[kevin360]

Peter J,
You'd have to ask poor Joe from Frank Zappa's Joe's Garage. 
If memory serves me right he shorted his copy out...

Yeah, Joe plooked Sy Borg to death. Sy's master circuits couldn't handle the golden shower. Immediately after Joe destroyed the XQJ-37, that pesky Central Scrutinizer showed up to make him pay. Off to prison went Joe. Of course, when Joe got out of prison music had been made illegal. Poor Joe, indeed...

I guess I'm weird. Nothing that's been posted strikes me as 'ugly' - plain, weird or utilitarian, but not ugly. That Dodd equipment is as beautiful as a Lamborghini - which isn't bad at all. I find a number of the speakers that have been labeled 'ugly' to be rather interesting. I always thought I was really picky, but this thread, so far, is convincing me otherwise. 

[kevin360]

This is a great example of what I don't understand. I suppose that I just see the function behind the form, so it becomes beautiful. I don't find them ugly in the least, and I bet they do sound terrific.

[dB Cooper]

No headphones so far, so here are the Deadmau5 ("Deadmaus"?) kevin360, aren't these ugly???

[kevin360]

No headphones so far, so here are the Deadmau5 ("Deadmaus"?) kevin360, aren't these ugly???

Well yeah, you got me with those - rather ugly.

[SteveFord]

Aren't those headphones made by Fischer Price and sold through Wally World?
I think I saw them next to the close out Halloween items.

P.S.
For the diy'ers, manufacturers and owners of this equipment, we're only kidding around.
The only really ugly piece of audio equipment going is the RCM I built around the guts of my rotted out VPI 17. 
It gives the word "ugly" a bad name.

[thunderbrick]

Lady Gaga?

[kevin360]

Lady Gaga?

I think we have a winner!

That piece of hardware doesn't even produce beautiful music (uh, oh - hope I didn't just step in something).

[bregez]

As I recall the "Dynasty Discolite" portable stereo from the 80's was quite a looker.

I found this image on the web.  Just looking at it makes me feel like break dancing.  I have still never figured out what a W-DECK is!! 

[PRELUDE]

Aren't those headphones made by Fischer Price and sold through Wally World?
I think I saw them next to the close out Halloween items.

P.S.
For the diy'ers, manufacturers and owners of this equipment, we're only kidding around.
The only really ugly piece of audio equipment going is the RCM I built around the guts of my rotted out VPI 17. 
It gives the word "ugly" a bad name.

+1
I was just going to post this but you got me on this one.I would not like to see anyone take any offence on this posts.
Folks,friends we are just kidding around here.

[kevin360]

I found this image on the web.  Just looking at it makes me feel like break dancing.  I have still never figured out what a W-DECK is!! 

Ah, that is truly dreadful. (I don't think we'd be able to convince anyone that we're kidding about this one.)

[PRELUDE]

Well some reality now.
This is Gradient revolution active with the dipole bass modules.I heard some people at show(not one but few)that call them ugly.
IT could be ugly for some but OK and not so attractive by few but they were my favorite speakers in few shows that I have been.
I am not too crazy about the highs with the coax driver but it was a very nice dipole bass demonstration.

[jimdgoulding]

This is a great example of what I don't understand. I suppose that I just see the function behind the form, so it becomes beautiful. I don't find them ugly in the least, and I bet they do sound terrific.

Yep, getting the drivers out of the box reduces the effects of the box, its' flat surface and right angles have nothing in common with how an instrument radiates in space.  Further, out of the box drivers with some speakers are aligned to coalease in time at the listening position of the info being split amongst them.  If I'm not mistaken, Dahlquist was the first proginator of this idea .

[jhm731]

This is a great example of what I don't understand. I suppose that I just see the function behind the form, so it becomes beautiful. I don't find them ugly in the least, and I bet they do sound terrific.

You must be single.

[Russell Dawkins]

Most speakers look pretty bad when viewed with a slightly jaundiced eye. A box is hard to disguise as anything else, no matter how hard the designer tries with fancy veneer and finishing.
I think piano black works best when a flat surface on a box can't be avoided - it reflects the environment and disappears a little.

[jimdgoulding]

By the way, all who may not have, meet recording engineer Russell Dawkins (just above).  His "International Guitar Night II" with Clive Carroll, Brian Gore, Miguel De La Bastide, and D'Gary (Warner Music Canada) is a fabulous live concert both musically and soundwise.  Sorry, I am not endowed enough to find a link, but recommend you do.  Bout as fine as it gets.

[Guy 13]

No headphones so far, so here are the Deadmau5 ("Deadmaus"?) kevin360, aren't these ugly???

Hi dB Cooper and all Audio Circle members.

It's because of those,
that the name CANs instead of headphones was invented/popularized.

Guy 13

[Russell Dawkins]

By the way, all who may not have, meet Russel Dawkins (just above)- International Guitar Night II with Clive Carroll, Brian Gore, Miguel De La Bastide, and D'Gary (Warner Music Canada), and more.  Sorry, I am not endowed enough to find a link, but recommend you do.  Bout as fine as it gets.

Thanks for the shout out, Jim - glad you are still enjoying that recording. It's still available, apparently. Here's a link to sound samples from it:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7535697
and some of my other activities around that time:
http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/armenia/armenia.html
I have no modesty! 
Now back to ugly gear...

[django11]

Most speakers look pretty bad when viewed with a slightly jaundiced eye. A box is hard to disguise as anything else, no matter how hard the designer tries with fancy veneer and finishing.
I think piano black works best when a flat surface on a box can't be avoided - it reflects the environment and disappears a little.

Why disguise it then?  Do they disguise cars?  (oh, I guess they do...).  I tend to prefer a straight up box over what, in my view, are ridiculous (read "fancy") shapes and equally ridiculous (read "exotic") veneers.  So many wasted trees.  Most speaker "designers" could profit by just keeping it simple.

I won't take the chance of insulting someone by posting an example of ugly.  And of course this is just my opinion and if beauty weren't in the eye of the beholder how in god's name could they have sold the 3 wolf moon t shirt:

"The T-shirt is manufactured by The Mountain Corporation, a wholesale clothing company in Keene, New Hampshire, United States.[8] Their art director, Michael McGloin, said that they were making many more shirts in response to the great demand which had made it the top selling item in Amazon's clothing store.[2] Due to the success of the shirt, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development made it their "official New Hampshire T-shirt of economic development" and award it as a prize for innovation." 

[jimdgoulding]

Thanks for the shout out, Jim - glad you are still enjoying that recording. It's still available, apparently. Here's a link to sound samples from it:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7535697
and some of my other activities around that time:
http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/armenia/armenia.html
I have no modesty! 
Now back to ugly gear...

Sure thing, Russell.  It's one of the best recordings I own or can imagine exists.  David Lindley was the first person to record D'Gary, I think, on the road in Madagasgar.  He's self taught so he doesn't sound like anyone else.  And Michael Hedges' Aerial Discovery as played by one of the fellows positively kills its so beautiful.  How did you get the atmosphere in the hall so warm? 

[SteveFord]

Someone can really fingerpick, can't they?
Very tasteful playing!
The real question is, were you or were you not wearing that stylin' 3 wolfie and full moon tee during the session?