My vote is if they sound good then looks are secondary. Performance, fit and finish are more important than overall style. There are many strange looking speakers that sound good and the customers obviously care less about the looks than the sound. The fidelity will always trump the aesthetic.
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Back on January 30th Paul said this:
So they are essentially the same size, but they look thinner to me.
After thinking about it for a bit, I think it’d be best if the side panels were removed altogether.
I know this might necessitate some redesign, but I think it’d be for the best, design-wise.
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What do you mean “a great industrial designer”?
Jonathon Ivey, is great industrial designer.
Yes, Jonathon Ivey is a great example of a designer who has helped transform Apple. Steve Jobs recognized Ivey as someone who understood the design criteria that he was seeking and we are all aware of the result of that choice. I believe that finding an industrial designer who was sympathetic to the design criteria of PS Audio might be able to offer a more comprehensive and cohesive design for the new line of speakers.
Sure. Hire a great industrial designer so the price can go even higher.
I had a little bit of interest in these speakers when they were well under 10 grand. Now I have zero interest. They have more than doubled in estimated price. Paul is crazy if he thinks these things will sell well at the prices being bandied about.
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There is a lot that needs reading a bit about sound propagation etc …
This must be one of AN’s bibles … and Paul must also have knowledge of this
Good reading … there are of course many other good books about sound there worth reading
“Jonathon Ivey, is great industrial designer.”
Yes Paul likes the sound of apple’s small headphones…
One of the things that looks odd to me is that the side panels do not go all the way to the top. To me, it looks like there is too much matte black exposed. It would also be nice to see what it would look like with a wood finish on the lower fourth to one third of the front panel.
Also, if the side panels are full height, aren’t you looking at three shipping boxes? Bass, mid/treble and side panels.
Yes, we would be looking at three shipping boxes. That is correct.
Palletized?
Nope. I think they can go sans pallets but only time will tell.
Trust me, if they are good, price won’t matter, they will sell.
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I agree that Paul should have never started out that low, US$ 6k and ending US$ +15k. It started out so interesting and then became a big disappointment as I also am not able to fork out that budget.
I think there might be more of us at this forum.
But still I think the AN’s closed cabinet with servo / DSP / powered bass, base coupler and pure analog passive mid and high are something you will find not anywhere else regardless the price. Great concepts for those loving to stay analog from pre-amp to ear when it comes to the important mid to high frequency spectrum.
I hope that technology will flow down the ladder into the Stellar concept. I find the Stellar series more attractive than all other series, not only regarding the price, but also the minimalistic neutral attractive look.
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I concur.
I think you meant are “not” something found anywhere else 
Yes I meant not somewhere else. I just corrected it. Thanks for the sharp reading.
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@Rudolf_Appel I re-read the thread yesterday and don’t recall Paul stating he was ever going to “build to a price”. I understand your point, but design/build is a living changing thing. Now if he had said we’re going to eliminate a number of elements integral to SQ in order to maintain the $6k retail, but they won’t be Arnie’s vision, ahhh It’s easy to do mediocre. That said, pushing the boundaries will narrow acceptance near the top no doubt, but the results will be a lasting vision worth owning… just my 2c
I understand that Arnie is an “inspiration” and that these speakers are part of his lineage and legacy. But, I think it’s too strong to say that they are his “vision.” These are something all together new. They are Paul’s vision. The DS DAC is Ted’s vision. He designed them and they are a realization of his work.
By connecting this speaker in all of its design iterations to Arnie is sort of like WWJD–What Would Arnie Do? I understand the reverence, but he has little to do with what this speaker will end up being.
@wakethetown, The vision i referenced was more in line with the original thought of the AN3 being the IRSV killer and then letting the tech trickle up and down the two lines… but not to a price. cheers my friend