What are they thinking?!*The ANTI-Robin thread*

[Beat_Dominator]

First a rule: Don't be offended we all have opinions and are entitled to them! :cheers:

So I had an idea to have a picture thread like the many that Robin has created..... only I want to focus on the most horrifying designs in audio! :devil:


Without further ado, the device that gave me the idea. Shanlings CD500; it may sound terrific, but it looks like it was designed by Fisher Price!

 

[Joey_V]

I kinda......



























.....like it.

 

[ralflar]

Actually, the front panel is not bad, if the blue LEDs can be dimmed. Geeky? Yes. The center look a bit like old Seiko watches. The all metal front is nice. OTOH, the top looks XBoxish. The display is minimal and does not appear to provide much information. Would I want this player in my system? Unlikely.

 

[Reverb2009]

Hummmmmm... :think:











I like it. :drool:

 

[kcl]

I do not think this thread means what you think it does.

 

[Pcar928fan]

I do not think this thread means what you think it does.

LOL! I LOVE that movie! Well, they didn't say it quite like that but Princess Bride is a CLASSIC!! We quote it ALL the time at Praise Band practice at church!

 

[enilsen]

This is a kind of retro approach to design. I remember back in the late seventies when Phillips came out with some similar designs which were eye catching.

I think there is a correlation here as there is with food. If it looks good it should taste good. So maybe the Shanlings CD500 is one of those eye catching objects that is capitalizing on the blue-led concept that is so appealing these days.

Modern production techniques do allow manufactures to be very creative and give the illusion that costly materials have been used in the process of the build. In other words repackaging of-the-shelf components.

I think the real challenge here is to allow the purchaser a peak beyond the packaging and show of those hidden gems inside. What makes this hardware worth a small fortune when the visual appeal has been removed?

 

[lugano]

Very nice thread idea. Here is my contribution to it:

 

[twich54]

Very nice thread idea. Here is my contribution to it:

Ahhhhhh, Nipper got nipped !!!

 

[DrJRapp]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I guess.

 

[lugano]

Am I alone in judging Jamo's $13'000 flagships ugly like hell ?

 

[enilsen]

Very nice thread idea. Here is my contribution to it:

Those are some cool looking woofers. :rocker:

 

[Joey_V]

Those are some cool looking woofers. :rocker:

I still dont understand why the Jamo speaker is not $7k but $13K! There's no cabinet!!! Come on now.. surely that lowers manufacturing costs!

Yeeesh...

Joey

 

[Joey_V]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I guess.

Speak of the devil... Doc, just yesterday I was reading the thread of yours at HTGuide where you got into an argument with the BW people there regarding the looks of the 802D and how they looked rather ugly and an eyesore to you. That thread got locked! Ahh... the memories...

Joey

I will admit, in rosewood... the 802 is one goofy looking speaker.

 

[DTB300]

I still dont understand why the Jamo speaker is not $7k but $13K! There's no cabinet!!! Come on now.. surely that lowers manufacturing costs!

No Way....That steel support on the rear is made from Ultra-High Quality Audiophile Grade Steel, only made once per year by a very skilled metals person tucked away in a moutain somewhere in Mongolia. Well worth the extra cost.

Dan

 

[aerius007]

Speak of the devil... Doc, just yesterday I was reading the thread of yours at HTGuide where you got into an argument with the BW people there regarding the looks of the 802D and how they looked rather ugly and an eyesore to you. That thread got locked! Ahh... the memories...

Joey

I will admit, in rosewood... the 802 is one goofy looking speaker.

I love the 802. It is actually what I may get next . My dealer is going to have to let me bring home the 802 and the summits to A/B compare. But that is going to be a little while from now.

 

[Joey_V]

No Way....That steel support on the rear is made from Ultra-High Quality Audiophile Grade Steel, only made once per year by a very skilled metals person tucked away in a moutain somewhere in Mongolia. Well worth the extra cost.

Dan

Dan,

Normally I respect your thoughts and opinions, but you are WAY OFF here. They're made by Sherpas in Nepal... sheepskin + mountain goat fur + steel for the ultimate in audiophile steel supporting system!!!!

Joey

 

[Joey_V]

I love the 802. It is actually what I may get next . My dealer is going to have to let me bring home the 802 and the summits to A/B compare. But that is going to be a little while from now.

When is your upgrade itch going to be scratched and gone?? More gear eh? The 802D is a great speaker, just not in rosewood IMO. Against the Summits, I dont think you'll end up with the 802D.

Here is a nice pic:

 

[aerius007]

Cherry would be my choice, thats what the floors and cabinet in my room are. Since I am pretty much out of money my itch will have to wait for a while. The only thing is that at the prices I can buy stuff it becomes easy for me to justify it. Everything in my system I could sell and at least break even if I ever had to. But spring is around the corner and when the snow melts I will have more landscaping to do than I can imagine and that stuff doesnt come cheap either.

 

[Robin]

Interesting Thread...

BD,

Well, Thank you very much for the compliment...
I must confess, I have seen quite a lot of, shall we say, less than asthically viable audio designs in my travels through the Internet, while in search of all the beautiful audio photos. Here are but a few, which I would like to share with you at this time.... However I must caution you to only look at this post - well before eating anything...