loudspeaker

The "Fatman" has competition, at least in name and girth. Loudspeaker maker Morel is releasing a new model affectionately dubbed the "Fat Lady."

Luxist says the speakers owe their name to a "zaftig shape" produced by more than two years at the drawing board, something of a pear-shaped design that supposedly offers evenly dispersed sound without deflection or distortion. Finished with a carbon-fiber composite over a fiberglass layer, the speakers house two 9-inch woofers, a 6-inch midrange, and a 1.1-inch "hand-coated, soft dome tweeter." But at $20,000 a pair, the … Read more

If you've ever wondered what a loudspeaker would look like if it were designed by a company that makes pens, look no further. And if you do happen to fall into this category of curiosity, you have way too much time on your hands.

That aside, the rather odd-looking object pictured here is the product of one Lominichay, better known for its fine writing instruments. Why it's decided to make speakers is anyone's guess, but the company appears to be applying the esoteric sensibilities of its pens to this new line of business.

The "Degas" … Read more

As if there aren't already enough alien eyeball speakers to keep us awake at night, now they're descending from the ceiling to prey upon us as well.

The pair of "Venus" speakers shown on the left can be stacked and suspended with a built-in cable system, housing both woofer and tweeter in their evil orbs. It's one of two ceiling-hanging systems just released by Everything But The Box, according to AudioJunkies, the other being the "Sputnik 12S" subwoofer pictured at right.

It's only a matter of time before the invasion begins. You'… Read more

If you're going to spend a ton of money, we always say, you might as well have something to show for it. And that's exactly what this speaker system provides, which is a tall order given that it costs $380,700.

We've actually seen larger and more expensive audio systems (try $1 million), but they often end up resembling something like sound walls more than anything else. The "Sph?ron Excalibur" from Germany's Acapella, however, truly looks the part: It's like a cross between an old-fashioned gramophone and Audrey, the gigantic man-eating plant … Read more

The beauty of making musical instruments with tonewood is that, in addition to sound quality, it can be used to create works of art that are visual as well as acoustic. And, as the "Opera Sonora" is designed to prove, the same can be said of loudspeakers.

Italy's Ciresa has developed a unique vibrational system created by a new transducer, according to 7Gadgets. These speakers would seem to have a natural market in museums, as these photos suggest, where they would be indistinguishable from the exhibits. Or you they could be the perfect complement to a set … Read more

If we didn't know what these were, we might have thought they were the latest of WowWee's creepy creations. They look like some kind of one-eyed robotic mollusks.

But the "Mobius MKII" are high-end loudspeakers (defined by a projected price range of $10,000 to $15,000) that are as imposing in size and features as they are in cost. Standing well over 3 feet tall, each speaker has four drivers housed in an 8-inch "bipolar array" perched on top like a spherical beacon, according to Audio Junkies.

They're expected to be released … Read more

It's not too often that we see a piece of audio equipment that looks like part of a wall. But then again, when the price tag is around $50,000, all bets are off.

The system you see pictured here, which may resemble the partial construction of a well-appointed den or library, is actually a set of "MMthree Reference Speakers" from Evolution Acoustics--a gargantuan setup that boasts three-way loudspeakers and a 1,000-watt amplifier. A list of specs helps explain the unwieldy size: It begins with "dual 15-inch treated paper woofers, two 7-inch ceramic midranges and … Read more

Remember how every stomp by the T-Rex in Jurassic Park caused a puddle of water to vibrate? Now you can replicate the same heart-pumping effects at home with the JL Audio Gotham G213 subwoofer. This no-holds-barred goliath packs a pair of oversized 13.5-inch drivers powered by a meaty 3,800W amplifier. That's easily more than three times the juice pumped out by an average A/V receiver found in Asia.

Unadulterated brute muscle aside, this beautifully crafted, glossy-black piece also has a built-in audio equalization function. Dubbed "ARO" or Automatic Room Optimization, it smooths out the … Read more

CHIBA, Japan--Who said work and drinking don't mix?

A number of years ago, during an economic downturn, JVC had to lay off an engineer who had worked for the company for around 20 years. Sometime later, the engineer was in a tavern with a friend when he contemplated the squid snacks.

Why, he thought, are the squid so flexible? The bartender told him they soak in sake first.

The engineer had an insight into how to tackle a problem that had vexed acoustic engineers for years: how to make loudspeaker cones out of wood. Making speaker cabinets from wood … Read more