Most beautiful speakers in the world ?

[cavedriver]

View attachment 357413

oh dear lord, ouch

 

[mglobe]

I'm sorry, every time I see any Genelec speaker I always see these:

View attachment 357308

I don't care what they sound like, I wouldn't have them in my home. But that's just me.

No, it’s not just you.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'm sorry, every time I see any Genelec speaker I always see these:

View attachment 357308

I don't care what they sound like, I wouldn't have them in my home. But that's just me.

In real life they actually look great

 

[Ken1951]

In real life they actually look great

Seen them, still hate them. They're just not in a style that works for me, but that's why there's loads of different styles. They would look totally out of place in our home.

 

[MattHooper]

Seen them, still hate them. They're just not in a style that works for me, but that's why there's loads of different styles. They would look totally out of place in our home.

I don't like the Genelec look either. Still reminds me too much of pro gear, which is an aesthetic I really dislike (for home use). Probably because I've been around so much of it playing in a band and for work. Like rack handles on an amp, make me wanna run screaming.

 

[ehowarth]

 

[Killingbeans]

View attachment 357411View attachment 357412View attachment 357413

 

[Waxx]

Why they don't make speakers that look like this anymore. This is furniture quality build.

It's a Jensen Imperial PR-100, released in 1956, it needs 35w in 16R and is off course not up to modern standard, but i'm sure modern speakers can be build that way. It would be much easier to integrate in a living room without protest from the family i think in stead of those plastic boxes or bling hi end stuff.

 

[Killingbeans]

It would be much easier to integrate in a living room without protest from the family i think in stead of those plastic boxes or bling hi end stuff.

Around here both those Jensens and the 80's drug lord high-end stuff would stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Count Arthur]

Why they don't make speakers that look like this anymore. This is furniture quality build.

It's a Jensen Imperial PR-100, released in 1956, it needs 35w in 16R and is off course not up to modern standard, but i'm sure modern speakers can be build that way. It would be much easier to integrate in a living room without protest from the family i think in stead of those plastic boxes or bling hi end stuff.

Tannoy still make speakers like that:

Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW - 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) - Audio Lounge London

Experience the Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) at Audio Lounge London. Your finest

www.audiolounge.co.uk

 

[ehowarth]

 

[Waxx]

Tannoy still make speaker like that:

View attachment 357543

Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW - 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) - Audio Lounge London

Experience the Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) at Audio Lounge London. Your finest

www.audiolounge.co.uk

yes they do, but they are not technical good (in the sense of neutral low distortion even dispertion). I mean modern technical designs in furniture quality finishes. That will be expensive, but then it's at least worth it.

Not that i can't enjoy these old monsters, i listen to a 1970's version of it a lot actually, mostly to classical music and they are very good at that in a coloured way you don't mind. But 50K for those (that's what they cost today), i don't think so...

 

[Mnyb]

Tannoy still make speaker like that:

View attachment 357543

Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW - 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) - Audio Lounge London

Experience the Tannoy Westminster Royal GR-OW 2-Way Floorstanding 15" Dual Concentric HiFi Loudspeaker (Oiled Walnut) at Audio Lounge London. Your finest

www.audiolounge.co.uk

I need a mouldy castle to place them in

 

[cavedriver]

Why they don't make speakers that look like this anymore. This is furniture quality build.


It's a Jensen Imperial PR-100, released in 1956, it needs 35w in 16R and is off course not up to modern standard, but i'm sure modern speakers can be build that way. It would be much easier to integrate in a living room without protest from the family i think in stead of those plastic boxes or bling hi end stuff.

One word - cost. When the key to profits is low cost and high volume, and the average consumer shops at places like Ikea, it could be said that speakers that look like furniture have simple gone the same way that furniture that looks like furniture has gone - disappeared in history or shifted to high-end only. That said, when you look at interesting designs like tapped horns (ex- Danley), it would seem that there's room in the challenge of making great sounding speakers to also make speakers that sound great without looking like speakers. The problem then is the same thing 1960's designers faced- what non-speaker object should speakers look like?

ps- since I'm more of a "form follows function" aesthetic, I like speakers that simply look like speakers that are beautiful, but there's a limit to what you can do with that look performance-wise:

 

[Pearljam5000]

 

[Killingbeans]

Tannoy still make speaker like that:

And Fyne Audio:

I need a mouldy castle to place them in

I've said it before; If I owned speakers like that, I'd be pissed if Hercule Poirot didn't show up and started solving murder mysteries

 

[Count Arthur]

One word - cost. When the key to profits is low cost and high volume, and the average consumer shops at places like Ikea, it could be said that speakers that look like furniture have simple gone the same way that furniture that looks like furniture has gone - disappeared in history or shifted to high-end only. That said, when you look at interesting designs like tapped horns (ex- Danley), it would seem that there's room in the challenge of making great sounding speakers to also make speakers that sound great without looking like speakers. The problem then is the same thing 1960's designers faced- what non-speaker object should speakers look like?

ps- since I'm more of a "form follows function" aesthetic, I like speakers that simply look like speakers that are beautiful, but there's a limit to what you can do with that look performance-wise:

The Wharfdale Linton looks nice, especially with the grills on, which is apparently how they are supposed to be used and sound best, together with their dedicated stands:

LINTON Heritage – WHARFEDALE

www.wharfedale.co.uk

Seem to sound good too: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/wharfedale_linton_85/

Or perhaps the bigger Dovedale:

DOVEDALE – WHARFEDALE

www.wharfedale.co.uk

 

[phantompowered]

Though I haven't had a horn system in my own setup and I'm not really a "vintage vibe" type of person, I'm really enamored with the look of these: Automatic Audio (Mtl., Canada) "Barbara." Image from the manufacturer's Instagram.

 

[Waxx]

The Wharfdale Linton looks nice, especially with the grills on, which is apparently how they are supposed to be used and sound best, together with their dedicated stands:

View attachment 357602

LINTON Heritage – WHARFEDALE

www.wharfedale.co.uk

Seem to sound good too: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/wharfedale_linton_85/

Or perhaps the bigger Dovedale:

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DOVEDALE – WHARFEDALE

www.wharfedale.co.uk

Those are the only ones i know that are fairly neutral but still got decent furniture look without costing a fortune. And it's a modern interpretation of the ones i grew up with...

 

[Mnyb]

KLH model 5 also has the vintage furniture look .

And actually KEF R series in valnut veneer or thier reference series in wood finish.
You usually only see the horrible white finish in most adds.

There are other offering wood finish to but maybe they are not as beautiful furniture quality as speakers was in th wood days .