Audio Video News

While everyone seems to be trying to minimize the look of the loudspeaker, a few companies including KEF, Martin Logan and Sonance are hoping to turn a few heads with theirs. The most recent entry into the designer speaker market is Waterfall Audio, a 12-year-old French company, which demoed a line of glass-enclosed loudspeakers at CES that it plans to begin selling in the U.S. in March.

Aimed at the upper middle class of the speaker market, Waterfall speakers--named for well-known waterfalls around the world--will be sold through specialty audio/video retailers. The floorstanding Victoria series is expected to sell in the $5,400/pair range. Waterfall will also have glass-wrapped in-wall and on-wall speakers. Prices for other models haven't been set.

Why glass (that's safety glass)? The rigid structure eliminates vibration and delivers a natural sound, according to founder and CEO Cedric Aubriot. And face it...they look really cool.

It's not an all-glass solution, though. Subs come in standard MDF.--Rebecca Day