Mod, Groovy, or High Tech: A Stereo Speaker for Every Interior

By Cate T. Corcoran
December 14, 2011

Ghetto blaster on a high shelf in the kitchen of Berlin artist and illustrator Frank Höhne. (photo courtesy Freunden von Freunden)

Now that sound systems have shrunk, it’s fun to shop for stereo speakers. Newly available in a range of materials, they can become part of the decor instead of detracting from it. Large or small, vintage or up-to-the-minute, speakers make a style statement. They also make great holiday gifts, especially for hard-to-please men.

Vintage favorites include beautiful wood and linen speakers from KLH you may remember from your parents or grandparents. They are much-coveted among audiophiles and design enthusiasts alike for their organic design and rich sound.

Collector of vintage sound equipment and R.E.M. producer Mitch Easter is a fan, both for the look and the sound of the speakers as well as the simplicity of the KLH Model 20 all-in-one turntable unit. “They are stylish in a sort of 'Mad Men' kind of way and have amplifiers and radios built in to the turntable case,” he explains. “You can also find the attractive matching KLH speakers or you can hook up anything you like. These devices really do sound good.”

Today’s tinny iPod speakers, while small and convenient, cannot match the warm sound of a speaker built for analog.

“Nothing ever sounds as a good as a record with big stereo speakers from back in the day,” says Martha Wilkie, a historic preservation consultant. “That was an entirely different sound.” Having jettisoned two sets of large speakers before a recent move, she is looking into wireless for her next apartment. In the meantime, she and her family rely on Tivoli radios, which also double as iPod speakers.

More speakers on shelves in another room, with a '70s Japanese look, in Höhne’s apartment. (photo courtesy Freunden von Freunden)

The sleekly designed, compact units come in architect-pleasing finishes such as high-tech brushed steel, natural wood, and brightly-colored or neutral lacquers. A new model, the Audio NetWorks Global Radio, wirelessly plays music files stored on a computer from any room as well as any radio station in the world. Enthusiasts say Tivoli comes closest to the sound of an old-school speaker in a small package.

Brightly-colored plastic speakers, such as one by Homade that resembles a Lego toy in red, white, and blue are always a conversation piece. For an understated yet sophisticated look, one could not do better than the iconic Muji speakers made from recycled, unbleached cardboard.

Stereo Speakers

Tivoli audio system on a shelf in the kitchen of a Brooklyn home featured in the book, “Restoring a House in the City.” (photo credit: “Restoring a House in the City," Artisan Books, photograph © Brian Park, courtesy Ingrid Abramovitch)

The latest diminutive speaker is the all-wood Koostik Mini Koo, which uses no power source to amplify sound. It relies on the natural trumpet shape carved into its wood block base, much like the trumpet speaker on an old gramophone.

Another artful choice is the clear plastic lit-from-within Harman Kardon SoundSticks from a few years back, which look like an alien jellyfish.

Stereo Speakers

A white speaker placed unobtrusively on a shelf in a Brooklyn apartment, as seen on Design*Sponge. (photo courtesy Design*Sponge)

Large speakers such as these perform best on a table or the floor, while smaller speakers can be woven into the decor on a shelf. Placed next to books and artwork or natural sculptural objects such as stones and shells, they make a pleasing contrast or harmony when grouped with like or opposite materials, textures, and colors. A wood speaker works great next to metal, and super-pop plastics contrast beautifully with stone and wood.

Vintage or new, eBay is the perfect place to find a wardrobe of speakers to enhance every imaginable style.

New White iStereo Dock iPod Mp3

(buy it now price, $39)

The Lego look.
Harman Kardon Soundsticks II Computer Speakers

(buy it now price, $118.99)

Speakers that resemble an alien jellyfish.
Vintage KLH Model 6 Speakers

(current bid, $10.50)

Classic wood and linen KLH speakers.
Tivoli Audio Henry-Kloss Model Two AM/FM Stereo Radio

(buy it now price, $299.99)

Tivoli stereo radio in wood frame.