May and Evans: The Design Duo Behind Node

In 2017, Ashley May and David Evans set out to create a loudspeaker that would stand in aesthetic synergy with the music it played, rather than in opposition to it. Departing from the box-like designs of other loudspeakers, the result, Node’s HYLIXA, is a product that inspires both visually and sonically. Its genesis is tied up in the journey of its creators, whose partnership has resulted in a unique fusion of design expertise and commercial acumen.

Alumni of Coventry and Northumbria universities respectively, May and Evans met in 2007 at Cannon Automotive Ltd., in the world of vehicle and product design. A household name for vehicle accessories with a reputation for excellence, May and Evans cut their teeth as successful designers working on multiple projects for Cannon, before in 2010, deciding to start their own independent, product design consultancy.

Finding space in an old factory building in Tottenham, London N17 saw the establishment of Studio 17, with that district’s postcode inspiring the company name. Here May and Evans began to make a name for themselves, developing products for homeware giants like Joseph and Joseph and Fiskars. Their pragmatic, user-focused approach, coupled with great attention to surface, form and balance, produced wares with consistently provoking aesthetics.

In 2012, May and Evans relocated to the ARCC Innovations research and development site in the South Cambridgeshire tech cluster, where they now had access to state-of-the-art 3D CAD/2D CAD software, CNC machines and 3D printing technology. Dramatically broadening their capacity for research, strategic analysis, opportunity concept design, prototyping as well as production, it was here that the idea of Node began to coalesce.

Starting its life as a side project from the pair’s shared love of music, May and Evan’s access to 3D printers inspired a “grown” HiFi speaker, that could challenge design paradigms within the loudspeaker community, whilst still delivering powerful sound and serving as a piece of striking sonic furniture. Therefore, May and Evans set out to create a round loudspeaker, with its desired mimicry in the sonic signature of the human head. However, the challenge remained of emulating the raw power of a large box-like loudspeaker within the confines of this shape.

In traditional loudspeakers, the internals contain channels in which the soundwaves can travel, hence the size of the cabinet is important for aspects of sonic delivery like bass, but box loudspeakers nevertheless struggle to create truly crisp sound as their edges also create acoustic challenges in the form of diffraction. Meanwhile, HYLIXA’s round shape ultimately proved to be a benefit, thanks to the advantages of 3D printing and its ability to create complex internal structures.

May and Evans designed an internal helix, which would coil up the traditional transmission line within the confines of a smaller cabinet, preserving bass performance. Coupled with the round outer structure, which is dynamically inert with no flat edges, the logic was that HYLIXA would not only not suffer from acoustic ‘smearing’, but also deliver a fuller range of sound.

After an extensive period of research and development, involving rigorous simulated and physical prototyping and acoustic modelling, Node improved upon the validated design by incorporating CNC machining to acquire a finish appropriate of a luxury product.

Launching in 2018, HYLIXA won accolades from both the sonic and product design communities. Today, Evans and May continue to direct both Node and Studio17, collaborating with product design and retail companies across the globe, and you can now experience HYLIXA for yourself in listening rooms in the UK, PRC, Dubai and Japan.