Artist scales retro speaker up to ridiculous proportions: 'Is this a really stupid project? Yes'
There's a good chance that, if you're a certain age, you hold a soft spot in your heart for slightly yellow-tinged retro speakers. Well, that soft spot may melt when you see them towering over you, blasting Creed and Blink-182. Or at least that's the vision put forward by artist Gwak, who built a huge version of the speaker that was likely hooked up to your family PC.
As shown off on their TikTok and YouTube channels, the life-sized speaker comes with purposely off-white sides, a working volume knob, and even a Goodwill sticker that is slightly peeled off. We just need a second one and a 100-inch CRT to finish the look.
What's being emulated is one half of a set of Harman Kardon HK 19.5 2.0 speakers. The base of the speaker is made of wood, with a large set of working speakers inserted in the middle. Then the outer walls are coated in paint, and a fabric sits over the top of the front, completing the look. Not only does the right knob work to turn on the speaker and crank the volume, but it also comes with a very familiar click when doing so.
Though we aren't given the official measurements, Gwak does show off an original set of Harman Kardon speakers next to the prototype in an earlier video. It appears to be roughly one-tenth or eleventh of the size. Given the Harman Kardon set sits at 6.7 inches tall, that would put my estimation at around 67-73 inches (or 5.6 to 6 feet).
In a TikTok video of the prototype Gwak posted last month, they said, "I’m making the world's dumbest—I mean largest—computer speaker". They continue, "Now, is this a really stupid project? Yes."
@gwakproductions If you don’t know it’s ok but I am sorry.
♬ old computer speakers - icecoldbottleofmilk
Gwak's speaker seems to have taken a few weeks to build, and Gwak has demonstrated cellphone interference when they get closer, but this interference is missing from later videos. It's unclear as of right now if that interference was turned off in some form, removed, or edited in. Surely that's crucial for recreating the 1990's and 2000's vibe.
If you want to check out and listen to the speaker yourself, it will be showing at ABV Gallery's nostalgic show on the 21st of February in Atlanta, Georgia. One can only hope they will be taking song requests.