Coolest looking speaker ever ?


Coolest looking speaker you ever seen? I say it's the Kharma Audiocrat [see picture of the day]
mejames
The mbl's look like some kind of alien space ship:

http://www.mbl-hifi.com/products/mbl101d_en.htm

If you merely want impressive, check out the Kharma Grand Enigma at a cool mil (go to pictures, then projects):

http://www.kharma.com/

--Neil
The Wilson Grand Slamms look like they're right out of Star Wars, especially with glossy paint.
I love my Sonus Faber Extremas. Sleek, mean, and incredebly refined. Looks good in any decor.
I like Ken's 3A sigs too, but I've got to go with my own Vandersteen 5s-- but in matched rosewood (mine are in oiled walnut and are nice too, but not a "premium" finish). Cheers. Craig
Well, shoot!! If you guys think your Vandersteen's are cool looking, then after the Sonus Faber Amati Hommage, I'm going to go with my own Aerial Acoustic Model 10T speakers in Santos Rosewood finish.

In addition to their sonic abilities, their fit'n finish has a serious look to them.
Stacked Dahlquist DQ-10's. Over the top ugly and fabulous sounding, which in my book makes them pretty darned cool ;-)

I have to agree with Sugarbrie though. Those B&W's really are a sight to see.
My top five in no particular order

1. B&W Nautilus
2. Martin Logan Statements
3. Sonus Faber Amati Homage
4. MBL's
5. Genesis 1.1's
Avalon Eidolon/Opus, B&W Nautilus, Logan CLS, SF Amati, Kharma Exquisite. Each of them is a statment in both looks and sound, and buying one you will pay for both.
the original ml statements are awful cool looking. i have never heard them though. sean the 901s are the best looking and sounding; you are right.
Gotta go with the Pods from outer space, the mbl 101's, with the B&W Nautilus close behind. Anyone remember the Tennessee Sound Company speakers, which looked like gold or copper spheres held in an oil rig?
A lesser known speaker, the Rosinante Gabriel. Check out this link: http://www.roomlens.com/Gabrielle.html
My favorite though, is the Nautilus.
EgglestonWorks Savoy or Andra II takes the honors from me. Black grand piano finish and rock-solid (literally) with the granite side panels.
Did anyone notice that the Bose 901's that i mentioned were series SEVENTEEN ??? They just keep making them better and better : ) Sean
>
Well, one's guy's "cool" may be another guy's "ugly" (see the thread I just posted looking for nominees for "ugliest speaker"), and there are a couple of speakers in the list above that would be among my lead candidates for an "ugly" award. To me, the best speaker design is elegant, clean, and functional, and does not have an appearance that distracts the listener from its sound quality. A few of the speakers that meet my criteria include: the Vandersteen Model 5; the Avalon Eidolon Diamond; the Sonus Faber Amati Homage (superb cabinetwork) and the SF Electa Amator II; the Vienna Acoustic Mahler; the Coincident Technology Eclipse; the Wilson-Benesch ACT One (the one with the curved back); the Audio Physik Avanti III; and several of the Thiel line (not crazy about the large Model 7).

Among the speakers with a more modern, "industrial" design, I like the Martin-Logan Ascent (the Prodigy is too big to suit me); the Meridian DSP 8000; the Infinity Intermezzo; some of the B&W "800" and CDM series; and the Cyrus Icon (see page 53 of Issue 13 of HiFi+ mag).
For a DIY'r these are one of the nicest looking and well built speakers I've seen. Great fit and finish with a strong appearance! Great driver selections! Fantastic Job!
(obviuosly the larger one in the picture)

http://home.hetnet.nl/~geenius/Andromeda_bestanden/image017.jpg

My vote for mass production companies goes to Avalon's upper end of speakers.
Sean- thanks, your nomination gave the best laugh I've had in two days!

For dynamic speakers I'm partial to Avalon's cabinetry. Their smaller speakers, though, the Osiris and Sentinel are a little too much for me.

For planars I also like the ML CLS.
The original Nautilus and the MBLs look pretty cool...
I also saw and heard a pair of ML Statement E2... Huge speakers and the Sub columns behind are pretty cool...
I'd add the Thiel series of speakers from about the 2.3 up through the 7.2. And also the new Proac speakers that have the slanted front. Cheers. Craig
All I've seen are a couple of pics, but I'm smitten. Plan on buying a set, just need to decide on what finish I want.
The MBL 101s are also pretty darn cool looking.
I agree with members Centurymantra and Ikarus above that the Jadis Eurthymie II horns are definetly stylish in a modern country home, Pink Floyd,sexual and flower sort of manner.



The Calix Signature Phoenix Grands in Taiwan look interesting as well

Anybody hear how the Calix Signature Phoenix Grands sound? How much are they?

Perhaps the best design I've seen.
Stehno:
You can find information about the Signature Phoenix and the other models of the Calix line at their English site http://www.calix.com.tw/english/index.htm
FYI: The Calix Signature Phoenix Grands are made in Taiwan and sell for a cool $60k. Go figure....(see my post on "ugliest speaker ever" above).
Check out thse BW Nautilus clone speakers. They look amazing. http://audio-nirvana.fortunecity.net/pag_eng/letsdoitg.htm

I also like the JM Lab Utopias and Grand Utopias.

These Fischer and Fischer SL 1000 speakers look awesome.
There these German high end speakers. Here's a pic of them. http://www.audioreview.com/GALPhoto_59454crx.aspx
Apogees and Martin Logans.

I don't know how many times people have looked
at either the Apogees or the Logans and asked
quizically, "What are those?"

I tell them they are for "beaming-up"!

Dr. Gregory Greenman
get a goldmund catalog and turn to the loudspeaker page.
you'll see a series of boxes on a "tree" stand- all mechanically grounded. that pushes all my buttons, except that it's a very large array and would require a room that probably would have to be designed and built by goldmund as well... and the their phone # is-___________
look at a site called exoticaudio for wildest looking speakers and gear. It is no longer updated but very interesting stuff .
Linn Komri- cant begin to imagine what this sounds like, but I certainly find it interesting to look at.