TC-01 Dac + Amp

Tactility in music streaming.

Company

GT BSID

My Role

Designer w/ Cynthia Li

Tools

Figma · Fusion · Keyshot

Timeline

Jan 2025 - May 2025

Description

A music device reconnecting listeners with music through a tactile interface and analog controls.

Context

Today, 69% of people listen to music with streaming services. Yet, at the same time, vinyl revenues have grown for two decades, pointing to a resurging desire for physical, tangible listening experiences. In a world where music has become increasingly digital, we questioned:

How might we bring back tactility while retaining the convenience of modern music streaming?

Close-up of the TC-01’s front-right corner: a faceted metal volume knob and a small red indicator light on the brushed silver face, the black display strip at left showing track numbers 6 to 10, and the dark ribbed top surface running away behind.

Physicality in Music Playing?

A grid of 28 pencil thumbnail sketches of desktop audio players: wedges, boxes, turntables and cassette decks

A range of interaction models and form factors were explored, testing how physical gestures could create engagement with music.

Five rendered concept sketches in a row: an upright unit, a waveform box, a three-dial wedge, a vented tower, and a flat disc player

The concept of a moving digital tape was chosen for its metaphorical and functional resonance, nodding to the cassette.

A rendered sketch of the chosen concept in brushed silver, with INPUT, OUTPUT and POWER tabs on top and a numbered volume dial

Prototyping & Testing

Six models stacked vertically against a black background: five plain white foam blocks, each with a cylindrical knob at its right end, topped by a finished silver unit whose narrow display shows an album thumbnail, track 2, Balance ton quoi by Angèle, and the numbers 3 to 9.

Rounds of prototyping and testing were done, from fast paper mock-ups produced for scale and concept visualization in rapid form testing to functional models with buttons for a physical control interface following user feedback.

Four photographs of paper and foam prototypes, including a finger pressing a control and a model marked with handwritten button labels

User Flow

A user-flow diagram: red boxes for four navigation levels and black diamonds for decisions, running from Device On to Device Off

Form + CMF Inspiration

An 18-image mood board of audio products: iPod Shuffle, Sony Walkman, Marshall amplifiers, Braun radios and reel-to-reel decks

TC-01 | Outcome

Three-quarter render of the finished TC-01 in brushed silver, its long black display showing an album thumbnail, track 2, Balance ton quoi by Angèle, and the numbers 3 to 10, with a faceted volume knob and headphone jack at the right end.
A hand turning the volume knob on the physical TC-01 model, its top face showing the scroll track, red button and playback keys
Top-down render: OUTPUT, INPUT and POWER tabs along the top edge, a ribbed scroll track, a red button, and a block of playback keys at right

TACTILE PLAYBACK CONTROL

On the right side, physical buttons control Play/Pause, Volume, Skip, Shuffle/Repeat, and Favorites. Their tactile feedback makes each action feel intentional, enhancing the overall user experience.

Four front-view renders stacked, each showing a different display state: album, track list, playback progress, and waveform

LAYERED LIBRARY NAVIGATION

At the top front, a Red Button and a Scroll Track form the main interface, letting users easily move between tracks, browse within playlists, or explore others. The scroll track enables smooth, screen-free navigation.

Rear-view render with three labeled port panels: POWER with 12V and 5V, INPUT with USB and AUX, and OUTPUT with AUX

SEGMENTED I/O MANAGEMENT

On the rear, Power, Input, and Output buttons sit above each port, allowing users to switch between sources and route audio to speakers and headphones. The clear layout ensures setup and transitions are simple.

Credit


Team Member

Cynthia Li


Special Thanks

Lisa Marks