Not because they're loud (they are), or because they're beautiful (they're that, too) -- but because they cost as much as a small car. New models from Bang & Olufsen and Ferguson Hill may actually be raising the blood pressure of serious (and seriously-loaded) audiophiles. B&O's BeoLab5 speakers are cone-shaped towers of aluminum discs, which radiate sound horizontally through a room and thus eliminate unwanted ceiling and floor reflections. (Capable of producing 2500 watts of sound energy, they probably could eliminate unwanted ceilings.)

Ferguson Hill has designed its FH001 speakers to look like stylish megaphones, 5.4-foot ovals of 8mm thick clear acrylic. The hyperbolic-shaped cones perfectly matches the expansion of the sound wave from the center, which means relatively little electrical power goes a long way. The BeoLab5 speakers list at $16,000, while the FH001s are a steal at $11,000… which explains why both were featured in Wired magazine's "Fetish" column in September and November 2003 issues, respectively.

Window-shop for a Beolab5 or read the Wired "Fetish" article

Take a free peek at the FH001 or read about it in "Fetish."