How many NICE looking high end floor standing speaker are there at present


Hi, 
Sometimes when I dream, imagining of replacing my current 1997 Burmester 961 speakers, before maybe COVID19 is sending me to an early grave - I'm practically only stumbling on ugly often even like somehow crippled looking speaker creations.
Test will say, sounding fantastically gorgeous and - looking like 💩. 
This, or par tout looking like some or other children's coffin ⚰. 😥👻

Not for the life of it, can I imagine ever having some such 'creation' invading my daily living space. Ever.

Talking 'bout a BAD WAF situation, I say.

Some makers are trying to improve on this tragic situation with creations looking far too anatomical or something alien👾 fruit thing hanging off a tree... handle an' all. 

Is there no hope out there at all...? 🤔

So can one savely move on forgetting about a replacement, still in this here life, and saving the money 💰 ?

Well, the budget <= max 20k $ lets say, so I won't risk starving before the lockdown will end ever. 😱 

😘 M. 🇿🇦 
128x128justmetoo
It kinda depends on your taste in furniture; some (like me) prefer a minimalist look, whereas others like a more "decorated" exterior. I've been happy sitting looking at my Vandersteen Treo CTs for some years now. All of his speakers except the Model 2 have a similar, slab-sided truncated-pyramid look, and a high-quality exterior finish.

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/treo-ct
How about something from Shahinian Acoustics,  Obelisk, small in stature, big in sound, depending on favorite types of music. Looks not so much like a conventional speaker. With a little more room available, maybe his Hawk assembly. Have both, one in main (Hawks) one in second system. As soon as music starts, they disappear  

Well, amazing, all the odds and ends of speaker 'cabinet' designs coming out of the woodworks. Some more familiar, some not so much. 

Many van der Steen (vandy) fans I notice. His creations have come a long way, I understand. Thus since I had the opportunity to pull the 'sock' of one of his then creations. Pretty weird, not my thing, leaving quite an impression though. 😊

As for side firing woofers... bass, as we surely have heard is *not directional*.
Expanding sphericaly - non-directional, yes?
Two side-firing woofers (toward each other), actually reinfore themselfs.
The reason why Dieter Burmester had favoured that principle, he'd said. RIP 2015.
Woofers then also not too close to the floor! As this would interfere with additional bass 'off timing' floor-reinforment. 

Lastly, surely all noticed, percussions/the drum sets, are practically always residing in back of the leading action. Why?
So it socks you not right in the face... front firing? 

BTW, I have the B961 x-over displayed on my system, apparently Linkwitz type, but clearly seperate high/mid and bass portion and with plenty Mundorf caps + bypass-caps, and resistors (Mills and Kiwame). 

So, 🔥... 😉 

Michélle 🇿🇦