Integrating speakers into contemporary decor - can WAF ever be overcome?


This is a topic I'd like to see discussed more.  Not a speaker issue per se, but it's speakers that usually cause the problems. My partner is a hard core interior design/aesthetics type. We will shortly be combining households with all the benefits and challenges that this presents. We're both fans of a "Music In Every Room" (MIER) lifestyle, so that's a good start. But we quickly diverge. And to be clear, we're not talking about giant screens on the wall or home theater. This is audio only.

Anyway, her idea of MIER is built-in speakers or, at most, tiny Sonos units on a bookshelf or behind furniture. I had some of that in my house albeit BlueOS stuff. That's OK to a point. But my LR had KEF LS50's on stands. Obviously difference in sound is dramatic, and she admitted it. But she doesn't care. For her the improvement in sound quality is negated by aesthetic horror of visible speakers.

It's worth mentioning that the decor/design aesthetic in question is basically high end transitional with mix of contemporary stuff, Asian antiques, some colonial antiques, large format abstract oils, etc. It's >not< traditional or frou-frou, really a look where the right speakers could easily be interpreted as industrial design pieces that mesh well with the rest. The LS50s fit that description I think.

So, getting to the question here... Has anybody had any luck convincing spouse that speakers can be a part of the decor?  To think of them as some kind of sculptural elements, not "just ugly speakers?"  That they're industrial design elements that somehow add to space? Have links to pix of living spaces that integrated speakers into the look? Any help or ideas would be great. Thanks for reading, a kind of odd topic, I know. Cheers,

128x128kletter1mann

Showing 4 responses by grislybutter

I think at least half of the quality (mid/hi-fi) speakers are ugly. That’s one problem. The other is placement: if someone doesn’t see that in order to have sound, you need to have speakers somewhere, they will not like even the most beautiful speakers. Maybe let her help with finding the ideal location?
Still, some speakers are so freaking beautiful, that it's hard not to want them in your living room.

most of these link above were aesthetically ... well.... strange, to me. Of course tastes are subjective - to some degree

@kokakolia 

I am not uptight about it. But if my choice comes down to looks, it matters.

And yes, Wilson and Tekton and a lot of others are very unpleasant to look at. Even Harbeth can be perplexing. Money can't buy taste.