HiFi as Home Decor?

[Fandango Andy]

I visit a lot of homes with my job. Most people don't have what you would recognise as a HiFi. But them we have the other extreme, systems they don't use. HiFi as home decoration to look nice and/or impress their friends.

The most notable example on this was a few years ago when I saw stunning 1970's setup. Marantz receiver and record player and big Tannoy monitors. I immediately spotted that the record player was missing a stylus, on closer inspection there were no cables attached to amp! Admiring the pristine equipment I noted it wasn't connected up and enquired if it was a recent acquisition. The response was that it was just for show. "the amp doesn't work, and I am rebuilding the record player over time. don't know if I will ever use it I don't have any vinyl". It transpired the speakers worked and were connected to a streaming amp hidden in the cupboard below.

While this was an extreme example of HiFi as home decoration, I see more and more homes with record plays, often very good ones, and only a handful of records. Some of this is novelty value, but others, its for show! If HiFi s becoming home decor accessories for some, will this impact the the aesthetics and appearance for some manufacturers? Will we see more retro looking equipment? Or a return to the style over substance hayday of Bang & Olufsen? There seems to be a recent trend for bright coloured loudspeakers, some of these have a retro-future vibe.


Images are for illustration not the actual components I saw. I guessed at the receiver from memory, but do remember the record player was a Model 6300.

 

[Dave_]

Hi-fi is an bloody eye sore that collects dust and clutters the room, I'm buggered if I'd tolerate it just for show!

 

[matthewpianist]

Perhaps strangely, for someone who has been so obsessed with hi-fi for most of my life, it's the last thing I would choose as home decor, but perhaps that's because I've become tired of big boxes taking up lots of space and dominating a room.

 

[jjbomber]

I visit a lot of homes with my job.

Are you a burglar?

 

[RoA]

Hi-fi is an bloody eye sore that collects dust and clutters the room, I'm buggered if I'd tolerate it just for show!

110%. To be heard, not seen

 

[RoA]

Are you a burglar?

😀

 

[RoA]

I visit a lot of homes with my job. Most people don't have what you would recognise as a HiFi. But them we have the other extreme, systems they don't use. HiFi as home decoration to look nice and/or impress their friends.

The most notable example on this was a few years ago when I saw stunning 1970's setup. Marantz receiver and record player and big Tannoy monitors. I immediately spotted that the record player was missing a stylus, on closer inspection there were no cables attached to amp! Admiring the pristine equipment I noted it wasn't connected up and enquired if it was a recent acquisition. The response was that it was just for show. "the amp doesn't work, and I am rebuilding the record player over time. don't know if I will ever use it I don't have any vinyl". It transpired the speakers worked and were connected to a streaming amp hidden in the cupboard below.

While this was an extreme example of HiFi as home decoration, I see more and more homes with record plays, often very good ones, and only a handful of records. Some of this is novelty value, but others, its for show! If HiFi s becoming home decor accessories for some, will this impact the the aesthetics and appearance for some manufacturers? Will we see more retro looking equipment? Or a return to the style over substance hayday of Bang & Olufsen? There seems to be a recent trend for bright coloured loudspeakers, some of these have a retro-future vibe.

View attachment 10163View attachment 10165
Images are for illustration not the actual components I saw. I guessed at the receiver from memory, but do remember the record player was a Model 6300.

Sorry but those are awful (imho).

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I use the Primalunas in the public area of my apartment as an element of them is for show. But they are working dogs as such.

 

[plastic penguin]

No, hi-fi is purely for musical pleasure for the family and I.

I've never seen hi-fi related wallpaper, either except the amp, speakers etc etc for what it is or don't bother at all.

Friends of ours had a B&O lifestyle system -- that was an eyesore and anti-room.

 

[Sanglier]

I visit a lot of homes with my job. Most people don't have what you would recognise as a HiFi. But them we have the other extreme, systems they don't use. HiFi as home decoration to look nice and/or impress their friends. ..

I'd never thought of that. I too have seen a great many private homes, mostly with very superior decor - I spent many years as a freelance photographer & writer, doing complete words/photos packages as features for the glossy home interest titles. Mostly in UK but a few in Continental Europe. I don't actually recall seeing any interesting upmarket hi-fi at all in these homes - though one couple with a super modernist place in Ibiza had an early streaming setup, speakers all over. Maybe those interested in high end decor & furnishings aren't necessarily keen on hi-fi? I don't know. As I said, it's not something that ever occurred to me, since although hi-fi has always interested me I don't recall noticing it in private homes from Edinburgh to Land's End, Suffolk to Fishguard.
rgds S