Last week Ron (Rocket Ronny) and I drove out to Jay’s place (Captain Hemo) in Kelowna to check out the OB H-Frames. When I entered the room my eyes were immediately drawn to NX Ottica. None of the pictures I had previously seen do these speakers justice. Without hearing a single note, my first impression (based on appearance alone) was very favorable.
At seven feet tall, finished in metallic gold paint, they dominate the room and command the full attention. The radiant splendor of gold makes a very powerful statement no other color or finish can; it is far more classy than black or whatever wood grain. Gold makes the speakers look like a prestigious artistic achievement rather than some mundane piece of furniture. Yes, a tall speaker covered in gold is something to behold. A small digital image cannot portray the splendor of the full scale reality of what I saw. The golden Ottica looks majestic, like a super uber high end product that would easily command a price tag north of 10K; and at least 20K with matching H-Frames.
Jay (Captain Hemo) and his partner Don are master craftsmen. These guys know what they are doing. The fit and finish is top quality, second to none. The same can be said for H-Frames. However the H-Frames were finished in deep purple, and depending on the light, they can almost appear black; positioned next to the golden Ottica towers, there was a visual disconnect. Had the H-Frames been finished in the same metallic gold paint, I’d have been left in even a greater state of awe.
