If you grew up in the 90s with a beige Windows PC, there’s a good chance you spent hours staring at a very specific pair of speakers.The Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers were ubiquitous in the early internet era, and artist @gwakproductions has brought them back in a massive way—literally.Back in the 90s and early 2000s, the Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers came bundled with some popular computers and monitors.
This was a time when many people were buying their very first computers, and these speakers became very well known.Gwak has included all the little details that everyone remembers in his giant replica.First, gadgets of this era often used a distinct off-white plastic.
It would be a cool white/gray at first, but it didn’t take long for it to turn yellow.The giant replica captures that aged sitting-in-a-basement-since-the-release-of-Windows-98 look perfectly.Even the fabric covering the speakers somehow matches just right.
The attention to detail is pretty incredible.The coolest part is that this isn't just a hollow sculpture to look at.It’s a fully functional speaker.
The oversized volume and tone knobs on the front actually work, and there’s even a functioning LED power indicator that glows in familiar green.But it gets even better.The most impressive detail is one you can’t see until you get close.
If there’s one thing everyone remembers about the Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers, it’s the buzzing sound that they would make right before a call or text came in.It was just electromagnetic interference, but like the dial-up internet sound, it became legendary.This giant speaker plays that infamous buzz when you approach it, and the volume gets louder the closer you get.
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Gwak didn’t share the specific specs of the giant speaker, but it appears to be around 6 feet tall.It’s the exact type of silly, fun project I love to see.There’s really no purpose to it other than to bring joy to those who remember the speakers.
Check out @gwakproductions on Instagram for more giant replicas, including the NES Zapper, BOSS DS-1 distortion pedal, N64 cartridges, and cassette tape cases.Related It's Time to Bring Back the Beige PC If you were born before the year 2000, there's a good chance your first PC was some shade of gray or beige.What is it about the color that made virtually all computer manufacturers pick it over the now ubiquitous black? Posts By Ismar Hrnjicevic
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