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Audio Aesthetics [message #88112] Sun, 03 June 2018 09:02 Go to next message
AudioFred is currently offline  AudioFred
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A couple of years ago we downsized from the standard issue McMansion to a much smaller one story custom home, which we were able to design from scratch with an architect's assistance. One topic of our discussions was the aesthetic appearance of the stereo system, which sits where a fireplace would normally be placed at the focal point of the great room. My wife's simple request was that it shouldn't be butt ugly like most of my audiophile friends' systems. Women can be so unreasonable. Laughing

So we showed the architect and the interior designer some pictures of audiophile systems, and when they recovered from their shock and dismay, their advice was that wires shouldn't be visible. The interior designer also confided to my wife that a speaker is a thing of unspeakable ugliness that should Boze size, hidden on a high shelf, and preferably placed behind a fern. I vetoed the speaker advice but agreed they wouldn't be taller than five feet and wouldn't be pulled out more than five feet into the room.

We ended up with only two electronic components, a Krell integrated and an Oppo universal player stacked on an 18th century antique oak chest, with very thin Kimber 4tc as the only visible cable. A reasonable compromise. While my wife was out of town I sneaked in a 12" subwoofer, which I hid under a large art book so my wife wouldn't notice.

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Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88113 is a reply to message #88112] Sun, 03 June 2018 15:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gofar99 is currently offline  gofar99
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Hi Fred...since she was out of the house....you could sneak in a pair of 8 foot ESLs, a couple of 3 cuft subs a pair of Krell amps and just cover them with pretty screen material. No one would ever know Laughing Laughing Laughing

Good Listening
Bruce
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88115 is a reply to message #88113] Sun, 03 June 2018 15:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
AudioFred is currently offline  AudioFred
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gofar99 wrote on Sun, 03 June 2018 15:10
Hi Fred...since she was out of the house....you could sneak in a pair of 8 foot ESLs, a couple of 3 cuft subs a pair of Krell amps and just cover them with pretty screen material. No one would ever know Laughing Laughing Laughing


Or hide them behind a fern. Nobody would notice as long as I didn't use any of those obsolete, heat-generating tube things.
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88117 is a reply to message #88112] Mon, 04 June 2018 10:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently online  Wayne Parham
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That setup looks great, Fred!

My wife makes a big deal out of wires too. Which I find kind of cool - the aesthetics are better with all wires hidden. I cut the wall, install a wall-plate conduit box and run everything into it, whether it is going twenty feet or two. So there are no wires visible from the front. Our downstairs home theater system has a shelve unit attached to the wall with the amp and Oppo source sitting on it. Our upstairs family room system has a larger rack with more equipment on it, but still uses the same no-wires-visible approach.

I think in a few years we'll ditch a bunch of stuff and get a smaller home. Certainly no need for two home theater systems. Gotta get some kids moved out first. For now, it's nice to have "ours" and "theirs." Laughing

Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88119 is a reply to message #88112] Tue, 05 June 2018 13:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Humphries is currently offline  Humphries
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I can't imagine your wife having any complaints with this setup. It looks amazing, even if you didn't take the architect and designer's advice. I think those speakers look super sleek. The gnomes in front of the speakers are a great whimsical touch. I'll admit, I'm one of those people who doesn't like the look of a bunch of wires either. It just starts looking cluttered and unfinished, in my opinion.
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88145 is a reply to message #88119] Fri, 08 June 2018 12:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
AudioFred is currently offline  AudioFred
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Humphries wrote on Tue, 05 June 2018 13:35
The gnomes in front of the speakers are a great whimsical touch.


Actually, the garden gnomes may look like standard, off the shelf gnomes, but they are actually an important passive element in the system. Underneath the fake antique paint, they are made of an proprietary alloy of titanium, beryllium, and unobtainium. With them in place, the speakers and room disappear leaving one with nothing but a live holographic musical event. The special alloy oscillates at high frequencies creating an energy field in the room that overpowers room vibrational distortions to correct phase and frequency interactions for harmonic balance. I hear an increase in depth and width, with clearer more extended highs, and tighter bass. Everything sounds more live, clearer, and more natural than you could ever imagine.
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88148 is a reply to message #88145] Fri, 08 June 2018 13:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
utopia is currently offline  utopia
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AudioFred wrote on Fri, 08 June 2018 12:07
Humphries wrote on Tue, 05 June 2018 13:35
The gnomes in front of the speakers are a great whimsical touch.


Actually, the garden gnomes may look like standard, off the shelf gnomes, but they are actually an important passive element in the system. Underneath the fake antique paint, they are made of an proprietary alloy of titanium, beryllium, and unobtainium. With them in place, the speakers and room disappear leaving one with nothing but a live holographic musical event. The special alloy oscillates at high frequencies creating an energy field in the room that overpowers room vibrational distortions to correct phase and frequency interactions for harmonic balance. I hear an increase in depth and width, with clearer more extended highs, and tighter bass. Everything sounds more live, clearer, and more natural than you could ever imagine.



And here I was thinking that they were just for fun too. That's really innovative and creative! I might have to give something like that a try. How does your wife feel about them?
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88151 is a reply to message #88148] Sat, 09 June 2018 16:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gofar99 is currently offline  gofar99
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How cool. I wonder if I can disguise some of my turntables as bird feeders. Rolling Eyes


Good Listening
Bruce
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88152 is a reply to message #88151] Sat, 09 June 2018 19:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
AudioFred is currently offline  AudioFred
Messages: 377
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Location: Houston
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gofar99 wrote on Sat, 09 June 2018 16:50
How cool. I wonder if I can disguise some of my turntables as bird feeders. Rolling Eyes



Or you could set one outside up in a tree, put it on a timer, and set some deer corn where the record would go. World's most expensive deer feeder.
Re: Audio Aesthetics [message #88155 is a reply to message #88112] Sun, 10 June 2018 01:48 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Humphries is currently offline  Humphries
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You know, I thought about how they must be for something more than "just for fun" but dismissed it. I should've gone with my gut. I would've never guessed the details though. That's really cool.
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