[Wind Chaser]

It’s surprising how much you can pay for a pair of speakers that look so ordinary, so ho-hum and painfully BORING!  So hopefully some of the manufactures around here are awake and paying attention.

As I am rebuilding my RAW OBs and will need to refinish them, I went shopping to see what is out there and thus discovered metal laminates. 

These laminates are not cheap but the visual appeal is extraordinary…  Imagine speakers that look like they are made from solid cooper or the finest gold!  A few years back I wanted to make the most rigid cabinets possible, eschewing MDF I chose stainless steel, which worked out really well and also happened to look very nice.

There’s a certain amount of vanity in all love affairs, especially the audio love affair.  The manufactures of electronics seem to understand this better than the manufactures of speakers.  In comparison to the customary wood grain laminates and veneers, metal laminates are quite costly, but so what?  If you are in the market for a special pair of speakers, don’t you want them to look like something special too?

[ecramer]

When i worked for a company called total kitchens i built a bunch of cabinets and panels for a buffet line for chubb insurance  with metal laminate at $2k a 4'x8' sheet you didn't want to make too many errors, and it is also directional, will reflect light differently depending on orientation so you have to be really carefully how you stick.

ED

[Daygloworange]

Windchaser,

Yes, you can build some beautiful stuff with laminates. Both metal laminates, and conventional.

Here's a link to one of the largest suppliers of metal laminates you'll find. We've been contracted to build lots of stuff using metal laminates over the years, and these guys have some wild stuff.
Some of it can be over $1000 per sheet. 

http://www.octopusproducts.com/products/laminates/Octolammetal/alum/index.htm

Cheers

[Big Red Machine]

click on my 2 channel link.  my old rack was made with SST formica covering.  Since trashed and replaced.

[Wind Chaser]

Here's a link to one of the largest suppliers of metal laminates you'll find.

http://www.octopusproducts.com/products/laminates/Octolammetal/alum/index.htm

Yeah, I've seen some actual samples of their stuff, not quite in the same league as the Wilsonart IMO.  I wanted to post a picture of the Copper and Polished Gold from their website but couldn't capture anything but the most minuscule image.  The Tungsten is quite nice too, but I'm thinking Polished Gold would be the essence of top class.  Very authentic looking stuff with HUGE wow factor.

[Wind Chaser]

click on my 2 channel link.  my old rack was made with SST formica covering.  Since trashed and replaced.

The Formica metal laminates are laughable.  Not much of a step up from unfinished MDF.