Ugly vs Gogeous speakers


I know speakers should be all about sound but I can't help responding to the look as well and this presents me with a dilemma.

I have owned B&W Nautilus 803's for many years and love the sound and value (excellent sound for reasonable cost). I would love to upgrade but I (and wife) think that the retro Star Wars R2D2 looking speaker (802) is nothing we would have in our living space.

What do others think the best looking / sounding speaker is? Do looks matter to you?

128x128jyprez
@imhififan yeah, that second pair is hideous. The first you shared I kinda like..

I got a used pair of top of the line rbh speakers with nice wood veneer and rounded corners because my wife hated the giant black jbl L7s that I had. We were remodeling the basement and she told me the L7s were too ugly and had to go. I said sure, as long as I could buy a pretty pair that sounds at least as good.. that worked out well for me since the JBLs were $400 plus refurb effort.

For me, if they sound good, it makes them look better. It’s like a person you find just marginally attractive, but whom you find incredibly attractive after talking to and seeing who they are as a person. There is the inverse, in speakers as well..

I really like the look of these crazy bang and olufsen floor standers:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/bang-olufsen-beolab-90-loudspeaker
Vandersteen Treos (CT in my case) have a clean architectural look I like, but also lots of lovely matched cherry veneer. I know the finish doesn’t add to the sound quality but since I spend a fair amount of time sitting facing them, and it’s nicer than the stretch-sock exterior of some towers.

The Treos replaced a pair of KEF LS-50s which were also beautiful, but I couldn’t find stands to put them on that didn’t ugly them up.
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