More power is always a plus in speakers, but a limited edition series from Sound of Power has added it in an unusual way. The company is currently selling 100 speakers that also happen to be busts of Russia’s president. “Vladimir Putin has never sounded this good,” says the company’s website.
Designed by artist Petro Wodkins, the SOP bust speaker is an excellent likeness of the bear-hunting president, and the base conveniently doubles as an amplifier. It is made from a composite material similar to marble, making it very durable. As described on the website, the speaker is “harsh looking, but smooth sounding.”
The bust is 14.6 inches tall by 9 inches wide and weighs 7.3 pounds, with the amplifier measuring 7.5 inches long and wide by 4.3 inches tall and weighing in at 1.8 pounds. The speaker is equipped with a full range 4” driver, as well as a New Curv cone designed to provide a smooth, extended frequency response. The amplifier has aesthetically pleasing gold-colored connectors and is equipped with Bluetooth. A 3.5 AUX textile cable and the audio cords for the banana connectors are included.
The SOP bust speaker was inspired by the home décor of generations past and is meant to serve as a reminder of greatness, according to the company. The Putin line is intended to be the first, and with other powerful figures likely following. Whether you display the speaker of Putin (or “St. Vladimir,” as SOP calls him) reverentially or ironically, there’s no arguing that the handcrafted speakers have succeeded in SOP’s goal of “combining striking visual and audio qualities.”
With only 100 SOP bust speakers for sale, you won’t be able to get one cheap. Each speaker sells for $1,111 euros (about $1,235), not including shipping. The first and the last speakers in the series are currently being auctioned off on SOP’s website, with bidding ending on Oct. 7. Not coincidentally, the end of the auction falls on Putin’s birthday. Should you bid in and win the auction, shipping will be free. Consider it a gift.
