Thoughts on high-performance speakers with a utilitarian finish?

[Duke]

Like many speaker manufacturers my costs have been going up recently, with enclosure costs rising the most dramatically. Since my speakers tend to be large, enclosure cost has always been a high proportion of my total cost, and now that proportion is increasing. I don't like this trend.

Therefore I am considering offering, as an option, a utilitarian-finish version of at least one model. The cost savings would probably be in the neighborhood of 30-40%. So it would be like buying a utilitarian-finish F328Be for the price of an F228Be.

This isn't a “whichever choice gets the most votes wins” thread. I don't need or want a very big share of the market. But if utilitarian-look “high end” speakers are just a bad idea, I'd rather find out before I start turning a bad idea into a bad investment.

Any and all comments welcome.

(Note that this thread is about products from my own company, AudioKinesis, and not about products of Illusio Audio, a new company I'm associated with, which was mentioned in a recent Desperate Dealers Forum thread.)

 

[YSC]

I would personally be interested, but also if smaller options are available, IMO ppl usually like the utilitarian finish more for bookshelf or desktop sized offerings than say, full sized towers.

 

[restorer-john]

If your loudspeakers spend a considerable amount of their functional life behind a screen in a home theatre system, by all means make them as utilitarian as you like.

But, if your speakers are in lounge-room or dedicated listening room, especially one where wives, partners or guests might be surveying an audiophile's gear, cabinet finish and quality is paramount.

High-end equals perfection to audiophiles and a basic cabinet finish is not compatible with that, in my opinion.

 

[spacevector]

I would be all over it - my speakers go behind a screen. Keep the depth less than 16" though please and the design should allow for the speakers to be more or less touching the front wall.

 

[MarkS]

I like the looks of the cloth-wrapped speakers from DefTech and Goldenear, and so does my wife. Neither of us is into paying lots of extra money for a fancy wood finish.

Bonus: no grille frame to diffract the sound!

 

[hege]

What does utilitarian even mean in this context? Untouched wood or some basic "PA-like" coating? One could say even my Genelecs are utilitarian.

 

[Duke]

I would personally be interested, but also if smaller options are available, IMO ppl usually like the utilitarian finish more for bookshelf or desktop sized offerings than say, full sized towers.

That makes sense. Unfortunately I don't know how to shoehorn the characteristics that I think are important into a small speaker. Unless some brilliant idea occurs to me, I'll have to leave that for someone else to do.

But, if your speakers are in lounge-room or dedicated listening room, especially one where wives, partners or guests might be surveying an audiophile's gear, cabinet finish and quality is paramount.

High-end equals perfection to audiophiles and a basic cabinet finish is not compatible with that, in my opinion.

Agreed. I'd offer the same speaker with a veneered or even automotive-paint finish, for a premium price of course.

I would be all over it - my speakers go behind a screen. Keep the depth less than 16" though please and the design should allow for the speakers to be more or less touching the front wall.

Hmmm. That would be a different product from what I have in mind, but it could be done. Thanks!

I like the looks of the cloth-wrapped speakers from DefTech and Goldenear, and so does my wife. Neither of us is into paying lots of extra money for a fancy wood finish.

Bonus: no grille frame to diffract the sound!

I hadn't thought of the cloth-wrapped approach; Vandersteen is another that comes to mind. Thanks!

What does utilitarian even mean in this context? Untouched wood or some basic "PA-like" coating? One could say even my Genelecs are utilitarian.

Good question! I'm thinking PA-like, or if the customer prefers, bare wood. Here's a studio speaker I did years ago with a PA-like finish, for mounting in a soffit:

 

[bluefuzz]

I voted 'yes', but it rather depends on what you mean by 'utilitarian'. Compared to what? The only speakers I can see on audiokinesis.com are some rather utilitarian looking 'bass-cabs' (which I assume are for bass guitarists and not what we're talking about here) and some basic square-box subwoofers. Subwoofers could be offered as a flat pack kit perhaps, or as unfinished MDF or plywood. It's fairly simple for a DIY'er to put veneer on a square box ...

 

[Mnyb]

Good idea to offer different finish levels, studio or HT then black PA finish is good enough.
In my living room I want nice finish, so keep those.

Never seen your product line what's the brand name?

 

[Mnyb]

I voted 'yes', but it rather depends on what you mean by 'utilitarian'. Compared to what? The only speakers I can see on audiokinesis.com are some rather utilitarian looking 'bass-cabs' (which I assume are for bass guitarists and not what we're talking about here) and some basic square-box subwoofers. Subwoofers could be offered as a flat pack kit perhaps, or as unfinished MDF or plywood. It's fairly simple for a DIY'er to put veneer on a square box ...

Thanks, audiokinesis it is ...

 

[YSC]

That makes sense. Unfortunately I don't know how to shoehorn the characteristics that I think are important into a small speaker. Unless some brilliant idea occurs to me, I'll have to leave that for someone else to do.



Agreed. I'd offer the same speaker with a veneered or even automotive-paint finish, for a premium price of course.



Hmmm. That would be a different product from what I have in mind, but it could be done. Thanks!



I hadn't thought of the cloth-wrapped approach; Vandersteen is another that comes to mind. Thanks!



Good question! I'm thinking PA-like, or if the customer prefers, bare wood. Here's a studio speaker I did years ago with a PA-like finish, for mounting in a soffit:View attachment 239841

I saw you did some nice subs, maybe it's coz my own desire/need for a small/slim sub, I would think one of the potential market is a slim sub placed vertically so one could place nicely near a wall for HT or under the desk type usage would be nice, though I personally need one with high pass and better be active.

 

[Sokel]

Nope.
Even that my "fun" room is dedicated I like them to look nice.

 

[restorer-john]

I must admit, I like the cloth idea. On trend too at the moment. But I was always a sucker for Maggies and DCM Time Windows/Frames. And the Dalquists.

 

[Duke]

I voted 'yes', but it rather depends on what you mean by 'utilitarian'. Compared to what? The only speakers I can see on audiokinesis.com are some rather utilitarian looking 'bass-cabs' (which I assume are for bass guitarists and not what we're talking about here) and some basic square-box subwoofers. Subwoofers could be offered as a flat pack kit perhaps, or as unfinished MDF or plywood. It's fairly simple for a DIY'er to put veneer on a square box ...

My website is being revised; you can see my main current home audio model here, with a price that has become wishful thinking:

Azel Tower – James Romeyn

jamesromeyn.com

Never seen your product line what's the brand name?

Thanks, audiokinesis it is ...

Yup!

Here's what one of my normal-finish speakers looks like with the grille on:

 

[Mnyb]

Beautifull work, some models seem hard to do in utilitarian finishes? the horns for example

 

[bluefuzz]

Here's what one of my normal-finish speakers looks like

Right. They look like something that would appeal to both the monied 'cost is no object' audiophile and the impecunious 'time is no object' DIY'er but pretty much no-one in between ... ;-)

They look like the ideal type of speaker to be offered as a parts kit (drivers, ports, horns, elctronics (crossovers) + plans for the box. I'm assuming not just finishing but building the box and not least shipping is a considerable part of the cost.

You could then offer a parts + flat-pack kit, parts plus unfinished box and finally the completely high-end finished speakers ...

 

[MattHooper]

I can only offer my personal opinion: I would never spend a lot of money on speakers if they looked cheap. They are de facto furniture in my room that I will be looking at for years. I like something that gives me pride of ownership when I look at it.

I know that plenty of audiophiles seem to think differently “eh, it’s all about the sound, don’t care about the looks.”

Still, most high end companies these days seem to put quite a bit in to the looks and finish of speakers - generally speakers are looking higher quality than ever. So that probably says a lot about actual market demands.

 

[Rednaxela]

Total armchair comment but I think the trick is to explore how cost-effectiveness and style can go together.

The difficulty I see is in the mantra that cost-effective = cheap = less desirable = worth less. Perhaps try and find a way to make cost-effectiveness worth more. For instance because of the creativity you put in to achieve it.

 

[Sancus]

I tend to like matte finishes that are a single color. I don't think the Genelec or Arendal(satin) finishes look cheap, but they are simple, and(in the case of Arendal, anyway) probably cheaper than a real wood grain finish. Hard to compare Genelec since they're a powder coat on metal.

 

[Mnyb]

The Gina speaker looks very nice in the wood finish, would look rather meh in satin white or satin black but it could work? some like paint finishes