Braun SK 6 by Dieter Rams
Michael Dent has posted some beautiful shots of a beautiful machine: the SK 6 phonograph and radio for Braun. Dieter Rams & Hans Gugelot’s landmark design — the first hifi with a clear plexiglas lid — is an update of the original SK 4, introduced in 1956. The series was known as the “Schneewitchensarg” — translated directly: “Snow White’s Coffin”.
I’ll quote Khoi Vinh: “still more beautiful than any model of iPod ever”.
If you gotta have one, there are a few on eBay now, including a more affordable predecessor, a working SK 5, for $749.
See also: Dieter Rams and Cold War Modern at the V&A : Dieter Rams Group on Flickr
Wow! Now, that’s what you call designed.
I managed to finally buy a similar beautiful piece yesterday; the Braun Audio 2 (as seen on somebody else’s Flickr stream here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/werkhelsinki/3877208341/in/photostream/ )
Think I’ll work my way up to an SK4 or 6…
My father has one at home, it’s gorgeous!
I recently found an SK 6 (sometimes called “the Snow White’s coffin”) in a local vintage audio shop for 70€, that’s about 100$. Nice condition and fully working except for the turntable, which lacks at least a working cartridge and stylus. And after hours of googling around, I managed to source a new cartridge and needle for just 26€. Now I’m perfectly happy about it!
All the circuits are based on vacuum tubes so it has a distinctive warm tone. The amplifier is actually stereo, you can connect two external loudspeakers to it. A DIN connector for external audio source is provided in the back panel too, ready to be plugged into an ipod. Of course, the first generation ipod would be the perfect companion for this beauty.