SOMA laboratory / Ether V2

Ether V2 is a wideband receiver that allows you to perceive the electromagnetic landscape around you. Inspired by the earliest radios from the early 1900s, Ether V2 captures the raw electromagnetic waves that surround us, allowing you to listen and record that sound.

The main unit is pocket-sized and runs on two AAA batteries. The sound changes when you change the angle of Ether V2, move the two antenna pins closer to or touch various metal objects on the street, or touch the antenna with your hand. You can listen to the sound by wearing headphones, or record it by connecting a portable recorder.

Take Ether V2 and go out to the city. The world of electromagnetic waves that we cannot normally feel is full of unknown sounds.

◯Features
Ether V2 is a kind of "anti-radio". Just as conventional radios tune to a specific radio station, Ether V2 receives all the "interference and radiation" that they try to remove to create a clean signal. Since there is no circuit that receives only the limited frequencies of a specific radio station, that is, filters out all other frequency bands, Ether V2 captures radio waves from a few hertz to gigahertz "as is". This allows Ether V2 to recognize the landscape of invisible electromagnetic waves created unintentionally by humans, and enables listening and recording of raw electromagnetic waves.

As inspiration for this project, we took the design of the earliest radios (early 1900s) that did not have a tuning dial. There were not many radio stations at that time, all used Morse code. Each transmitter had its own tone or "voice", so you could distinguish each one by ear.

We were also heavily influenced by Christina Kubisch, one of the earliest pioneers of electromagnetic art.

Ether V2 is pocket-sized (103 x 58 x 17mm) and lightweight at 73g (including batteries). It consumes very little power and runs on two AAA batteries. If you use alkaline or lithium batteries, the battery life is approximately 300+ hours.

We paid special attention to the design of Ether V2, which is intended to be a unique accessory for the conscious modern human being. We used a specially designed enclosure made in Europe and high-quality boards and components that provide a long lifespan and high reliability. Ether V2 is a high-quality gadget with a cool look and offers a unique sound experience.

Ether V2 has both magnetic and electrical components to sense electromagnetic waves. The magnetic component is a magnetic field antenna, like those used in old longwave radios, built into the top of the device. This antenna is therefore most sensitive on the axis of Ether V2. The sound changes by controlling the direction, angle and position of Ether V2. The electrical component consists of an electric field antenna on a board, located on the front of the device.

Ether V2 has two external antenna pins. Use the pins to touch any conductive material or surface (including your body) and use the object or yourself as a large external antenna! Touching various metal objects on the street (guardrails, water pipes, metal doors, parts of buildings, etc.) will almost always produce a completely different sound. The two pins are connected to different points on the circuit, so they receive electromagnetic waves in different ways. You can switch from one to the other or use both to change the sound. If you are using it far from urban areas, we recommend using a 1-4 meter long cable connected to one of the pins to get an interesting sound.

Ether V2 has two dials for sound control and power switch. The top dial adjusts the high frequency amplification level and the amount of feedback of the regenerative detection circuit. The bottom dial is the volume. By adjusting the top dial, you can dynamically change how Ether V2 receives the electromagnetic waves around you to get the richest and most interesting sound.

Ether V2 is not just a detector like some DIY projects that you can easily find online. A simple low frequency detector only has a coil and a low frequency amplifier, and it needs to be placed near the source of the electromagnetic wave emission, so it will not work on the street. But honestly, if you want to scan an object that is close to the target (0-20cm), a simple induction detector has a narrow reception band and low sensitivity, so you may be able to get good results depending on the conditions. In comparison, Ether V2 has a completely different concept. It is designed to listen to interesting sounds from various electromagnetic waves, and it is equipped with a regenerative detection circuit and demodulator, and has the ability to detect changes in not only magnetic fields but also electric fields. Ether V2 is designed to be part of your walks around town, and even pick up sounds in the woods or on the beach.

Ether V2 is very sensitive to all kinds of digital circuits around you. This is why it does not have an SD card recorder or anything like that. Also, you should keep any other electronic devices you carry (smartphones, laptops, recorders) at least 30cm/1ft away to avoid interference.

◯Specifications
External dimensions
Width: 58mm
Depth: 103mm
Height: 17mm
Weight 73g (including 2 AAA batteries)
Accessories Japanese manual
Notes Powered by 2 AAA batteries (sold separately). You will need to use a Phillips screwdriver to open the case to insert the batteries.