You’ve got that shiney new 50″ HD Plasma or LCD and you’re getting ready to watch the latest blockbuster movie.  Everything is pixel-perfect, the only thing you’re missing is pitch-perfect sound.  Most people neglect to pair their high definition quality video with high definition sound.   Good sounds doesn’t necessarily mean big ugly black boxes.  We look at 5 speakers that look great and sound great.

Ion
Manufacturer: Amphion (Finland)
List Price: $1,450 / Pair

Design: The Ion bookshelf speakers exhibit modern european design at it’s best, minimalist, yet functional fitting easily into homes furnished with other modern furniture.  The white, black, and silver options make it easy to pick one that matches your room.

Why They Rock?  The Ion won an Absolute Sound Editor’s Choice award in 2007 after judges found it to be an all around stunner that delivers more musically than much larger counterparts.  The Ion also utilizes custom U/D/D technology (Uniformly Directive Diffusion) which allows the speaker to work well in different positions and types of rooms.

Chorus 807V
Manufacturer: Focal JMLab (France)
List Price: $995 / Pair

Design: JM Lab’s Chorus 807V bookshelf speakers are strikingly elegant.  With moka-wood covered slopes, high gloss acrylic accents, and a unique V-shaped grill, the Chorus 807V is the James Bond of bookshelf speakers.  The design would work well with Eames-era furniture and styles.  Design was by French design company Agence Pineau & Le Porcher

Why They Rock?  Focal produces some of the best speaker components in the world so needless to say that expertise is translated into highly refined speakers with the latest technology.  Designed for stereo use (they’re not magnetically shielded), the Chorus 807V accels at playing all types of music although some have noted the highs may be a bit bright.

Intimus Series and Bravus Subwoofers
Manufacturer: Aperion Audio
List Price: $200 – $1299 / Pair

Design: Although more reserved than some of the other featured speakers, you can’t go wrong with furniture-grade MDF and gorgeous wood veneers at the price you are paying.  Aperion speaker owners rave about the quality of the finishes, especially the gloss black which brings these speakers up to a whole other class.

Why They Rock?  Aperion Audio is one of the leading direct to consumer audio companies which means you get to cut out the middleman and save money.  More than that, Aperion’s Intimus speakers have been getting rave reviews for oustanding all around performance.  They’re so confident that you’ll like them that they do Free 2 Way Shipping, Free 30 Day Audition, and offer a 10-Year Warranty.

Minipod
Manufacturer: PodSpeakers by Scandyna
List Price: $849 / Pair

Design:  The PodSpeakers have been around for a while now but they still have that uniqueness that no other speaker company has quite managed to capture.  The classic Minipod shocked the speaker and design world with organic rounded shapes that defied the usual boxy speaker enclosures the audio world was accustomed to.  They come in many colors and you can even mix and match to create custom color combinations. 

Why They Rock?  Don’t worry, they’re not just for show, as they do indeed have audiophile-pedigree with kevlar woofers and a silk dome tweeter lending to excellent all around performance.  Add a subwoofer and you’ve got a great system to get off the ground with.

Purity
Manufacturer: Martin Logan
List Price: $1,998 / Pair

Design:  The only floorstanding speaker in the group, Martin Logan’s Purity electrostatic speakers look like home accents more so than high-fidelity speakers.  With the elegant stature and airy look, the Purity blends easily into any home. 

Why They Rock?  What looks like a simple grated panel is actually where the sound comes from as these speakers don’t work like conventional speakers (tweeter driven).  Instead, they utilize a very thin film of material which is charged to produce different frequencies of sound with very low distortion. 

This antique brass Enrico Franzolini Glow Pendant is on sale at DWR for $1350 from the regular price of about $1,500.

 It’s got a modern angular design but still manages to retain a classic feel by using antique brass for its construction.  The halogen light inside is diffused by the multiple angles and should be quite nice as the centerpiece for an entryway or in the dining room.