A new hype in the world of the ultrarich: glass speakers

[MattHooper]

Crystal Cable Arabesque - review from 2009

UltraAudio.com Equipment Review - Crystal Cable Arabesque Loudspeakers (9/2009)

That's my pal's review of the Crystal Cable Arabesque speakers, so I got to hear them a number of times at his place.

We both figured they were likely to be looks over substance. And they were the occasion of many jokes about how a rich person might fill those speakers -

exotic fish tank
ant farm
gumballs
My favourite: filling them with a small fan blowing dollar bills around.

However, since of course they didn't want to stuff the speakers with any absorption to ruin the look they had to go another route, and a lot of computer modelling was used to come up with the specific structure to increase stiffness and reduce vibrations.

Whatever they did seemed to work, in subjective terms. I was utterly surprised how great those speakers sounded, one of my favourite I ever heard at my pal's place. Gorgeous tonality and clarity, great imaging and soundstaging. Would love to hear them again.

 

[Revolver]

That's my pal's review of the Crystal Cable Arabesque speakers, so I got to hear them a number of times at his place.

We both figured they were likely to be looks over substance. And they were the occasion of many jokes about how a rich person might fill those speakers -

exotic fish tank
ant farm
gumballs
My favourite: filling them with a small fan blowing dollar bills around.

However, since of course they didn't want to stuff the speakers with any absorption to ruin the look they had to go another route, and a lot of computer modelling was used to come up with the specific structure to increase stiffness and reduce vibrations.

Whatever they did seemed to work, in subjective terms. I was utterly surprised how great those speakers sounded, one of my favourite I ever heard at my pal's place. Gorgeous tonality and clarity, great imaging and soundstaging. Would love to hear them again.

The Illuminator mid-bass is a great driver. With 3 in each speaker it's not surprising to me that the Crystal speakers would sound great.

 

[Digby]

I wonder if it would work well, visually and acoustically, with glass for the midrange & tweeter and the bass within a typical wooden cabinet underneath. The whole disappearing cabinet is pretty nice, but perhaps a danger if you (or friends) get a little tipsy and forget it is there.

 

[BR52]

A multiple layer security glass with flexible plastic layer in, can maybe make a box material? Tested some there? Good dampening can be possible.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'd buy them only if they included some free Goldfish with them.

 

[BR52]

I'd buy them only if they included some free Goldfish with them.

That’s a really scientific approach. (;-)

 

[Pinkynator]

I'm all for transparent glass cabinet speakers! Every manufacturer should make one of their every model just for website photos - it might make at least some people realize what cables are inside the cabinet and how stupid is the idea of expensive speaker cables and interconnects.

Most won't realize, though. We all know there are still many people who think more expensive wall outlets and power cables do wonders for the last couple of meters of the power grid supply, after the current traveled through kilometers of non-audiophile wires.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Let's hope KEF would make a glass Blade one day .

 

[Vacceo]

I have seen the future: Komerling triple glass and argon gas speakers!

 

[egellings]

That's my pal's review of the Crystal Cable Arabesque speakers, so I got to hear them a number of times at his place.

We both figured they were likely to be looks over substance. And they were the occasion of many jokes about how a rich person might fill those speakers -

exotic fish tank
ant farm
gumballs
My favourite: filling them with a small fan blowing dollar bills around.

However, since of course they didn't want to stuff the speakers with any absorption to ruin the look they had to go another route, and a lot of computer modelling was used to come up with the specific structure to increase stiffness and reduce vibrations.

Whatever they did seemed to work, in subjective terms. I was utterly surprised how great those speakers sounded, one of my favourite I ever heard at my pal's place. Gorgeous tonality and clarity, great imaging and soundstaging. Would love to hear them again.

Try some music by Philip Glass through them! I think I got the name right but am not absolutely certain.

 

[caught gesture]

Just silly cone implementation.

 

[Penelinfi]

Not "glass" but if I had to have such a large horn speaker, why not try to make it invisible!
Ferguson Hill "Jetstream".
Interesting that they didn't make their other stuff with acrylic

Only £100,000 for the system

 

[GeorgeBynum]

View attachment 352747

I get the family pack!

I bet those damp pretty well.

 

[Anton D]

 

[Pearljam5000]

Yi

Your's ?

 

[BlackTalon]

Speakers like these are like listening through a dirty window...

(channeling my inner Fremer)

 

[Pearljam5000]

Glass? It's too common for me
I'm waiting for the Swarovski edition
That's for the real rich people

 

[monx]

Sorry, I just had to...

 

[Penelinfi]

Sorry, I just had to...

Now those I can afford!

 

[egellings]

With speakers made of glass, it seems only appropriate that tube amps with their glass bulbs would be the best choice for driving them. See-through sound wherever you look. You could see your anodes and your crossovers & speaker magnets in operation.