All-American hi-fi for Obama's White House?

America may not make world-class cars anymore, we don't build plasma TVs, or iPods, cameras, or all that much technology of any sort, but in high-end audio, we rule!

Come 2009 I'd love to see the best of the best American audio installed at the White House. The sort of system that the President could, after a hard day's work solving the world's problems, use to kick out the jams with a few James Brown or Parliament-Funkadelic tunes.

I'll volunteer my services to assemble such a system (donated by the manufacturers), with the following components:

The X-2, in all its glory.

(Credit: Wilson Audio)

For CDs I love Wadia's 781i player, its state of the art technology will shine with all kinds of music (I have a review coming up real soon in Home Entertainment magazine). It's built in Saline, Michigan. And when the President wants to spin some vinyl, he'll get groovin' with a VPI HRX turntable hand crafted in Cliffwood, New Jersey.

The 300 Series amplifier

(Credit: Jeff Rowland Design Group)

New Jersey's best turntable

(Credit: VPI)

Based in Boulder, Colorado Jeff Rowland Design Group builds stunningly beautiful electronics. I like their Criterion Preamplifier and Model 300 Series Amplifiers. A lot.

Coming out of Provo, Utah Wilson Audio may very well be the most successful high-end speaker manufacturer in the world. Its Alexandria X-2 Series 2 speaker absolutely deserves a place of honor in the White House.

Just say the word Mr. President and I'll get it done.

[alegr]

I don't think Obama is that much in love with LP to buy into an expensive turntable. And he's reportedly quite ascetic (as opposed to gedonistic) in most aspects.

[d06svt]

You mean hedonistic?

I doubt they have the budget to buy such nice audio equipment, anyway. They need to buy toilet seats.

[cromeyeller]

The cost puts this well into the Republican realm.

[pubmat]

Gedonistic???

[askj113]

I've actually yet to learn anything about Obama's music taste. It's probably a respectfully tasteful, broad, moderate set of inoffensive songs. Or at least that's what any politician has to say, who knows what they actually listen to

[pubmat]

Its probably a politically correct style or styles of music, designed by his focus group not to offend anyone, and to make him look above all else....GREAT.

[albizzia]

Ah, but who is going to pay for all this expensive audio equipment? Is Mr. Guttenberg going to donate the equipment along with the expertise?

Didn't think so.

Obama is quite capable of making his own decisions on such things, and has enough money to pay for it, too.

[stattube]

I expect these companies would gladly donate the equipment in exchange for the publicity and prestige of being part of the official White House audio system.

The White House already has a fancy dedicated home theater with Snell speakers.

[Electro_Fox]

Great... Rap music coming from the White House... May as well call it 'the black house". There goes the neighboorhood...