Omnidirectional Stereo Speakers

[retropia]

I'm going to need a pair of speakers for my recently re-acquired chrome-and-glass stereo stand (circa 1976), and someone here might have some ideas. The stereo stand will go in my home office, which eventually will be redone in my fantasy theme.

Trying to describe the theme is difficult, but here goes. What I would like for it to look like is an intergalactic Business Center/Lobby of a Howard Johnson's in the year 2001, as imagined in the year 1969 (or anytime in that time period of the late '60s through the mid '70s). Except that instead of a riot of color, I want the complete absence of color, so only black, white, silver, gray, chrome and the like.

I've got my original Pioneer receiver and Technics turntable, but I got rid of my old speakers a long time ago, and they really don't fit my theme. The speakers of the future, I believe, are going to be cylindrical and omnidirectional.

Here is the stereo stand; my next step is to get new glass shelves cut for it (there are bits of masking tape at the corners).

 

[retropia]

Zenith Circle of Sound

The max size of the speakers can be 27" tall, by 14" deep and 15" wide, or 14" diameter, if I'm looking at cylindrical speakers.

Although the woodgrain would have to be covered, maybe with black fabric or a vinyl wrap, these Circle of Sound speakers came to mind. They are futuristic looking.

From what I've read, these are the earlier variety, and don't have much in the way of bass. I don't need a lot, but these speakers might be a bit too small.

 

[retropia]

More Circle of Sound

I found this ad for what I think are a later version of the Zenith speakers, with a bigger bass speaker directed out of the bottom.

These might be ideal, but I don't know how hard they are to find.

 

[retropia]

Canon speakers

Canon, the camera company, apparently made these speakers, but only in England, for a brief period of time. I think this particular version might be too large for my stereo stand, and they look a little Darth-Vaderish to me.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Retro-CANON-S70-Floor-Standing-Speakers-/251477359136?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3a8d37fa20

 

[retropia]

Pioneer

Even though the look is all wrong, I'm intrigued by these Pioneer speakers for sale on the Pittsburgh Craigslist. I suppose I could do a vinyl wrap on the top, and wrap around the side with acoustical speaker foam. I believe the side and bottom are molded plastic, and maybe the top is real wood.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ele/4343890792.html

 

[retropia]

I've found a few more omnidirectional speakers as apparently they were a bit of a fad in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the other ones I've found have been rectangular in shape. That look is not from the future!

My ears are not trained for high-fidelity and I don't play music at high volume. Perhaps there is someone among the membership who has a suggestion of where to look?

 

[hydralique]

Round (as in plan view) speakers were a bit of a fad in the late '60s and into the '70s. They didn't work for most furniture and room layouts so never became common. Empire (IIRC the same company that made some quality phono cartridges) had several of this type. I don't have personal experience with them but they should be decent hifi component quality, while I'd guess the Zeniths are mid-fi at best - by that time Zenith, Magnavox and their fellow TV manufacturers had abandoned any pretense of making good audio equipment. The Pioneers might be OK, though back then most Japanese speakers weren't up to the quality of good American or British equivalents.

 

Spend some time over at Audiokarma.com, they have lots of speaker threads and no doubt there is someone there who knows more.

 

[retropia]

I'll check out the forum at audiokarma.com; thanks for the suggestion. If they are all about high-fidelity, though, I may just lurk instead of post. They might not appreciate my wacky preference of visual aesthetics over aural quality.

 

[electron1100]

omni directional speakers

hello Doug
Just to add a few more, Bose I think its 901 was a sort of omnidirectional speaker, in Europe the best known name to me are Sonab, standard arrangements with the bass units but a row of tweeters in an arc on the top spread the sound around.

The zenith cylindrical speakers are very similar to one in the uk made by ITT KB

The most stylish sort of multidirectional speakers I remember where made by Grundig and they were and still are a fashion icon and fetch silly money on epay, I cannot remember the name of the model but basically they are large orb atop a stylish chromed stand and chrome base. Ah yes another! Tandberg Facetts they were funky looking...........

Phew my brain is empty now better go and watch some dynasty whilst it recovers

All these sorts of speakers were very popular in the early to mid 70s in the uk, but it was fun then as various manufacturers would bring out there model claiming it was the last word in sound experience so if you end up with a really wacky pair with about 20 drivers in them, they certainly should be interesting and entertaining.

 

[petek]

The round speaker set I wouldn't mind owning. A Clairtone Project G

 

[petek]

But I'd settle for an Electrohome Apollo

 

[firedome]

Of the vintage round/omni speakers sold back then...

the Empires were by far the best mentioned. The larger model 9000M "Grenadier" cost $220 in 1965, and had real marble top. Omnidirectional in general is tricky as it doesn't usually produce a coherent soundstage, something Dahlquist managed much more effectively with the Phased Array DQ-10 in the 70s, not exactly the round look, but they sound excellent.

If you want the '69 2001 Ho-Jo look what would be perfect are Saarinen "tulip" chirs and tables, and maybe a "womb" chair or 2. I have 4 tulip chair knock-offs that were made not by Knoll but by another office furniture maker, and there were less expensive domestic versions as well. You can still get the originals at "Design Within Reach", but they are hardly within reach of most people, at least the last time I looked at stuff in their store in Brooklyn Heights.

 

[hydralique]

firedome . . .

By "womb chair" do you mean something like this? It's not an outdoor chair but I took the pic on the lawn after unloading it from the truck. Not the most comfortable thing in the house but Delilah the Balinese cat likes it.

 

BTW agree that those old Dahlquist "Time Window" speakers are pretty fine, a buddy used to have a set.

 

[firedome]

that chair

reminds me of the chair #2 always sat in in "The Prisoner", Leo McKern was particularly memorable in that role. The Saarinen Womb chair wasn't a sectioned sphere as in yours https://www.google.com/#q=saarinen+womb+chair but is an acknowledged design classic right up there with the Eames chair. As an aside we had one of those (Eames) and got rid of it because it wasn't as comfortable to sit in for long reads as an Ikea Poang chair at about $150! Amazing but true.

 

[hydralique]

Oh yes, I do know that Saarinen Womb Chair, just forgot the name. I've sat in them and they're far more comfortable than the round chair I have, in fact the round chair is nearly useless except for the cats or someone very small. Supposedly it was used in the Austin Powers movie. It looks totally cool and was cheap so had to have it in spite of being slightly beat up around the edges.

 

I am in complete agreement regarding the Ikea Poang chairs: I am sitting in one as I type. It's 20 years old, bought for virtually nothing from an ex-bf who was moving back to Europe. Like most Ikea furniture it's not built well but gives an OK service life if not abused. This one is black with black leather and is falling apart so will have to be replaced with another eventually but until I fall to the floor I'm keeping it!

 

[firedome]

luckily

the Poang frame is very well made, and cushions are available in numerous fabrics, leathers and colors for very little... collect the whole set! And I sure didn't tell the Chicago Psychiatrist who paid crazy $ for our mint Rosewood and Dark Brown leather 1972 Eames w/ ottoman that the Poang is actually more comfortable!

Re: round speakers, I heard those Zeniths when they came out ca: 1968/9 and they didn't sound particularly good, it was a sales gimmick, basically.

 

[firedome]

btw really like the look...

of the DIY stereo stand, very 1968, my Sr. year in HS and 1st yr. of college... ah, what a year THAT was.

 

[hydralique]

firedome . . .

Do you recall Empire or perhaps someone else having a round (not segmented) floor standing fiberglass speaker system that was available in white? It tapered slightly towards the top; the junction of side to top was radiused. I believe it might have been advertised as being suitable for protected outdoor installation such as on a covered patio. I dimly recall the advertisements in the early '70s before I could drive and so couldn't hear them in person but they looked totally space-age.

 

[retropia]

Empire speakers

Hydralique and Roger, I came across this set of omnidirectional Empire speakers for sale on Craigslist. This set in particular is probably too large and heavy to fit in my stereo stand, but it is interesting to know that they have better sound.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/ele/4303297491.html