Apparently the Germans practiced some weird form of design incest in the 50s and 60s. Blaupunkt, Telefunken, Braun, etc. - the faceplates all look alike, even down to the colors.
Does anybody else match their interior decor/furniture to their gear? Pics.
- Thread starter JohnVF
- Start date
Actually, looking at my H.H.Scott tube tuner above, and the KLH Model Twenty-Seven receiver, there's definitely a shared aesthetic. I've always thought the Scotts with the round tuning knob/dials were the classiest looking of all stereo gear. When I bought my Fisher Integrated and tuner, there was a Scott sitting on the next shelf and I kept going back and forth, finally picking the Fishers because of sound, but the Scott was simply one of the most beautiful pieces of audio equipment I'd ever seen. I think it was a model 399.
Occasionally, Ikea really comes through. Picked this lamp up at Ikea on Friday while looking for storage boxes. I wanted a light that I could have on while spinning vinyl at night that didn't spoil the mood, and this really does the trick. A low wattage bulb and the pattern put off by the light going through the woven bamboo (or wicker of some sort) actually enhance the mood, while being bright enough to see what track to drop the needle on. That's a Sony 2251 TT next to it, a real sleeper if you ask me.
Must be nice to live in civilization - i.e. someplace Ikea actually sets up shop.
watt
no on
Hi John. That new MAC 1900 looks right at home among the rest of your stuff. I'm a little late contributing to the thread, but with this topic I couldn't resist. Here's a (blurry) pic of my attempt to match furniture with gear. The Systemdek and MAC 4100 are on a cabinet behind where I took the photo. (It's an oddly-shaped room, and this is the only configuration that would accommodate everything.) Eames fiberglass rocker and wire table between the Vandersteens (courtesy JohnVF :thmbsp
. Coffee table a more recent design, clearly indebted to the Noguchi coffee table.
. Coffee table a more recent design, clearly indebted to the Noguchi coffee table.Attachments
eThink
Well-Known Member
One more original American Design: The AR Receiver
The AR Receiver is from the early 1970s and iit s close to 40 years old in design. The AR Receiver reflects a "minimalist" design aesthetic; to my eyes, it is still attractive today. :thmbsp:
It was designed in the US; it has been reported that some of the design team also worked on the KLH 27 receiver from the same period.
Here are some AK links to more information on this receiver http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=97759 and http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218504
The AR Receiver is from the early 1970s and iit s close to 40 years old in design. The AR Receiver reflects a "minimalist" design aesthetic; to my eyes, it is still attractive today. :thmbsp:
It was designed in the US; it has been reported that some of the design team also worked on the KLH 27 receiver from the same period.
Here are some AK links to more information on this receiver http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=97759 and http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218504
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eThink
Well-Known Member
The Mid-Century Modernist and the KLH 20+
Readers of this AK Thread will probably also appreciate this external website that is focused on Mid-Century style and, occasionally, vintage audio http://www.midcenturymodernist.com/2007/04/klh_model_twent.html
Ah, Kloss...I have KLH 17s around somewhere, must be in storage. Great speakers. I also had the model twenty system last year, but sadly without the pedestals shown here (this isn't mine, but I found this picture particularly inspiring when putting my place together).
NOT MINE>wish it was.
Readers of this AK Thread will probably also appreciate this external website that is focused on Mid-Century style and, occasionally, vintage audio http://www.midcenturymodernist.com/2007/04/klh_model_twent.html
Love it. That Fisher receiver fits right in.
Hi John. That new MAC 1900 looks right at home among the rest of your stuff. I'm a little late contributing to the thread, but with this topic I couldn't resist. Here's a (blurry) pic of my attempt to match furniture with gear. The Systemdek and MAC 4100 are on a cabinet behind where I took the photo. (It's an oddly-shaped room, and this is the only configuration that would accommodate everything.) Eames fiberglass rocker and wire table between the Vandersteens (courtesy JohnVF :thmbsp
Cool looking place, sorry I haven't had a chance yet to come check it out. I love that you kept my stop-gap burlap job on those Vandies. The 'open back' part of the design really opens up the sound! Haha.
JohnMac
Addicted Member
I moved a bunch of stuff around my apartment today and started wondering if anybody else likes to match their furniture to their gear. Almost everything in my apartment (a small/medium sized loft) is from the 50s-mid '70s (when I was born). I just like the look. "Danish Modern" I think they call it. It goes really well with all my gear, and I think it just works with setting a good listening mood (as you can see by the big orange cat...that's Harry, my audio buddy).
Harry and a Sansui 9090db w/Sony 2251 TT on Zenith Consol, which I use for CD storage. It still has speakers, but nothing special. (All furniture Salvation Army or CL).
Mac-1900 w/Lenco-Bogen B-62 TT on Drexel dresser from Salvation Army.
My couch, a mid '60s Lane design I think (CL) w Harry in his lounge chair.
Just curious..it gives me something else to look for at the thrift stores and Craigslist. I get a lot of enjoyment out of matching everything up by time period.
Take care,
John
I have an audio buddy too. Willy likes to lay under my feet when I play guitar or curl up in front of a speaker when I play music. Amazingly he's never touched a grill cloth. Audio Karma I guess. Recognize the vase?
John
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Audio buddies are the best. My previous cat Addie would actually sing when I played guitar. It wasn't a meow..she'd literally try to vocalize like I was doing. It just came out as "meh.ehhhh...ehhh". Very cute.
My cats usually hide if the music is up loud, but I've recently discovered that my 14-year-old has a taste for Hendrix. I was blaring some one night, and she hopped on my lap, settled in the dead-center sweet spot between the speakers and perked her ears up. She also will "talk" (sort of meow and purr together) if she hears my mom's voice on the phone. If I'm at the computer, sometimes she'll hop in my lap and paw at the keyboard...she's a strange individual.
So I was at home today waiting for a repairman and had nothing to do but search Craigslist, when I spotted these. Ever since I'd seen a pair of Celestion Ditton 15s, I'd wanted a pair of British speakers with wood-veneer baffles. Yes, I think of that kind of thing when looking for speakers.
So out go the Dynaco A-25s, in come B&W DM2s. They sound fantastic, as good as they look. Everything the A25s did but much more of it. Smoother. Fuller sound. More detailed. That "British Sound", somehow mellow and detailed at the same time. I've never associated Britain with design, but I think these speakers will fit right in. They take up more room, though. I had no idea how big they were until I saw them in person.
So out go the Dynaco A-25s, in come B&W DM2s. They sound fantastic, as good as they look. Everything the A25s did but much more of it. Smoother. Fuller sound. More detailed. That "British Sound", somehow mellow and detailed at the same time. I've never associated Britain with design, but I think these speakers will fit right in. They take up more room, though. I had no idea how big they were until I saw them in person.
Snade
humble AK member
So out go the Dynaco A-25s, in come B&W DM2s.
Hey, I saw those, but sat on my hands.
The build quality of these older B&Ws is amazing.
I had some DM14's and sold them. I miss them.
Congrats, they look great in your place.
Snade
Thanks, Snade. I actually thought they might have been yours, as the seller's name was Mark. You and I could have gotten in a bidding war, wouldn't that have been fun? Just kidding. I'm terrible at bargaining and give up easily.
I've totally fallen off of the no-more gear wagon, but I think I'm done with speakers for a long time now. These are exactly what I wanted for this system, and my other two systems would take a lot of cash for little or no improvement, at least as far as what I'm listening for.
The DM-2s sound fantastic with the Mac receiver, way way better than the A25s. I tried my AR3as this morning, but they fell flat (and boxy), too. I felt I was wasting the Mac, but now it's really singing. These things fill up the whole loft, without straining or losing their smooth character. I think I can start shedding some gear now.
watt
no on
Same here. Looks like they found the right home though.
Funny, isn't it, that swearing off gear usually coincides with finding a whole bunch of stuff you can't pass up?
If you want wood-veneer baffles and flat response, find a pair of Marantz Imperial 8 or 9 speakers....and get ready to re-arrange the loft. :lmao:
Yes -- cool website! Lots of eye candy.