Does speaker finish affects the sound?

Jonver asked:
(2 Jan 2001)

Hi Joe, Recently I'm troubled with what speaker finish to choose. As I've read from hi-fi magazines - different veneer finish of speaker of the same model may sound slightly different from another. To confirm this I emailed several renowned speaker manufacturers to find the true answer. Some agree to disagree and some do not wish to comment. ( your own hearing judgement ) Of course differnt veneer finishes also tag along with different prices. So as consumers are we paying for looks only or sound only or both? Please enlighten us and give us an overview picture of the above. Thanks. By the way I appreciate the contribution from 1388 and wished all of you a happy and prosperous new year! Yours Sincerely, Jonver Roland Jude.

Joe Lee responded:
(2 Jan 2001)

Dear Jonver, It is not fairy tale. I have strong belief that different 'skin'  (veneer) will cause the speakers to sound differently. Rosewood will definitely sound better than Walnut! I have personally experienced the differences of the Roger LS3/5A many years ago. My friend Ben Lau recently auditon a pair of 'Ivory' Avalon and he regretted so much that he bought the 'chestnut' finish as the difference in sound quality is not slightly but vast. This is to do with resonance. However, the price difference is vast too! I am interested to know which speaker you are referring to. Thank you for your support. Happy New Year!

Jonver again:
(4 Jan 2001)

Hi Joe, In response to your query, the speaker I intend to buy is pmc/fb1 finished in oak. (the cheapest among the veneer finishes available) Cherry cost $1100 more and Rosewood cost $1700 extra. The cost to performance ratio is widely offset therefore I choose oak finish instead. I did my homework by enquiring from the manufacturer and the reply was "never come across that different veneer finishes would sound differently". I guess from the answer given, the veneer finishes of the speaker is not a working tool for the speaker but for decorative enhancement. Once again, I would like to thank you for the valuable information highlighted on "veneer finishes". Regards. Jonver.

Joe Lee responded:
(4 Jan 2001)

Well......

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