This past month, I decided that it had been far too many years since I have owned a television. Though I don’t really watch any TV programmes, I am a film buff, and would like to watch them on something other than my monitors. Even on Dell UltraSharp U2711s, it’s just not the same. Anyway, I’ll review the television in another post sometime soon.
I quickly realised, though, that I would also need to purchase a stand or table on which the TV could sit. Being a minimalist, I was looking for something that was rather unobtrusive, and that was devoid of any gaudy elements. I searched on a bunch of different sites, but couldn’t find anything that fit the bill. Then, I found the OmniMount Echo 50LE. It could accommodate up to a 50″ television (in width, so really a 55″ would be just fine), it was low-profile in both terms of height and depth, and it was essentially elemental. It was also available in an espresso colour, which I actually preferred, but the majority of my furniture in the sitting room is black.
In terms of build quality, this stand is the exception to the rule. Despite not being real wood, both the quality of materials and the craftsmanship are outstanding! It took no more than 30 minutes to assemble, and there were absolutely no problems with the assembly. After a quick polishing with a rag, it was ready to go. I decided to put a piece of black vinyl under the television stand, so as to not scratch the table underneath it.
Overall, I would say that it has the following pros and cons:
Pros:
- Beautiful glossy finish that isn’t highly reflective
- Outstanding craftsmanship and build quality, especially for the price of under $200 USD (~€150)
- Easy assembly
- Low-profile design that doesn’t draw attention away from the television
- Nice bottom shelf for components
Cons:
- Could be ever-so-slightly taller (maybe only 5cm or so)
- Glossy finish does bring out fingerprints and dust
I really had to reach to find some cons with this unit, and would highly recommend it for someone with a minimalist approach to furniture, or someone who is trying to make the most of a small room.
Cheers,
Zach
