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Classy Speakers: Tidal

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by Josh Ray on May 15 '06

Pictures Tsunami-Diamond

It seems attractive speakers have become something of a feature around these here parts, and rightfully so. A speaker must look either classy or cool to appeal to the next generation. 2001 monoliths in the den simply won't cut it (unless that's the style you're going for). The current metric for talking about a speaker's attractiveness is WAF (wife approval factor). Someone told me we should switch to STWGYL (Speakers That Will Get You Laid) to appeal to the Maxim crowd but it doesn't have quite the same ring to it...

Anyway, Tidal of Germany is one of those companies making loudspeakers that look expensive, fit in with normal furniture and, as far as I know, sound great. They use tweaked magnesium, ceramic and diamond drivers sourced from Seas and Accuton and have a whole range of speakers. Not much press on these guys here in the states but they seem to be doing well in Europe and Asia (where it seems many of these new companies are getting their start). Prices are mid to high to "you're joking, right?!?".

Pictures Littlepianoblackgross

Pictures Contriva-Mahgony-Big

Did someone mention monoliths? The Tidal Sunray, good for scaring children.

Pictures Sunraygross

Comments

STWGYL? Are you just kidding me?!! Maybe an automobile, an apartment, a house, a bank account, but speakers? Not in a real world. I think that an abandoned car in a junkyard would be more effective.

Posted by: henryp | May 15, 2006 4:38 PM

Lol, we're talking about goals here, not absolute truths. No product in the world will get you laid, be it cars, houses, etc. If they are, well, there's something definitely wrong... The only company that taps into that lux, euro-lust image with real success is Bang and Olufsen. When you land back at your bach pad with your two foreign toothpicks after a night at the Sky Bar, you'll be making it to Bang and Olufsen, not Quad. Of course, like any product, there are the people that actually live that kind of life (not me) and those that aspire to (not me again). STWGYL appeals to that segment who buy fancy cars and lux products...you know, 98% of the American male population. I'm fine with speakers that look like black refrigerators but people in the real world are not. And it'll drive this biz into the ground to pretend they ever will be.

Posted by: Josh Ray [SonicFlare] | May 15, 2006 5:07 PM

I'd like to read a review of those top-of-the-line Sun-Rays. According to the Tidal website, they also offer twin "drum towers," to make it a 4-enclosure super-system, a la Infinity IRS and its many imitations over the years. It'll be interesting to see which magazine gets Tidal's trust to do things right. I might be reading too much into the situation, but to see which magazine a company trusts for their first American review says a little bit about their style and how they look at their world -- assuming, of course, that their first choice for a review doesn't blow them off. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Posted by: Rods84 | May 16, 2006 8:14 AM