most beautiful (looking) speakers

I said I liked the sound of Snell A/IIIs, not the looks! 

I mean, honestly they were fine, certainly needed that grill, but not particularly gorgeous to look at.  They were more like plain looking boxes that sounded amazing.  If the sound wasn't spectacular from them it would be hard to justify the floor space.

Also from a bygone age when putting speakers up against the wall was experimented with and, to me, too soon forgotten.

+1 @tablejockey

Not only do these speakers sound fantastic, their wide front makes them behave more like a panel speaker, but with the dynamic range and smooth response of dynamics. I really wish more audiophiles got to hear these speakers. I should remember to recommend them every time a reader says they have a difficult room.

They are in many ways what a Snell A/III would sound like today, though the A/III still has the best room/bass coupling of any floor stander I've ever heard.