Technical Pro

Producing great sound is one thing; looking good while you’re doing it is quite another. the B&O Play A9 speaker (€2,000; roughly $2,600) manages both feats thanks to a unique, saucer-like design that begs to be left out for all to see. Good looks can only get you so far, but the A9 backs them up with a two 3″ midrange speakers, two .75″ tweeters, an 8″ woofer, and three separate amplifiers to power them. And thanks to built-in AirPlay and DLNA wireless streaming, you won’t need to sully the proceedings with unsightly wires.

Nandini Maheshwari:Taj Mahal, the widely recognized “Seven wonders of the world” in Agra, India is notable for its architectural beauty. Commissioned by Shah Jahan, one of the distinguished Mughal emperors in the memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the monument has always inspired the Design and architectural world. But the Belgian design firm studio Job has taken its inspiration to another level with the classic Taj Mahal table that it has unveiled at the Art Basel Miami 2012. The upside down TajMahal table is an exemplary work of art with innovation and tradition going hand in hand. The iconic bronze Taj Mahal Table boasts flashy gilt domes and is reportedly based on the same architectural principles except few changes in the design to make it upside down. Design-wise, it’s made of bronze unlike the white marble in Taj Mahal. Available in a limited edition of eight, this table is priced at €36,000 ($45,455).

 

The Taj Mahal table

 

 

The design house is known for its collector’s furniture cast in bronze. Back in 2007, the design studio has earned accolades for its limited edition suite of five pieces unveiled at Art Basel Miami, which got sold off to a private collector called Robber Baron for a whopping $700,000 within the first hour of the show.

The other contemporary designs by Studio Job includes a floor-standing bronze crane lamp, which reminds us of Swedish designer, Charlie Davidson’s iconic Crane Lamp Fixtures from the Milan fair 2012.

 

Glass tube bench

The other highlights at the Art Basel Miami includes, Israel designer Ron Gilad’s contemporary Glass Tube Bench for Dilmos.

 

Gilded wall installation

The highlights at the fair includes a six-foot-wide wall installation called “Burgeon” by Hudson Valley artist Jennifer Trask, which is composed of 18th and 19th century gilt picture frames and it sports an extraordinary price true to its gilt make at $175,000.

Via: Gizmodo/ArtNet/StudioJob

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We’re not going to pretend to understand what a Rubidium atomic clock — 100,000 times more stable than a traditional crystal oscillator! — has to do with sound quality, but we do know that the Rubicon Atomic Preamp ($TBA) is the first DAC to ship with one. Other features include Antelope’s 64-bit Accoustically Focused Clocking technology, 384 kHz USB streaming, DLNA support, dual stage headphone amps, and dual S/PDIF de-jittered outputs. [via]

Like every other automaker, Bentley has decided it’s time to build an SUV. Designed to be a beauty both on and off-road, the Bentley EXP 9 F is an all-wheel drive luxury SUV concept that offers all of the company’s hand-crafted detailing and high performance get-go. powered be a 6.0 liter, twin-turbocharged W12 engine, the Bentley SUV features a spacious wood-leather-metal interior with “commanding driving position” and a host of rich people niceties, including a panoramic glass panel roof Design, touchscreen interfaces, 3D navigation, and a rear seat business mode with fold-down keyboard and internet connectivity, powered footrest and infotainment movie screen. Of course, you can’t overlook the cooled compartment for champagne and glasses under the rear armrest, which you will enjoy on the two-piece tailgate which doubles as a picnic table. Bentley says this is more than a publicity stunt, telling us there’s strong potential for the EXP 9 F to become the third Bentley model-line alongside the Mulsanne and Continental ranges.

As a general rule, guitar shapes haven’t changed much in the last 40 years — and that’s not exactly a good thing. Sinuous Guitars ($1,750-$2,150) aims to change this by offering up organically sculpted guitars boasting poplar bodies, hard maple necks, dual Humbucker pickups, and a range of rock-worthy finishes. And if you had any question about the company’s woodworking chops, know that the founder builds Herman Miller’s Eames Classic line as his day job. Yeah.

and you thought riding a Segway made you look dorky. the SBU V3 Self-Balancing unicycle ($TBA) combines Segway-like tech — including multiple 3-way sensors and gyroscopes — with all the circus-like fun of a unicycle, allowing you to move by doing nothing more than leaning forward, backward, and to the side. In addition, it weighs just 27 pounds, so it’s easily to lug inside when your reach the office, and is powered by electricity, performing the equivalent work of a gallon of gas for just ten cents — making it incredibly economic, if potentially ridicule worthy. Source:SBU V3 Self-Balancing Unicycle

Yes, it’s gorgeous — but it’s a Ferrari, so you already knew that. What you didn’t know is that you’re looking at the fastest Ferrari ever built. The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta ($TBA) is powered by a 6262cc V12 pumping out an insane 740 hp, which is enough to propel the Rosso Berlinetta rocket to 62 mph in just 3.1 seconds, hitting 104 in just 8.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of over 210 mph. Other features — as if they matter — include an all-new spaceframe chassis and body shell made using 12 different kinds of alloys, Active Brake Cooling for keeping those carbon-ceramic brakes in check, the latest version of the magnetorheological suspension control system, and, of course, an F1 dual-clutch transmission. Don’t forget to wipe the drool off the screen when you’re done. Source:Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Who said a Watch needs to be digital to have an unorthodox interface? the Harry Winston Opus 12 Watch ($258,000) is an exercise in high-end watch wizardry, built around 12 pairs of hands that point towards the center and rotate in place to turn blue when they’re telling the time or silver when they’re inactive, a retrograde hand near the center to show precise minutes (from one to five), a tiny seconds hand in the dead center, and a power-reserve indicator in between. Other features include a polished 18K white gold case and buckle, a black alligator leather strap, and the exclusivity that comes from being limited to just 120 pieces worldwide. Source:Harry Winston Opus 12 Watch