The Pied Piper Aura traces its origins back to March 1982 in the Netherlands, initially created as a DIY open-pipe speaker project published in Dutch audio magazines like Hifi-Video-Test and Radio Bulletin. The concept was engineered around a folded acoustic line/open pipe enclosure layout. The original design philosophy and commercialization were spearheaded by Klaas Feenstra and Gerbrand van Veen (via Total Sound Nederland / TSN).
 
Origins and Concept
The Creator: Conceived by Klaas Feenstra, who paired a unique Sonics woofer with an open pipe configuration because standard sealed or bass-reflex boxes did not fit the driver's parameters.
The Build: Joined later by Gerbrand van Veen, the speaker transitioned from a DIY hobbyist project into a cult-classic commercial product delivered directly to consumers without traditional retail middlemen.
 
Technical Design
Enclosure: A slender, floor-standing folded baffle/pipe structure (roughly 120 cm x 22 cm x 30 cm) functioning as an open acoustic system.
Drivers: Typically utilized dual center-driven dome woofers (from Sonics), a Philips dome midrange (AD0211/SQ8), and a ribbon/magnetostatic tweeter.
Acoustic Niche: Known for a very direct, open, and uncoloured sound stage, though highly sensitive to room placement and room acoustics due to its open-system design.