Asthetics: Is it worth an extra $200? (1 Viewer)

[Jin E]

I have fallen in love with the wide, warm, and wonderful soundstage of Phase Tech speakers. I have demoed some 4.5 bookshelves... but I've see that onecall has the 7.5 at a HELL of a steal at $190 each!!! Even at their $300+ each MSRP I would consider them a heck of a bargain... but this is too much! Now comes the problem... the $190 price at onecall is only for the Rosewood... not the black. Tell me what you think... would rosewood be too much wood in my living room? I already have 4 different shades of wood... and everytthing in my HT system is black. Should I spring an extra $200+ to get black or do you think the rosewood will look fine!?!
The Living Room

The Speaker

 

[Drew Dockery]

For $200 inm savings, if I really wanted black that bad, I'd get the rosewood and paint them black myself. Just another option for you to consider.

 

[SamRoza]

Oh no...Rosewood isn't working in your room at all(and I don't even have to consult my GF, the fashion queen to know that )
Either paint it black, or buy the black ones...though I think it'd be a shame to waste that good-lookin finish!
Sam

 

[AaronNWilson]

Yes that is quite the dilemma because those rosewood speakers look quite nice, but seeing the color of wood next to your wood floor may not gel too well. However I think you are better to go for the nicer finish, but thats just my opinion and I know its not right .
Aaron

 

[Jon_R]

Look at it this way,

Is piece of mind worth $200? If everytime you sit down you think, damn I hate that finish, then you should pay the extra $200. I know that I would, and $200 for me is quite a bit of money. I wouldn't try painting either, I think it would be a lot of work to get a good finish.

BTW, you are really going to love your new speakers. While I have never heard either the Sonys or the Phase Tech I had a similar experience once. I thought my Aiwa system sounded pretty good, then I got a pair of Polk bookshelf speakers. I'll never forget that, in an A/B comparison, it was hard to believe I had ever actually enjoyed the Aiwas before. Sony is a bit better than Aiwa, but Phase Tech is a bit better than the Polks (r10). I figure it about evens out.

Good luck

Jon

 

[Chip E]

They'll clash... cut loose with the juice! Spring for the jing! It's a no brainer. Go with your gut feeling, get 'em in black and start enjoying them..

- Chip

 

[EricT]

I'm an amateur photoshop user but here's my 5 minute try:
I think I agree with the others, go with the black.

Didn't take the initiative to check on the dimensions and I think the speakers look a glossier than they may actually be. Let us know what you do...

 

[Jin E]

I am on a serious budget (At or around 500)... one that won't budge. I was originally looking at getting 4 of the 4.5's, but I thought that the 7.5 in rosewood was cheap enough I could buy those and spring for new rears a few months down the line. Damn onecall for not selling the black cheap!!!

-Jin

 

[Geoff L]

Something you may look into, yes painting them.
Painting them wouldd not be that diffucult. If your leary of screwing it up, talk to a body shop painting facility. If you where to remove the drivers, binding post, grill, grill catches, and spikes if they have them, the prep work involved for the body shop prior to painting ~{**any color**}~ would be minor!
You might be suprized at how cheap these could be painted. Any type of finish could be achieved. Gloss, satin, flat, micro pebbeled, hammered.
Being they will be starting with a smoothe finish, prep work prior to painting will be very little. A good thing. With out knowing what the covering is as of now on the speaks, I would say they could be painted by pros for as little as $100.00 or less including the cost of paint. This would be for a standard 2 stage color, like black base coat with satin clear coat. Adding a micro pebble finish or hammered look will add to the cost, but not a whole lot.
Something you might ask about at your local body shops. Take a picture in and let them see what thier dealing with, you might be suprised.
Regards
Geoff
PS.--> This is with you bringing them disassemabled to them. Done right the finish will be quite tuff.

 

[Jin E]

You guys were supposed to be giving me positiv affirmation.

"Screw Asthetics... get it anyways"

"You don't have to deal with WAF... get em!"

"It's a Bachelor pad... things are supposed to be mismatched"

"The lighting on the speakers is a little off... it won't look nearly as red in person"

I'm gonna see if Onecall can swing me a deal on the black 7.5's. $500 shipped to my door and they are mine! If not... I'm going to have to do some soul searching.

 

[John Morris]

Jin: I say strip, sand and refinish the floor to match the speakers... come on... where's your priorities?

 

[BryanZ]

Alright. Get the rosewood anyway. If you are living in an apartment or renting a house, the floor will likely change and the future wife/girlfriend will like the rosewood more. It is a richer color than the black. Only thing is you may have to buy a rosewood colored entertainment center for decor purposes but that cost is worth it.

 

[Geoff L]

Jin,
Just buy the damn Rosewood. They wont look that bad and in time your could refinish to the color you want.
Really changeing the color would be easy as pie. Prep-ing them, nothing to it. The worst part ~{if/or}~ when the time comes to color change, will be pulling all the drivers, binding cups, ect. Scuff with scotch brite fine, ~{equal to 220 sand paper and eaiser to work with}~,,, wax and grease remover wipe down,,, tack cloth,,, and start spaying. Boom new color!!!
Till then, screw the color...
--BUY EM,-- thier what you want in sound and thats priority one!! Right
Besides, it's dark at movie time and they will be black then anyway.
Geoff

 

[Scott Pagac]

I say go with the rosewood. For that price, you can not go wrong. I was going to get them myself, but I found a nice close-out deal on an entire Teatro 7.5 system at my local retailer and bought the black instead. I would have preferred the rosewood (as they do look more sophisticated and stand out more), but I am always more concerned with how they sound (and they sound beautiful) versus how they look. Plus, you are right--they are not as "loud" as they appear in the photo (if memory serves me). You will be very happy with either one.

I am already hearing things in my old CD's I have never heard before (or at least not as clearly), and that is with my current ("J"ust "V"ery "C"rappy) receiver. I can not wait to pair these up with a real unit to hear what comes out!

Buy and enjoy!

 

[Andrew Pratt]

buy the rosewood...i prefer that finish over black anyway.

 

[Adil M]

Rosewood and get a fitted Carpet from Home Depot or Lowes. Nicer speakers, nicer sound (carpet soaks up resonance), and nicer room. Might not be a bachelor too much longer.

 

[ChrisAG]

Jin -

Maybe you could paint or temporarily veneer the front only - that's the part you see most anyway. Then if you move into a home where rosewood would look nice, you can remove the front veneer (theoretically - I'm no woodworker).

 

[Chu Gai]

I personally think the rosewood looks very elegant and the use of different types of woods in one environment is not unusual. perhaps a different color on the wall to bring it all together? where is that elitist materialist Martha Stewart when you need her?

 

[NickSP]

My vote goes to the Rosewood. Buy some rugs and throw them around and they should be OK.

BTW, is the $200 saving on one individual speaker or the whole set? If its for the whole set then its not worth the agony but if its for each speaker then definitely go with the rosewood.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Get the rosewood! Black Ash speakers just look plain cheap!

Brian