DeVesto's Como Audio Raises $268K Via Kickstarter, Sets October Ship Date

Como Audio ended its tabletop radio Kickstarter campaign through Amazon's Launchpad program July 15 (see 1606070055), saying in an email Thursday it raised $268,142 from 973 backers. Radios will ship in October, the company said, at $299 for the Solo and $399 for the stereo Duetto. Como is the latest venture of audio industry veteran Tom DeVesto, who founded Tivoli Audio and Cambridge SoundWorks. DeVesto began work on the Como radios early this year at the end of his noncompete agreement with Serruya Private Equity, which bought Tivoli in May 2015 (see 1505140045). The rectangular tabletop radios bear a similar look to the distinctive Tivoli radio, which DeVesto attributed to “not really being a designer. I make things look like they need to look,” he told us at launch, saying he added a graphics display and tweeter to the Como products. The Wi-Fi radios will stream content from Spotify and internet radio stations, and the units will include FM tuners and Bluetooth aptX, said the company. Features include six presets for favorite music sources, a 2.8-inch color display (3.2-inch for the Duetto) for metadata, a 60-watt amplifier, dual alarms, four high-res audio inputs and an optical input for TV audio. The radios are Google Cast and Amazon Dot-ready, Como said. A Como Control app will be available for Android and iOS devices, and radios will be available in wood finishes and a high-gloss white lacquer. Presale discounted prices ($239, Solo; $319, Duetto) will be available through August, the company said.