Interesting Speaker Shapes

[Hanse18]

I was at a friends house a week or two ago, and I saw some rather funny looking speakers. For lack of any effective way to describe them, they look like one of the speakers on this cd player system:
http://www.lara.com/store/images/td-flat-300.jpg

The similarity being the depth, or lack thereof. the differences being that these speakers were 5-6 feet tall, wood, and more of a trianglular shape, going from maybe 4 ft wide on the bottom, to 2.5 ft on the top, not symmetrical though, one side slopes in more than the other, so they are specified as being either a right or left speaker. EXTREMELY thin, and leaning slightly back to give a better center of gravity. I have to assume this is either some sort of gimmick that is relatively cheap and intended to blend in with some sort of cabinetry arrangement (although that was DEFINTELY not the case here, they stood out like a sore thumb), or else an esoteric model steeped in snake oil. I never got to see what was behind the felt, but judging from the lack of magnets sticking out on the back, I'm guessing it was filled with tiny cones... I don't think anything much bigger could fit into the depth that these speakers had.

I never saw a maufacturer label, hence my question if anyone knows who makes these speakers, or has seen anything similar?

Has anyone seen anything MORE bizarre that isn't already covered in an audioholics article (I know a couple of the more pathetic ones were jokingly reviewed)?

 

[j_garcia]

There's a good chance they were electrostatics (see Martin Logan or Magnepan) or possibly some kind of ribbon type drivers. Neither of these technologies is new.

These are the weirdest speakers I've seen, but they are supposed to sound great.

 

[silversurfer]

Yeah, I have never heard the Norhs, but when I seen them I always think "coconut".

 

[j_garcia]

Yeah, I have never heard the Norhs, but when I seen them I always think "coconut".

I always think drumstick or ham...

I like the look of the JBL TiK line:

The B&W Prestige line is another of the weirdest looking:

 

[silversurfer]

OK, now I am hungry.

 

[highfihoney]

the speakers you described sound like they are a pair of appogee speakers,did they look something like this?

http://www.apogeespeakers.com/images/mini_grand_big.jpg

here is the strangest speaker ive ever seen & very expensive.

http://www.stereotimes.com/speak041400.shtm

 

[Sheep]

KingDaddy takes the cake for me

SheepStar

 

[Hanse18]

the speakers you described sound like they are a pair of appogee speakers,did they look something like this?

http://www.apogeespeakers.com/images/mini_grand_big.jpg

here is the strangest speaker ive ever seen & very expensive.

http://www.stereotimes.com/speak041400.shtm

Yes, that is almost exactly what they looked like. Only difference would be a wood trim about an inch all around a black felt speaker cover. I feel silly, I never realized such speakers existed... of course I have heard of magnepan and martin logan, but they always sounded like they were out of my price range so I have never even checked them out. Learn something new every day, eh?

Dang, you guys all beat me for weirdest speaker. I guess I'll just have to add this as one of my goals in life.

 

[highfihoney]

Yes, that is almost exactly what they looked like. Only difference would be a wood trim about an inch all around a black felt speaker cover. I feel silly, I never realized such speakers existed... of course I have heard of magnepan and martin logan, but they always sounded like they were out of my price range so I have never even checked them out. Learn something new every day, eh?

Dang, you guys all beat me for weirdest speaker. I guess I'll just have to add this as one of my goals in life.

as prices go for plannar speakers like apogee,martin logan & magnepan the apogee's are a tremendous value & sound killer ,i like apogee's way better than any maggie ive heard or owned.

 

[j_garcia]

King Daddy doesn't exactly mass produce those...(I hope***) No offense becasue this is just an opinion, but those are not strange, those are downright FUGLY. I can appreciate a lot of time and effort, but even if they were the best speaker in the world, I wouldn't own them unless I put them behind a screen, because I couldn't look at them every day.

 

[Sheep]

King Daddy doesn't exactly mass produce those...(I hope***) No offense becasue this is just an opinion, but those are not strange, those are downright FUGLY. I can appreciate a lot of time and effort, but even if they were the best speaker in the world, I wouldn't own them because unless I put them behind a screen.

Yep, definitely fear...

SheepStar

 

[Fastnbulbous]

MSD's <a href=http://www.cesweb.org/attendees/directory/rd_exhibitor_details.asp?exhibid=7574>Planet</a> was shown at January's CES in Vegas. Dig their trippy language too -- "PLANET is true high end speaker with vibration free material and diamond unit . Planet design lies in conveying people's emotion by audio, through embodying image of universe and nature."

<img src=http://www.cesweb.org/shared_files/innovations/innovations_2004/4611/mainphoto4611.jpg>

 

[j_garcia]

http://www.stereotimes.com/speak041400.shtm

WOW, those are pretty unique. It pretty much doesn't look like a speaker at all. Looks more like a time machine...

 

[Geno]

Hey, that's just a picture of my combination cappucino mach!ine and blow dryer!

 

[jcsprankle]

How about $135,000 for a speaker pair?

These are pretty mind-blowing in my book...the pair weighs 2286 lbs. and costs $135,000. To me, they look like cyborg-type creatures out of the 5th Element of something...

Here's the link: http://www.wilsonaudio.com/products/alex/index.html

And here's a review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/wilson_x2/

 

[Hanse18]

King Daddy doesn't exactly mass produce those...(I hope***) No offense becasue this is just an opinion, but those are not strange, those are downright FUGLY. I can appreciate a lot of time and effort, but even if they were the best speaker in the world, I wouldn't own them unless I put them behind a screen, because I couldn't look at them every day.

I second that

These are pretty mind-blowing in my book...the pair weighs 2286 lbs. and costs $135,000. To me, they look like cyborg-type creatures out of the 5th Element of something...

Here's the link: http://www.wilsonaudio.com/products/alex/index.html

And here's a review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/wilson_x2/

Very funky. And only $135,000 a pair! ONLY!

 

[j_garcia]

I've seen various Wilsons in person (didn't bother to listen becasue I couldn't afford even one of them... ) Those particular ones are even bigger in person than they seem in the pictures. They were sitting on marble platforms and had some insane amps hooked up to them.

I don't find the Wilsons to be entirely strange or altogether unattractive, they seem quite purposeful in their design, but not exactly your average speaker.

 

[Fure]

Here is a interesting speaker manufacturer. I saw this company in a catalog from a local hi-fi shop. They had three models listed stating from 17,500 to 52,000 a pair. I can only imagine what this setup would cost.

http://www.avantgarde-usa.com/basshorns.html

 

[Johnd]

Here is a interesting speaker manufacturer. I saw this company in a catalog from a local hi-fi shop. They had three models listed stating from 17,500 to 52,000 a pair. I can only imagine what this setup would cost.

http://www.avantgarde-usa.com/basshorns.html

Fure: Let me guess...Audio Emporium in Glendale...I was there last week.

 

[Fure]

Fure: Let me guess...Audio Emporium in Glendale...I was there last week.

That's the place. I was also there last week to pick up a new sub to replace the bad Mirage S12. Very nice place with some great equipment.