USB-C PD 65W + 7.4V 5200 mAh Li-ion pack (Samsung 21700 ×2) | replaceable via rear service panel, 12h music playback |
| Outdoor | Mains USB-C PD 100W + 7.4V 7800 mAh LiFePO4 pack (LFP chemistry, -20 to +60°C rated) | user-replaceable, 20h music playback |
| Reference | **Mains only**, per-speaker internal 150W AC→DC (dual IEC C14 inlet per speaker) | — |
LFP chemistry on Outdoor is a deliberate choice over LCO/NMC Li-ion — LFP is the only consumer chemistry rated to -20°C sustained discharge, which is required for outdoor -20 to +60°C operating spec. Tradeoff: lower energy density → bigger battery, heavier unit. Accepted. ⚠ needs validation: LFP at -20°C holds 70-80% rated capacity per Panasonic datasheet; real-world cold-weather testing required at EVT.
Wireless audio — per tier:
| Standard | Room | Portable | Outdoor | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WiFi 6 (2.4 + 5 GHz) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| AirPlay 2 (MFi certified) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chromecast built-in | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spotify Connect | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Tidal Connect | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bluetooth 5.3 + LC3 (for local fallback) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| WanderNode Hub multi-room (our native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wired Ethernet (PoE+) | ✅ | — | — | ✅ |
Source: user brief explicit requirement. MFi certification (AirPlay 2) is the gate — Apple charges $0.08 per unit + annual $5k program fee. Chromecast built-in requires Google's CFC cert (Cast-for-Consumer, ~$15k family-wide). Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory is a 2024 standard; CSA membership $7k/yr + cert per product family ~$5k.
Wake-word / voice:
Per-tier: finish, grille color, mount (table / wall / ceiling / bike / tripod), voice-assistant defaults, Ambassador signature tier, wall-mount bracket, subscription. See CONFIGURATOR.md.
Resolved:
Deferred:
Distributor-catalog-available for ~60% of parts (ESP32-S3, TAS5805/5825, TPA3255, CS47L15, Tymphany + Dayton drivers). Needs-rfq for XMOS, Tang Band, SB Acoustics, MFi AirPlay 2 program, Google CFC cast, Matter cert. See SOURCING.csv.
COMPLIANCE.md.BOM-platform.csv — per-tier platformBOM-modules.csv — user-configurable modules (finish, strap/handle, grille color, mount)STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md — grille + mount + port tubes + internal baffle STLs + OpenSCAD parametric for speaker enclosure port tuningGATE.md + SERVICE-FLOW.md---
| Item | Severity | Action owner | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MFi AirPlay 2 program enrollment + per-unit license | 🔴 Michael | 2026-Q4 |
| 2 | Google Chromecast Built-in (CFC) partnership | 🔴 Michael | 2026-Q4 |
| 3 | Tidal Connect SDK partnership | 🟡 Michael | 2027-Q1 |
| 4 | Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory cert (CSA membership) | 🟡 cert team | 2027-Q1 |
| 5 | SB Acoustics distributor relationship for Reference drivers | 🟡 sourcing | 2027-Q2 |
| 6 | Engineering team hire (audio DSP + firmware + industrial design) | 🔴 Michael | NOW - 2026-Q3 |
| 7 | XMOS FAE relationship for XU316 partitioning + Vocalfusion SDK | 🟡 FW | 2026-Q4 |
| 8 | Contract manufacturer — wearable-class-but-bigger EMS with speaker-assembly experience | 🔴 Michael | 2027-Q1 |
| 9 | Audio-measurement lab partnership for per-unit PVT (Klippel Near-Field Scanner class) | 🟡 ops | 2027-Q2 |
| 10 | Uncensored local LLM voice-assistant standalone fallback (no WanderNode Hub present) | 🟡 WanderOS team | 2027-Q2 |
| 11 | Reference tier L/R sync protocol — custom WiFi mesh vs ethernet-between-pair vs BLE/UWB distance sync | 🟡 FW | 2027-Q1 |
| 12 | UV-stable TPU grille cloth supplier for Outdoor tier (accelerated UV testing at EVT) | 🟡 ind design | 2027-Q2 |
| 13 | LFP battery pack supplier for Outdoor (-20°C rated) — Samsung / Panasonic / custom OEM | 🟡 sourcing | 2027-Q1 |
| 14 | Klippel driver measurement validation for published THD+N + SPL-vs-THD curves | 🟡 audio eng | 2027-Q2 |
| 15 | MD/FL wiretap compliance for wake-word recording (same as WanderBand) | 🟢 legal | 2027-Q1 |
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| # | v1 Blueprint choice | v2 SOP decision | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single $588 voice-hub SKU, Raspberry Pi 5 compute | 4-tier audio family on ESP32-S3 + XMOS DSP | Audio-first reframe; Pi-hub moved to separate WanderVoice SKU |
| 2 | Onboard AC-DC with UL 62368-1 burden | External USB-C PD brick (Room/Portable/Outdoor); internal AC on Reference only | Cert cost + field-repairability; Reference justifies internal AC for audiophile signal-path purity |
| 3 | Tymphany TC9FD18-08 3.5" woofer + TAS5825M | Room: TC9FD18-08 + TAS5805M + tweeter + passive-radiator tuning; Portable/Outdoor: tiered drivers | Each tier gets correctly-sized driver topology |
| 4 | Waveshare 2.8" DSI round display | Dropped from all tiers; optional LED status bar only | Speaker is an audio product, not a display product |
| 5 | Mic kill switch + mute + panic | Retained — all tiers ship HW mic-kill + mute + panic (inherited) | Privacy floor per WanderVerse standard |
| 6 | UWB DWM1000, mmWave, thermistor, air quality, ultrasonic, UV, tamper, IMU, NFC | Dropped — these are WanderSense hub features, not speaker features | Audio product scope; WanderSense handles sensor-hub role |
| 7 | Silicone conformal + GORE vents | Outdoor tier only (IP67) | Room/Portable don't need it; Outdoor inherits the Blueprint choice |
| 8 | Custom CNC aluminum body | Reference tier only (CNC alu baffle + MDF rear); Room/Portable/Outdoor use injection polymer + MDF hybrid per tier | Cost discipline + acoustic integrity |
| 9 | Consolidated sensor mount + TPU gaskets | Dropped (no sensors to mount); TPU gaskets retained for Outdoor IP67 seal | Scoped out |
| 10 | Supercapacitor UPS | Dropped — mains-powered tiers tolerate reboot; Portable/Outdoor have battery UPS function inherent | Scoped out |
| 11 | Dual opposing 60mm passive radiators | Retained on Portable + Outdoor (right tool); Reference uses ported enclosure + computed port tube; Room gets single PR as cost compromise | Acoustic engineering-first decisions |
These conflicts are intentional. The v1 Blueprint was a voice-hub architecture misclassified as a speaker; the v2 SOP run correctly classifies it.