Most beautiful speakers in the world ?

[Cadguy]

https://avantgarde-acoustic.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/seite07-1024x582.jpg

 

[fpitas]

@computer-audiophile The JBL 4350 are nice. He can keep the rest

I'd certainly like the Iconic in my house, too.

 

[computer-audiophile]

https://avantgarde-acoustic.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/seite07-1024x582.jpg

Thanks. This is a very interesting modern design, imo. Very appealing and stylish to my eyes.

 

[NIN]

I like the combination of wood/veneer and paint myself. That's been my plan with all speakers I've worked on and for instance with the subwoofer below.


However, it's more complicated to do this with a surface that's curving and also get a seamless transition. With the speakers below where this has been done, there's a clear edge (not good in regards to diffraction) or not the same curves to deal with.

Using wood/veneer on the front flat surface (and possibly rear) and paint the curvative sides like the Marten speaker below is another possibility. I'll check what's possible here and the cost of doing it. Much labour work obviously brings up the cost. Appreciate the feedback.

One guy ordered Ino audio i32s with, in my eyes, really nice color + veener version.

I was trying to make it work for the big brother i64s that I bought, but I could not make it look good.

So I did go just with veener.

 

[MattHooper]

I like the combination of wood/veneer and paint myself. That's been my plan with all speakers I've worked on and for instance with the subwoofer below.

View attachment 330543View attachment 330544

However, it's more complicated to do this with a surface that's curving and also get a seamless transition. With the speakers below where this has been done, there's a clear edge (not good in regards to diffraction) or not the same curves to deal with.
View attachment 330545


View attachment 330547

Using wood/veneer on the front flat surface (and possibly rear) and paint the curvative sides like the Marten speaker below is another possibility. I'll check what's possible here and the cost of doing it. Much labour work obviously brings up the cost. Appreciate the feedback.

View attachment 330548

To my eyes, you are using some good visual references there. The Focal have produced some truly beautiful (IMO) versions of their speakers with their side wood finishes.

To me, while I love wood for the visual interest and "warmth" it can bring to the look, a speaker that is the same wood finish on all surfaces tends to look like, well, a big block of wood. Sort of a slightly awkward bit of furniture. There is something about breaking the speaker up visual in to slightly different component parts, like the front section houseing the drivers with a black (or other color) face and the wood on the sides, that gives is sort of more deliberate "device with a purpose" look, vs just a piece of furniture with drivers attached.

That's my visual bias, which is why I bought two of my favourite such designs, my Thiel 2.7s in ebony (example - I prefer grills on for cleaner look):

And the Joseph Audio Perspective speakers. Again, I ultimately prefer mine grills on for looks, but I do think the SEAS drivers are nice looking too (not my pair):

 

[dualazmak]

That's my visual bias, which is why I bought two of my favourite such designs, my Thiel 2.7s in ebony (example - I prefer grills on for cleaner look):

I appreciate your comment and preference since I myself personally have exactly the same visual vias which is one of the reasons I still love my vintage(?) Yamaha NS-1000, not NS-1000M (ref. here for comparison between the two);

 

[dannut]

I like the combination of wood/veneer and paint myself. That's been my plan with all speakers I've worked on and for instance with the subwoofer below.

View attachment 330543View attachment 330544

However, it's more complicated to do this with a surface that's curving and also get a seamless transition. With the speakers below where this has been done, there's a clear edge (not good in regards to diffraction) or not the same curves to deal with.
View attachment 330545


View attachment 330547

Using wood/veneer on the front flat surface (and possibly rear) and paint the curvative sides like the Marten speaker below is another possibility. I'll check what's possible here and the cost of doing it. Much labour work obviously brings up the cost. Appreciate the feedback.

View attachment 330548

I like your proposed design 'as is', purely by form-follows-function standards. Kudos for doing the 'right thing' acoustically!

Large baffle with large roundovers makes sense, especially with that BG? planar having no directivity whatsoever at lower frequencies. Sadly very few manufacturers dare to come to market with this concept. Grimm LS1 comes close, Taipuu has some examples with wide wood baffle, but no XL roundovers (they have no need - drivers have directivity to not illuminate the baffle).

Maybe an inspiration from Grimm? https://www.grimmaudio.com/hifi-products/loudspeakers/ls1/#lg=1&slide=22 - roundover part matte-black and front baffle either solid neutral color or wood veneer? On the plus side - it is easier to manufacture than trying to veneer a large speaker with huge radius. Also kerf-bending wood is possibility (and beatiful), but gets expensive, quick.

With the speakers below where this has been done, there's a clear edge (not good in regards to diffraction)

Sadly the uninformed customer thinks this is the way to do. Still can't fathom why wide speakers are not more popular in the market.

 

[Bjorn]

I like your proposed design 'as is', purely by form-follows-function standards. Kudos for doing the 'right thing' acoustically!

Large baffle with large roundovers makes sense, especially with that BG? planar having no directivity whatsoever at lower frequencies. Sadly very few manufacturers dare to come to market with this concept. Grimm LS1 comes close, Taipuu has some examples with wide wood baffle, but no XL roundovers (they have no need - drivers have directivity to not illuminate the baffle).

Maybe an inspiration from Grimm? https://www.grimmaudio.com/hifi-products/loudspeakers/ls1/#lg=1&slide=22 - roundover part matte-black and front baffle either solid neutral color or wood veneer? On the plus side - it is easier to manufacture than trying to veneer a large speaker with huge radius. Also kerf-bending wood is possibility (and beatiful), but gets expensive, quick.


Sadly the uninformed customer thinks this is the way to do. Still can't fathom why wide speakers are not more popular in the market.

Thank you. Yes, this if form following function for sure.
We're using a super elliptical shape. Perhaps the closest you can get to a sphere acoustically. It's beneficial for most treble and midrange drivers.

Both a wide and a tall (often overlooked!) baffle is a great benefit acousticially but I guess it doesn't work well in modern homes where the desire is mostly narrow speakers. However, since my passion is high-end audio I don't care that much about the large market and popular trends.

Personally I don't like the finish and look of the Grim speaker. It's kind of industrial looking, and also somehwhat weird looking to me. I have to say prefer the old Infinity Kappa speakers over the Grim. Though I think the Inifinity can me modernized, it's still a classic design that works well. While I understand the need for a grill to protect kids from poking drivers, it's really not a good choice acousticallay and sonically. The devil is in the details....

 

[Sokel]

I like the look (and sound) of the old JBL XPL-series. A pair of XPL-200 with a KEF reflected in the cabinet finish, perhaps longingly?

Here is a writeup:

JBL XPL-200A: The Holy Grail of Audio? - Audiophile Nirvana

The JBL XPL-200A is considered by many to be the holy grail of loudspeaker systems. They are coveted by collectors and music lovers alike, especially when they are paired with one of the most rare of all audiophile components: the JBL DX-1 active crossover network with an XPL-200A card set. When...

www.audiophilenirvana.com

I disagree with the author's point about M2 being too revealing...

The cabinetry work is so solid, and the finish looks great in person. I loved the sound of the XPL-200 with both passive and biamped with the active DX-1 crossover.

https://www.audiophilenirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/JBL-XPL-Brochure2.pdf

View attachment 330660

JBL's documentation is great. Rather than 100 words of prose describing the crossover, they provide a schematic. Words are cheap and can be added later....

https://www.audiophilenirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/XPL200a-Technical-guides.pdf

View attachment 330659

Then again...

I usually don't like wood colors but these are so vintage that could do it.

 

[TheBatsEar]

View attachment 330763

I like the texture of these blue ceramic things on your speakers, very rough, and the white ceramics is detailed and almost translucent.
Bought one as a present to my mother this Christmas, apparently she is a collector of these things:

 

[Purité Audio]

Thank you. Yes, this if form following function for sure.
We're using a super elliptical shape. Perhaps the closest you can get to a sphere acoustically. It's beneficial for most treble and midrange drivers.

View attachment 330832View attachment 330831

Both a wide and a tall (often overlooked!) baffle is a great benefit acousticially but I guess it doesn't work well in modern homes where the desire is mostly narrow speakers. However, since my passion is high-end audio I don't care that much about the large market and popular trends.

Personally I don't like the finish and look of the Grim speaker. It's kind of industrial looking, and also somehwhat weird looking to me. I have to say prefer the old Infinity Kappa speakers over the Grim. Though I think the Inifinity can me modernized, it's still a classic design that works well. While I understand the need for a grill to protect kids from poking drivers, it's really not a good choice acousticallay and sonically. The devil is in the details....
View attachment 330833

Are you going to tell us about them in detail or just continue to tease us!
They look great I believe speakers should have a threatening menace aesthetic.
Keith

 

[dannut]

We're using a super elliptical shape. Perhaps the closest you can get to a sphere acoustically. It's beneficial for most treble and midrange drivers.

Talk about a clean wavefront! Totally missed the slight elliptical front. That rules out a more Scandinavian-style look I thought previously.

Maybe a high-gloss dark walnut veneer all around? That would look excuisite! If you can bend a large veneer at the sides. Maybe apply in 2 peaces and leave a seam at the sides.

Also maybe combine a black front and veneer back, like Revel Salon.

 

[Bjorn]

Are you going to tell us about them in detail or just continue to tease us!
They look great I believe speakers should have a threatening menace aesthetic.
Keith

Continue to tease you I'm afraid. Need more time and meausurements before I can present it properly. Whilst it look good with black glossy paint only, I think adding some veneer for a second option would be good as well.

Talk about a clean wavefront! Totally missed the slight elliptical front. That rules out a more Scandinavian-style look I thought previously.

Maybe a high-gloss dark walnut veneer all around? That would look excuisite! If you can bend a large veneer at the sides. Maybe apply in 2 peaces and leave a seam at the sides.

Also maybe combine a black front and veneer back, like Revel Salon.

I like the idea of combining both like this rather than simply adding it to the top section, and particular having veneered sides and painted front. Not sure whether it matters much if the rear is veneered or painted?

I very much appreciate the feedback here and we're going to test veneering the curved sides now. As long as we can get the transition pretty seamless, I think we get it done and hopefully without much price raise. After all, we have veneered the horn below.

 

[xaviescacs]

To me, the last version of the Dynaudio Confidence are beautiful, specially this asymmetric one.

 

[dannut]

Continue to tease you I'm afraid. Need more time and meausurements before I can present it properly.

Don't be afraid. This community embraces early raw development threads/data. It certainly put @sigbergaudio on the map

I very much appreciate the feedback here and we're going to test veneering the curved sides now.

A raw, detailed horizontal polar of the planar driver in a rectangular box vs your curved one could be an excellent teaser And more feedback!

 

[computer-audiophile]

Continue to tease you I'm afraid. Need more time and meausurements before I can present it properly. Whilst it look good with black glossy paint only, I think adding some veneer for a second option would be good as well.


I like the idea of combining both like this rather than simply adding it to the top section, and particular having veneered sides and painted front. Not sure whether it matters much if the rear is veneered or painted?

I very much appreciate the feedback here and we're going to test veneering the curved sides now. As long as we can get the transition pretty seamless, I think we get it done and hopefully without much price raise. After all, we have veneered the horn below.
View attachment 330858

Very nicely done, from the wood finish!

It reminds me a little of an earlier horn loudspeaker setup of mine, which I didn't build for a beauty contest, though.
Also the tube amplifiers for three way operation are from my own design.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Very nicely done, from the wood finish!

It reminds me a little of an earlier horn loudspeaker setup of mine, which I didn't build for a beauty contest, though.
Also the tube amplifiers for three way operation are from my own design.

View attachment 331116

This looks like one of the rooms I bypass at audio shows.

 

[computer-audiophile]

This looks like one of the rooms I bypass at audio shows.

It wasn't at an audio show, but the system was at my home. However, there was an audio evening with friends, some of whom had traveled from far away, and it was a great evening. I received a lot of positive feedback.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It wasn't at an audio show, but the system was at my home. However, there was an audio evening with friends, some of whom had traveled from far away, and it was a great evening. I received a lot of positive feedback.

 

[DanielT]

I like built-in speakers. Looks stylish. Of course not the easiest to place in the room, or rather they end up there, for example as in the case below where the bench fits in the room. But apart from the small (or rather large details about placement of speakers) there are neat solutions:

For Mid-Century Modern Fans, the Most Beautiful Furniture with Built-in Speakers

CE Pro's resident mid-century modern fan Julie Jacobson discovers stunning wood furniture with built-in powered speakers from start-up Meili Audio, custom-made by long-time artisans and audio enthusiasts.

www.cepro.com