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Duevel Planet Omni Speakers

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by Josh Ray on May 12 '06

200605121445

Yesterday it was the Metal Sound Design Planets and today it's the Duevel Planets. Price is a lot more friendly at $1395, rather than $50,000, but what do you think of the looks? People commented that the Metal Sound Design's look like freakish torture devices or worse. The Duevels I can see having in my living room -- hip, retro-modernista sorta thing going on. The MSDs...I don't know.

In any case, Duevel, unlike MSD, has a true hi-fi pedigree. Their line of omni speakers (up to $23k) has won awards left and right. Omni is a rarely used technology that sends sound in every direction. The idea is to provide "space" that a typical front-firing speaker simply cannot achieve. Other omni companies include Mirage, MBL and, of all people, Bang and Olufsen. Besides, omnis are also great for parties, or so I'm told.

The Planet is Duevel's cheapest speaker and uses a 1" short horn tweeter and 5" driver firing upwards into the shiny christmas ornaments to disperse the sound. Freq range is said to be roughly 50-20k Hz from the three foot tall package.

Comments

That's quite an interesting design. Not only for the steel ball thingies on top, but also for its unconventional approach of "bouncing" sound upwards. Should have to be heard to see if it sounds as cool as it looks. Plus $1395 is a price I can live with. (Is it that we are so used to see five- and six-figure tags in high end gear that a $1395 pair of speakers suddenly seems like the deal of the century?). Not to mention it shares a name with a great Belgian beer.

Posted by: beto | May 12, 2006 7:26 PM

I don't know if these "Planets" sound like the "Venus" model, but I can tel you that the Venus are impressive : you have the impression that your room is actually bigger than it is (and it's only the small model).

Posted by: zappa | May 12, 2006 7:51 PM

If I brought home another pair of speakers... my balls would be hanging above, and they might be blue ones too.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 13, 2006 5:54 AM

Visually, I can see how they might be attractive to some folks (as opposed to the Metal Sound Design models, which gave me nightmares last night). These aren't my cup-o-joe either, but Duevel is a quality manufacturer and these would look good in a contemporary home. I'd be interested in hearing them. P.S.: Among the other omnis you mentioned, Josh, Walsh has been in the omni business for about 35 years or so, if memory serves. I don't care for their sound, but some audiophiles swear by them -- including one of the 6moons reviewers. P.P.S: I've spotted the Duevels (with Thor amps) in the show, "House." They are in the main character's home, which is used as a set a few times each season. That's quite a promotional coup for such small companies.

Posted by: Rods84 | May 13, 2006 9:01 AM