Two B&W engineers overheard...

[jaxwired]

Engineer 1: "Love the new CM8. They not only sound brilliant, but they look it as well. Even comes in a gorgeous white gloss finish! Sleek lines, modern aluminum driver surrounds. Very nice indeed!"

Engineer 2: "Yeah, but it might just look too good. Some people might be intimidated. Hmmmm....I know, what if we stapped a really ugly piece of MDF to the bottom and called it the plinth? I mean, not even round it off or anything, just a flat square piece of MDF and we make hang over on all sides like 3" so it looks really ungainly!"

Engineer 1: "Great idea!".

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't know you were good friends with the B&W engineers Jax?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Engineer 2: "But at least making it larger than the footprint of the speaker, just like every other speaker company does with its plinths, will make the speaker more stable."

 

[Blackdawn]

If the drivers were all multi-coloured that would be cool 🙂 At least B&W should make each driver a different colour and the cabinet from aluminium. But agree there is not much point in a plinth that has the same foot-print as the speaker.

 

[Ajani]

jaxwired:
Engineer 1: "Love the new CM8. They not only sound brilliant, but they look it as well. Even comes in a gorgeous white gloss finish! Sleek lines, modern aluminum driver surrounds. Very nice indeed!"

Engineer 2: "Yeah, but it might just look too good. Some people might be intimidated. Hmmmm....I know, what if we stapped a really ugly piece of MDF to the bottom and called it the plinth? I mean, not even round it off or anything, just a flat square piece of MDF and we make hang over on all sides like 3" so it looks really ungainly!"

Engineer 1: "Great idea!".

I actually kind of like the cutting block plinth and it should be really functional...

Very nice headphone rig by the way... Kinda reminds me of someone else's rig, I just can't seem to remember who...

 

[SteveR750]

Blackdawn:If the drivers were all multi-coloured that would be cool 🙂 At least B&W should make each driver a different colour and the cabinet from aluminium. But agree there is not much point in a plinth that has the same foot-print as the speaker.

Ah, but what if the speaker cabinet was the same size as the plinth?

 

[manicm]

If the engineers deliberately set out to make an ugly plinth then they have failed miserably.

 

[audioaffair]

I think they look ok personally!

 

[Anonymous]

I thought they were poor when I was considering at the cm9's in black (relative to the overall awesome look of the speakers themsleves). In white however, and on the cm8's I think they look alright actually.

If you want to see fugly - have a gander at the aesthetically challenged plinths on the forthcoming monitor audio gold floorstanders

Engineer 3 " who hit MA with the ugly stick?"

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I actually like B&W styling. Except the yellow drivers. They are enough for me to not consider buying B&W.

Marketing dept to design dept: We need another selling point. Kevlar drivers? Ok.... Light and stiff? Good. Look the same as any other driver? Hmmmm.... Can we paint them yellow or red instead of black? Kevlar IS yellow?! Excellent. Selling point!

 

[chebby]

Andrew Everard:Engineer 2: "But at least making it larger than the footprint of the speaker, just like every other speaker company does with its plinths, will make the speaker more stable."

There are Rega's little tapered pods (slightly 'Dan Dare' I think)...

 

[Andrew Everard]

I think you'll find that's why I said, "just like every other speaker company does with its plinths". And what do those 'outriggers' do, if not increasing the footprint of the speaker?

 

[chebby]

In my opinion they do it without looking as 'lumpish' as the plinth solution.

(Although I wish they had retained the radiused grilles that met the speaker's top and edges as on my old R3s.)

 

[SteveR750]

I agree that "outriggers" look more aesthetically pleasing - somehow more 'engineered structure' than 'afterthought'

The S6s have the front spikes inboard of the speaker footprint, whereas the rears are outboard, giving it a visual aerodynamic appearance. Looks good, whatever its functional efficiency.