Cabinet aesthetics Q

[weinstro]

Hi,

I've come to this point where I've concluded that I can't make the loudspeaker cabinets "disappear" for the purposes of WAF, or SAF. I'm not willing to go with ceiling or wall mounting, either.

So, another approach would be to build something that looks very nice, and integrates well with home decor. I guess this means something beyond a dark rectangular box.

So here's the question - if Frank Lloyd Wright were alive to design a loudspeaker today, what would it look like?

I'm trying to provoke thoughts on attractive cabinet design that doesn't shout "I'm a loudspeaker". I chose FLW as I've always admired his architecture, and he typically designed furniture and interiors for his better designs.

Your thoughts?

[stokessd]

I've been wrestling with that as well. I've considered building them into a larger multi-purpose piece of furnature. A simple example is a speaker that is also a plantstand with a plant on top. Or bookshelves that alse have a speaker at one side. The speaker in the bookshelf case would actually be quite close to the wall if the shelves were facing the listener and nicely out into the room if the shelves are perp. to the listener.


Sheldon

[sdclc126]

Would in-wall/infinite baffle be an option for you?

[dlneubec]

FWIW, these probably still yell loudspeaker, since you can see the drivers, but thought they might give you some ideas. All are hybrid omnidirectional speakers and on the contemporary side and are intended to get away from the standard box look.

The first one is a simple 2way TL about 7" wide x 40" tall. The baltic birch parts will be finished in some kind of maple veneer.


This one is a 3way about 48" tall and is completely finished with gloss black and high gloss Santos Rosewood, with clear acrylic posts.



This one is also a 3way (working, but not yet finished). The mdf parts will be getting a waterfall bubinga veneer, probably high gloss. The maple parts are actual hardwood and the white parts are raw pvc tube and will probably be left natural with a light sanding as you see here.

[sdclc126]

Dan -

You're GOOD!

weinstro -

Maybe a practical way to approach it is to try to blend the speakers into the decor, using similar colors, shapes, patterns, etc. Very thin baffles help, but then you need to build deep, which is more visible from the side.

I think round columns, built with PVC pipe as Dan has used, are a great way to make speakers less visible - they have no angles or flat surfaces that let light call attention to them, and have the same profile from any angle. If you use small-diameter tubes with small drivers, say no larger than 4" or so, you have a much less intrusive speaker. Subwoofers can be easily hidden behind furniture.

[lepomis]

What about using some of Wrights clocks designs. This one would be easy to model a speaker after.



http://www.theclockdepot.com/Bulova_...oor_Clock.html

Originally posted by weinstro
Hi,

I've come to this point where I've concluded that I can't make the loudspeaker cabinets "disappear" for the purposes of WAF, or SAF. I'm not willing to go with ceiling or wall mounting, either.

So, another approach would be to build something that looks very nice, and integrates well with home decor. I guess this means something beyond a dark rectangular box.

So here's the question - if Frank Lloyd Wright were alive to design a loudspeaker today, what would it look like?

I'm trying to provoke thoughts on attractive cabinet design that doesn't shout "I'm a loudspeaker". I chose FLW as I've always admired his architecture, and he typically designed furniture and interiors for his better designs.

Your thoughts?

[planet10]

Made of PVC and along the same theme as dlneubec 1st pic, these always got high marks from the females:

http://www.t-linespeakers.org/FALL/toobz/index.html



One of these days i will revist the concept.

dave

[ruerose]

probably because they scream phallic....

[badman]

Originally posted by ruerose
probably because they scream phallic....

Funny, I was thinking lipstick tube. Must be a difference in personalities, you see phallus I see femininity

[sdclc126]

Oh you guys are baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!