Most beautiful speakers in the world ?

[Prana Ferox]

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I want to know the life choices that lead to having a listening room decorated like this

 

[Bren Derlin]

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B&W's refreshing treat....

 

[Sal1950]

I wonder what the correlation is between the speakers here and in the worst measuring thread.

Good question.
For sure there are some absolutely stunning looking speakers here but I wonder if the builders put
as much effort into the technical design as they did the cosmetic? Everyone enjoys looking at a beautiful
piece of furniture but in audio it's the sound that counts.

 

[Sal1950]

B&W's refreshing treat....

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USA USA USA LOL

 

[Pearljam5000]

I want to know the life choices that lead to having a listening room decorated like this

Probably being born as a Russian oligarch

 

[egellings]

I'm not crazy about most high-end speakers, either. Trying wayyyy too hard.

Way too pricey for us chickens, bedawk!

 

[fpitas]

Way too pricey for us chickens, bedawk!

The price I could deal with, if value came along with it. But most seem to be styling exercises for somebody else.

 

[egellings]

The price I could deal with, if value came along with it. But most seem to be styling exercises for somebody else.

Maybe it's speaker as artwork. Art can be expensive.

 

[Sal1950]

The price I could deal with, if value came along with it. But most seem to be styling exercises for somebody else.

As poor folk, trailer trash, I'd prefer the days when I bought my Klipsch LaScala's in raw birch plywood
for $500 each.

 

[fpitas]

Maybe it's speaker as artwork. Art can be expensive.

No doubt. But I'm a cranky, dour engineer. Humbug!

 

[egellings]

No doubt. But I'm a cranky, dour engineer. Humbug!

Dad burn it!

 

[egellings]

As poor folk, trailer trash, I'd prefer the days when I bought my Klipsch LaScala's in raw birch plywood
for $500 each.

For me, it was a 6 x 9 in a shoe box. I've moved up since then, thankfully.

 

[Doodski]

B&W's refreshing treat....

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Those do look rather tasty atm with this warm weather and all...

 

[Doodski]

As poor folk, trailer trash, I'd prefer the days when I bought my Klipsch LaScala's in raw birch plywood
for $500 each.

What did you finish them with? If you finished them. Clearcoat looks amazinggg on birch.

 

[Sal1950]

What did you finish them with? If you finished them. Clearcoat looks amazinggg on birch.

I did a couple coats of walnut stain and then about 3 coats of Tung oil finish.
They came out passable but it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing.
Here's what they looked like 30+ years later when I sold them.

 

[crazycloud]

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They are almost identical to a design I'm working on for a friend. I liked the originals*, and wide baffle speakers but needed more internal volume so I went with the deeper, 'gem' (in cross section) design. Still sorting out the MR driver selection as I think I can better the protos. His will have some large subs for below about 50Hz though in separate enclosures.

* Not a fan of the aesthetics though.

 

[Doodski]

I did a couple coats of walnut stain and then about 3 coats of Tung oil finish.
They came out passable but it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing.
Here's what they looked like 30+ years later when I sold them.
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They look OK. Nothing too much. They look like a antique finish.

 

[muad]

I did a couple coats of walnut stain and then about 3 coats of Tung oil finish.
They came out passable but it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing.
Here's what they looked like 30+ years later when I sold them.
View attachment 294729


View attachment 294730

These don't look bad at all. I would be happy with them.

 

[Keith_W]

Good question.
For sure there are some absolutely stunning looking speakers here but I wonder if the builders put
as much effort into the technical design as they did the cosmetic? Everyone enjoys looking at a beautiful
piece of furniture but in audio it's the sound that counts.

I disagree. With nearly everything else, beauty and styling matters as much as its performance at its intended function. Examples: cars (or why Ferrari's are desirable but even fast Nissans are not), clocks and watches (arguably people buy them because of how they look rather than accuracy), computers (this is why gamers install LED lights and why Apple cares so much about aesthetics), surfboards (why bother painting them and applying decals when an undecorated surfboard surfs as well as a decorated one?), and kitchen appliances (look at Kitchenaid). A loudspeaker is visually a large part of a living room, it is the first thing people notice when they come into my living room. I place the speakers away from walls and well into the living room so it dominates the space. I want it to look good and I am happy to pay furniture prices so that it is finished as well as a piece of furniture, because I do see it as furniture. Just furniture that makes sound.

 

[Short38]

Good question.
For sure there are some absolutely stunning looking speakers here but I wonder if the builders put
as much effort into the technical design as they did the cosmetic? Everyone enjoys looking at a beautiful
piece of furniture but in audio it's the sound that counts.

I am truly “baffled” by the big Wilson and Focal designs that use mechanical driver adjustments to achieve “coherent” wave arrival. An active design using a dsp and three or four good amps would get there more effectively I think.