Surfing the corridors of Ebay recently (apologies for the mixed metaphors) looking at used speakers, I couldn't help noticing a consistent problem with speakers that have a wood veneer finish.
Many sellers kindly provide pictures with grilles on and off and almost without exception, the grilles-off picture draws immediate attention to a tan-line on the baffle. It's not so much the fact that the veneer has faded at all - that's unavoidable (in many rooms at least), it's the fact that the grille only protects the speaker drivers and not the baffle from sun-bleaching.
And it doesn't look great. Spendors, PMC's et all, worth many hundreds or a grand or two, and the baffles look pretty ugly. So could speaker manufacturers address this issue a little better? Many clearly haven't - at all.
How about a speaker grill that covers the entire baffle for example? Many just cover the top third of a floorstander, so the lower two-thirds end up considerably lighter in colour over time. Not a good look. My own Ruarks have a black baffle and top with veneered side panels. This might not float everyone's boat, but I personally think it looks very smart. The side panels are faded, but you wouldn't know it because there's no tan line - it's ALL faded.
Certainly if I was in the market for a new speaker, the baffle's finish would come into my decision, especially as my listening room is quite bright.
Many sellers kindly provide pictures with grilles on and off and almost without exception, the grilles-off picture draws immediate attention to a tan-line on the baffle. It's not so much the fact that the veneer has faded at all - that's unavoidable (in many rooms at least), it's the fact that the grille only protects the speaker drivers and not the baffle from sun-bleaching.
And it doesn't look great. Spendors, PMC's et all, worth many hundreds or a grand or two, and the baffles look pretty ugly. So could speaker manufacturers address this issue a little better? Many clearly haven't - at all.
How about a speaker grill that covers the entire baffle for example? Many just cover the top third of a floorstander, so the lower two-thirds end up considerably lighter in colour over time. Not a good look. My own Ruarks have a black baffle and top with veneered side panels. This might not float everyone's boat, but I personally think it looks very smart. The side panels are faded, but you wouldn't know it because there's no tan line - it's ALL faded.
Certainly if I was in the market for a new speaker, the baffle's finish would come into my decision, especially as my listening room is quite bright.
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