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When does a speaker stopped being a speaker and becomes a piece of art!

A recent discussion on a single driver speaker prompted me to engage fellow audiophiles.  In my experience, a speaker stops being just a speaker and becomes a piece of art when it transcends its core functionality. When it no longer feels like a device that conveys sound but instead becomes a medium for emotion, craftsmanship, and human expression.

I am referring to a speaker design that evokes feeling before it even makes a sound — the materials, form, and finish carry it’s maker intent.

The sound dissolves the boundaries between reproduction and reality; you stop analyzing and start feeling. The speaker maker’s philosophy and listener’s soul meet, where engineering and art align to serve music itself.

At that point, it’s not about specs or frequency plots. It’s about connection.

A true piece of audio art doesn’t just reproduce music — it reveals humanity through it.

Feel free to brag, if you already own such a piece of art (speakers) or hope to own one in very near future.

lalitk
yyzsantabarbara
5,550 posts
 

I was at a listening session where WILSON was demoing their Alexandia speaker. The cost was around $150k ten years ago, so a million todaycheeky

My wife sees me talking to the WILSON guy and comes over and says the speaker sound good but why are they so ugly. They look like Darth Vader. That did not go over too well.

My current speakers are a looker, the Yamaha NS5000.

 

deep_333
2,431 posts
 

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, of course...

But, that Stradivari... finish = gaudy, design aesthetic = kinda ugly (actually)

On the other hand, this monitor audio looks good to me..

 

Nevertheless, a speaker is there to sound good.....

If i want art, i’ll go find some starving artists and buy paintings and sculptures...thanks.

 

 

 

 

Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage in grahpite finish.-Serblin era.

2480433-2d12f734-sonus-faber-stradivari-homage-graphite-speakers-with-custom-townshend-seismic-isolation-podiums.jpg (509×825)

 

To my ears, they sound/look what you describe. Playing a mint, late 50’s Jazz/Classical period LP thru a ridiculously priced table/tube gear-hypnotizing.

By today’s standards, you can pick up a pair relatively cheap- $20K or so

There are plenty of "accurate" more technical speakers out there...but they’re not a classic Sonus Faber.

dekay's avatar
dekay
6,170 posts
 

I like the Eames designs from the 50's/60's.

https://eames.com/en/speakers

 

DeKay

laps
101 posts
 

While reading this thread I was surprised to see the Acoustic Zen Crescendo looking almost identical to the Dali Euphonia MS5’s I own.

dynacohum
833 posts
 

The first loudspeaker as art I encountered was the B&W DM-70 electrostatic hybrid.   The brand has also produced the Nautilus, and its designer the Vivid Audio line of speakers, which are extraordinarily graceful.  Focal Sopra No.2 and 3 are another example whose form is artistic in my opinion.  Plain boxes, no matter how finely made, aren’t in the conversation. 

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