[Zheeeem]

I've just ordered a pair of RM30s from Big B with CDWGs and auricap tweeters.  Everything has been really easy until now.  But I'm stuck on the colour combination of cabinet and CDWG.  I've narrowed it down to:

Piano black with black CDWGs

or

Light oak with black CDWGs

This is your chance to really make a difference in the life of this poor suffering, highly neurotic audiophile.  So tell me...  Waddya think?

[woodsyi]

Depends on the rest of your room and your taste.  I would go black on black but that's me.  I had light oak before and black WG (wood?) would present quite a contrast.  If you are still getting the grill cloth version then it will be fine either way.

[CornellAlum]

Piano Black, no question.

[John Casler]

I've just ordered a pair of RM30s from Big B with CDWGs and auricap tweeters.  Everything has been really easy until now.  But I'm stuck on the colour combination of cabinet and CDWG.  I've narrowed it down to:

Piano black with black CDWGs

or

Light oak with black CDWGs

This is your chance to really make a difference in the life of this poor suffering, highly neurotic audiophile.  So tell me...  Waddya think?

Zheeeen,

The Light Oak is the "standard" cabinet, and included in the retail price.

The Piano Black is the upgraded MLS Cabinet, and in fact, is $450 more ($50 more than the other MLS due to the Piano Black finishing process)

It features additional bracing, and a higher density fiberboard, than the Light Oak.

The hardness of the PB finish also adds to the inertness of the cabinet over veneer finshes (again why it is $50 more than the veneered MLS)

That is not to say that the Light Oak is not a good performer (I have the light oak in my system) but the differences are more than "cosmetic", with the MLS Piano Black, being at the top of the performance list, of all the cabinets.

[ted_b]

Zheem,
Assuming this is a serious post, you must tell us what the room decor or your home/room color preferences overall are.  ??  I mean, how could we pick a color for you (since only color is your variable here) not knowing what colors you have or prefer.  Black and light anything else are stark ends of the spectrum.  Me, I owned RM/X's in piano black (12-15 coats, highly polished) and they were beautiful, but then again my HT is all black and shades of grey.  Got a picture of your room?

[Zheeeem]

A couple of you have asked what my room decor is.  Well, that's the easy part.  I'm in the middle of remodeling the house, and I have not yet done the listening room.  So the picture is:

1.  Current decor: ugly as sin

2.  Future decor: whatever I want

This is not to say that life is great.  It's a small room (about 10x12) and it's right above the utility room which has an unfinished ceiling (which means I can hear the furnace when it goes on).  My wife has a gorgeous 17X23 room for the HT and her hifi.  We flipped a coin.  I lost.

But I will be able to do whatever I want with my small room.  Once I figure out the best positioning for the speakers, I will fit the room accordingly with necessary treatments, etc.  The only "essentials" will be the oriental rug, some african primitive art, the hifi rack and something to sit on (currently a leather loveseat).  And yeah, I'll soundproof the utility room and install a dedicated AC outlet.

[audiochef]

Piano black !!

[zapper7]

Install some insulation in the ceiling so you don't hear the furnace so much.
How can you have a wife who gets the big room? She probably likes beer and football too.  :PSome guys have all the...
With a small room, the all black will make the speakers appear smaller, the light oak will look larger.

[ted_b]

I hate to change the topic from color to speaker type...but...a 10 x 12 room might be better suited for 626R's with CDWG on decent stands, then add a sub if needed (and use the remaining $$ for soundproofing and music).  The soundstaging and overall balance might fit better.  I have a 15.25' x 22.75' x 10' room, and certainly the RM/X's were overpowering the room.  During my journey to find new speakers I am temporarily using my 626r's as my mains (they were my surround speakers.)  I've pulled them further out into the room and changed my seating position back a couple feet.  WOW.  They sound great.  Not saying they are as dynamic as the RM/X's...of course not, but they image and create a soundfield that is much more room friendly.  Just my $.02

[warnerwh]

I like the idea of contrasting the waveguides with the cabinet. With my RM 40's I'd been wondering what would look best, rosewood on rosewood or piano black on rosewood. If I went the piano black I'd also do the base of my speakers in piano black. If anyone has knowledge on how to do the bases in piano black I'd be grateful as I plan on doing this no matter what.

As for piano black cabinets I'd be concerned that if they weren't perfectly clean it would be a distraction. Also piano black will make every finger print and spec of dust obvious. This is because I don't like to dust.

A sidenote: Being as your room is so small I'd suggest going LEDE. Use some rigid fiberglass panels covered in the fabric of your choice. I think the rigid fiberglass comes in 1" thicknesses so cover maybe one third of the system end of your room with this. In the corners you could make some panels and stradle the corners with the same stuff only triple or quadruple up on it.

If I'd have thought of using rigid fiberglass in my room instead of doing about a third of it with acoustic wedge foam my room would look nicer. The point or all this being that this will make your acoustic space "larger" than what it is. The treatment will also make a big improvement on the sound quality and imaging.  My room is amazingly good. I had been stunned the first time I fired my system up in my present room. It's worth every penny!

[CornellAlum]

Unless the cabinets are in the sunlight, the prints and such aren't too bad.  A simple dust remover made for my vehicle works just fine to get rid of the slight annoyance.  Plus, you get the added bonus of seeing yourself on the way out the door if that is your thing

[Hipper]

My room is 13' x 8' and I live on the first floor.

I put sound insulation on the floor, to reduce sound to my neighbours below, but it should work in reverse too. I have sonic insulation on the 13' wall and the RM30Ms sit against this wall, about 27" away from the corners.

I found the best listening position, contrary to recommendations, is toed in pointing to my ears, and without the waveguides, side bass facing inwards.

I have African Ebony finish.

[Se7en]

I've got the exact speakers you've described in piano black, and I can assure you of two things...

1. They look absolutely fantastic! The fit and finish is REALLY nice on these things, and I suppose taste is a factor here, but I also really like the way the CDWGs look.   

2. They probably won't exactly "blend" in with any decor I've ever seen, unless you're Darth Vader or have Z06 parked in your living room 

In all seriousness, the wood finish might help you compliment some of your other finishings, but trying to hide these things is an act of futility.

For me I'd go black all over again, they draw attention, but in the best way possible 

[mjosef]

As much as I like the look of natural wood, I have oak RM1s, I would pick the all black RM30s, I think the glossy black would look ominous  and would add to the mystique of the cdw slit. Hey I can even imagine a moving red light running up and down the slit, would be a killer in the dark.

[Zheeeem]

Black on black.

Thanks for the wise counsel, folks.

[Se7en]

Good choice! It's the best sounding color anyway...