Unbelievable

@MC- I’m fairly certain, there was never any plywood, in any of Oni no Hanzō’s swords or spears.            Did they even have plywood, in Sixteenth Century Japan?

MDF made on Thursdays always sounds better.

Perhaps they use a different material to apply the "Black Piano Gloss" finish on than they use for the other finishes?

Duh!!

And you all call yourselves audiophiles?

Piano black speakers sound the best!

LOL NOT!

Hokkaido wood seems to be valued. It also depends what time of the year it was harvested.

"The wood for the baffle board comes from Japan’s island of Hokkaido. Winters are extremely cold, a condition reflected in the tight grain, hardness and rigidity of the indigenous maple. With the assistance of local wood specialists, Sony hand-selected raw maple logs from Hokkaido’s forests. The trees are felled in November, when their growth slows and the grain is at its tightest."

(from http://sonypremiumhome.com/pdfs/AR-1_Brochure.pdf)

By the way, these SONY speakers are serious business. Check them out, if you get a chance.