Black Ash.....


...is the speaker finish that never should have been allowed to escape the bowels of hell. It is the parkay floors of speaker finishes.

Black Ash is the universal declaration of "cheap-#ssed speakers" or, even worse, if chosen as the finish on even a relatively expensive or quality speaker, it’s the sign that the purchaser has lost his mind or was likely wearing cargo shorts, socks and sandals at the time of purchase.

Where do you stand on this?

You are either with me or against me.

prof
On the enclosures I made myself (subs), I painted them Hot Rod Black, which is a very cool black with a sheen between matte and flat black, used by, as its' name suggests, 1950's Hot Rod customizers. John Deere, the maker of tractors, offers a real good version, believe it or not!
And yet a beautifully done burl is so much more attractive than black ash veneer.
I have a pair of Aerial Acoustics 7B towers in black ash. I did not choose the finish. And don't really care. But they are extremely well done. Looks and feels like fine furniture. Seams at corners and edges are imperceptible to touch or sight. Finish is not overly dull or shiny. 

I might not have chosen that finish if I'd been buying new........but it certainly does not seem like anything to get worked up about.

And in the wrong application some fancier finishes, even when done well, seem to shout "look at me"......which is not exactly what I'm looking for in a speaker.