A Speaker for Women?

ctviggen · « **Reply #20 on:** 20 May 2010, 07:41 pm »

I'm telling you what I believe. Whether that's sexist or not is up to you.

My wife plays piano and other instruments and loves music and my speakers. But if she could have a speaker that wasn't seen, she'd be much happier. And I believe that's a fair generalization of women and speakers. I've personally never met a woman who could love a 6 foot tall black coffin (VMPS RM40s). Those women might exist (apparently do), but I've never personally met one.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #21 on:** 20 May 2010, 07:44 pm »

They're out there. I've met a few it pleases me to tell you.

Ruby Mae · « **Reply #22 on:** 20 May 2010, 07:55 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 20 May 2010, 07:44 pm

They're out there. I've met a few it pleases me to tell you.

and i am pleased 4 u

jtwrace · « **Reply #23 on:** 20 May 2010, 07:58 pm »

coming to A.C., the wife trade up program.

Keep looking on the trading post for the new section.

We understand that you'll need to upgrade as you get bigger speakers...we'll have some for monitors and full size floor standers.

Stay Tuned!!!

vinyl_lady · « **Reply #24 on:** 20 May 2010, 08:27 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 20 May 2010, 07:58 pm

coming to A.C., the wife trade up program.

Keep looking on the trading post for the new section.

We understand that you'll need to upgrade as you get bigger speakers...we'll have some for monitors and full size floor standers.

Stay Tuned!!!

srb · « **Reply #25 on:** 20 May 2010, 08:35 pm »

If someone made a generalization about men saying that most men prefer large speakers, no sexist inference would be made.

But when someone made a generalization about women saying most women prefer hidden or small speakers, some women responded saying that is a sexist comment.

Saying that it was a sexist comment was actually the only sexist comment made. UGH...gimme a break!

Steve

launche · « **Reply #26 on:** 20 May 2010, 08:47 pm »

I must say I didn't expect so many to think the speakers were ugly. I wouldn't buy them but I wouldn't call them ugly. Does it matter what size they are? I think the speaker is a size of a computer speaker. Do they appear uglier when thinking of them as a floorstander or monitor, just curious. Thinking of it as a floorstanding speaker then yes I can see why some say ugly.
But I guess 12 out of 12 women can't be wrong. I guess it does pay to conduct focus groups.

Ruby Mae · « **Reply #27 on:** 20 May 2010, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: srb on 20 May 2010, 08:35 pm

If someone made a generalization about men saying that most men prefer large speakers, no sexist inference would be made.

But when someone made a generalization about women saying most women prefer hidden or small speakers, some women responded saying that is a sexist comment.

Saying that it was a sexist comment was actually the only sexist comment made. UGH...gimme a break!

Steve

u must be joking

*Scotty* · « **Reply #28 on:** 20 May 2010, 09:22 pm »

Bob,my wife doesn't care too much what the speakers look like as long as she likes how they sound. However,if you gave her a choice all things being equal,she would rather have wood over metal or glass.
I think what those speakers need is a color changing light show driven by the music like the color organs of the psychedelic 60s and 70s,retro sheik. Big speakers are not a problem at my house.
Reimer Speakers Teton GS-HT

Scotty

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #29 on:** 20 May 2010, 10:41 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 20 May 2010, 07:06 pm

The best speaker for women is one that's not seen.

Having lived with a few women (at different times) that statement generally holds true. The other kind women (cats) tend to fancy Maggies.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #30 on:** 21 May 2010, 02:00 pm »

My wife hates all speakers. Of those she can barely tolerate - the smaller a floor-stander that can be found, the better.

Better yet, they stay in a room she doesn't frequent (my office) behind a closed door.

Most women and speakers just don't co-exist peacefully together

John

Elizabeth · « **Reply #31 on:** 21 May 2010, 03:22 pm »

The perfect speaker for me would be one disguised as: A vase of flowers, a chair, a framed art hanging on the wall, an end table.
Anything but a speaker.
The WORST speakers are the tall standard box speakers.
IF the speakers approach an art form, they might pass: the Bower and Wilkins nautilus were cool looking and artsy enough to be OK.
Magnepans have a certain charm, MBLs, Avantgarde happen to be very good looking art forms.

TomS · « **Reply #32 on:** 21 May 2010, 03:36 pm »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 21 May 2010, 03:22 pm

The perfect speaker for me would be one disguised as: A vase of flowers, a chair, a framed art hanging on the wall, an end table.
Anything but a speaker.
The WORST speakers are the tall standard box speakers.
IF the speakers approach an art form, they might pass: the Bower and Wilkins nautilus were cool looking and artsy enough to be OK.
Magnepans have a certain charm, MBLs, Avantgarde happen to be very good looking art forms.

Klaus from Odyssey used to distribute framed art speakers and they sounded really good. I remember at RMAF a few years ago, watching as he made his pitch to a couple who were blown away by how cool they were. Decent placement is still a challenge but not a bad compromise within the usual constraints.

jtwrace · « **Reply #33 on:** 21 May 2010, 03:38 pm »

Don't forget the crazy stuff from Gilbert at Blue Circle Audio.

Pumps and Purse.

http://www.classicpumps.com/mpumps.htm

low.pfile · « **Reply #34 on:** 21 May 2010, 04:35 pm »

Not sure if I agree with launch's statement paraphrased.... looks like diamond = will appeal to women. That is akin to saying looks like a toolbox = will appeal to men. There are all tastes Techie, utilitarian, classic, lacey, natural, etc. for both woman and men. And I know woman who actually aren't into diamonds.

The harmon kardon GLA-55 speakers in the OP are very severe in their design and likely will cause diametric views. They are fairly compact around 10" tall.

HK took a strong aesthetic position for a "new technology"-it's just a powered multimedia speaker(various inputs) and touch controls. This may have more to do with differentiating their tech than making a speaker for woman. Gender specific design for typically gender-free products is not common, outside of color and finish. The latest gender specific design I recall is the Volvo YCC concept vehicle--designed by women.

Quote from: Elizabeth on 21 May 2010, 03:22 pm

The perfect speaker for me would be one disguised as: A vase of flowers, a chair, a framed art hanging on the wall, an end table.
Anything but a speaker.
The WORST speakers are the tall standard box speakers.
IF the speakers approach an art form, they might pass: the Bower and Wilkins nautilus were cool looking and artsy enough to be OK.
Magnepans have a certain charm, MBLs, Avantgarde happen to be very good looking art forms.

Elizabeth's comments echo alot of what I hear from women friends when speakers come up (ha...rarely). But when it does, they state that they would want a small, not boxy speaker (for cheap, which means $100). Little sphere's seem to be very acceptable, such as Orbs or my little Morels (often described as cute).

Something along the lines of the U-vola, from Italy, may have more appeal to woman or men who want a non-speaker speaker. They can be hung or use stands. At ~ $3k though! I've heard them in a retail shop only playing background music, so difficult to tell.

http://us.aving.net/news/view.php?articleId=22696&mn_name=news&cateId=

macrojack · « **Reply #35 on:** 21 May 2010, 05:07 pm »

The symmetrical placement required for stereo imaging and the rudiments of male organizational tendencies both violate the ladies' sense of random placement. That alone gets speaker pairs in trouble. Follow that with size, color, pattern and prominence issues and you have a steep slope to climb if you want your woman to willingly abide by the sort of speaker decisions that seem obvious to you.
Placement in the room problems are somewhat mitigated by the room in the house under discussion. The living room is very contentious - you can do whatever you like out in the garage.

ctviggen · « **Reply #36 on:** 21 May 2010, 05:29 pm »

There are two rooms in my house, the family room and the living room. In the family room, I have more leeway. In the living room, I have none. Luckily, she doesn't mind the Linn 5140s I have there, but I had to hide the equipment in a rack that's hidden behind a chair.

The family room is being renovated and will be a combination family room and HT room. This will lessen my original "man cave" ideal (think 8 black Realtraps traps plus three large VMPS speakers). It'll have a little of that, but will now do double duty for a toddler.

launche · « **Reply #37 on:** 21 May 2010, 06:17 pm »

I guess I am way out of touch. Since when did diamonds stop being strongly associated with women and tools with men? Yes, I get a little excited about a nice toolbox, a diamond not so much (unless it was associated with a needle or tweeter of course).

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #38 on:** 21 May 2010, 06:23 pm »

One of my female colleagues has a dedicated room with Esoteric/Tannoy speakers, an Esoteric CDP and a Nottingham high end TT with a Koestu Onix. Dedicated lines, too, the whole nine yards. The shoe is on the other foot at her house. Her husband in a music dullard. She is the co-founder of the Audio Society where we live. I think she would laugh at the notion that the speakers under discussion were designed with the feminine sex in mind, just before throwing both of us out.

launche · « **Reply #39 on:** 21 May 2010, 06:39 pm »

Throw us out...geez.

Do chicks still dig the long ball?