agree w vermonter. also most of the older generation krell’s. they were so unique and macho.
virtually all ML gear has looked good to me.
virtually all ML gear has looked good to me.
For the Audiophile with a taste for good design(looks)....a question.
What are your favorite audio components and speakers based on the way they look (looked). Yes, I know that sound is what counts and that is my major influence, but I do enjoy well designed/good looking products. I no longer do, but did have a collection of art deco radios, both table models and consoles.....and that was all about design rather than their audiophile qualities. Thanks
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@mikeydred Yeah, those Tektons are among the ugliest components, and certainly as residential pieces of furniture, that I have laid eyes on . As wonderful as all the reviews are on Tektons, in fact claiming to challenge and beat out many $30K speakers, I've often wondered why Tekton doesn't put another few hundred dollars into improving the aesthetics in each pair. This would not meaningfully alter the price point they are building to, considering their reportedly profound value. In fact when I read threads of folks seeking $20K speakers Tektons often get mentioned so consider the market. It just seems like they could capture an immensely larger market if the things just looked presentable in a normal living space as opposed to dedicated rooms that have been relegated to basements or rooms that are embarrassingly finished with red carpet and cheesy wanscoting. They should at least offer a slightly higher-priced trim package for those who love the sound but would be otherwise embarrassed or put off by the looks. |
jacksky The Conrad Johnson ART Pre-amp, was far from "eye candy". In it's day it was considered SOTA....state of the art. But I do agree that sometimes looks seem to be more the objective than sonic merits. But the same can be said for automobile design for decades. Like when Ferrari was making the original GTO and Porsche had their 356 and Detroit was trying to make barges that ate gas and could barely be stopped without brake fade....but they did have fins that looked like sci-fi movie space ships. |
As evidenced by the range of responses, “ good design looks” can mean eye candy or museum level cabinetry. I never had a listening session with plasma speakers, but imagine if you like tube amp aura then turning down the lights with plasmas running would float your boat. Me, I REALLY wonder what they sound like. in my early 20’s I had a Sound Shaper III equalizer, 35 red lights glowing and a pair of level meters doing the dance as music played. Gadgetry ruled. Regarding earlier post stating they thought Vandy wood Quatros are beautiful, yeah but only if you compare them to how ugly earlier sock covered Vandys were. In todays offerings, I don’t much like the look of Blades speakers although I admit it took guts to push them to market. They sounded awesome in one showroom, mediocre in another. i think if the founder of Green Mountain audio was still with us, he would have come up with a new audacious design, his last design, Calypso, was interesting to look at |
Sevi01 elevates this thread by introducing Dieter Ram, one of the most influential designers in our lifetimes. I don’t really want to own a Braun stereo, but the man is an amazing designer (and team player). So many Braun products are icons, and have influenced a couple of generations of our best designers. Most hi-fi products look like absolute shite. |
Leben AirTight VAC PA90 WAVAC (pretty much a tube thing) Devore Avantgarde horns Auditorium horns @snilf I was a college kid selling hifi when Mke Mahoney showed up with the Tesla’s. They looked great, but man did the top end just sizzle. Mated with warm tubes like the VAC, they sounded nice if a bit muddled on the bass. I personally liked them but after CGs review, we couldn’t give them away unless the customer wasn’t an audiophile and didn’t read Sphile. |
EAR Yoshino V12. A thing of beauty to look at. When visitors enquire about it I always introduce it as "my Mickey Mouse" amplifier Of course there is nothing Mickey Mouse about it. It has been part of my set up for over six years and sounds magnificent. I will likely see my days out with this one http://www.earyoshino.com/V12/ |
I run custom made Linkwitz Orion loudspeakers. The stock design is a kind of Danish Modern look and I live in a 100 year old Craftsman bungalow, so I had them custom made in a Mission style. They look terrific and sound awesome. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5659 |
Yamaha particularly their latest high end offerings. Audio Note tube amps. Luxman Accuphase Nagra Pass labs The no longer produced Mystere products. For the money I think Schiit products have nice industrial design.Magico. I dig the “assemblage” nature of them. The pieces that make up the whole if that makes sense. Focal Diablo Utopia. I think Japanese designs are beautiful with some manufacturers going for a modern design with retro flair, while others go for ultra precise, simplistic designs. There’s a lot of nice looking stuff out there. I don’t buy for looks generally but looks were definitely part of my decision making with my Yamaha AS3000 integrated in silver. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment. Merry Christmas everyone! Stay safe. |
I always enjoyed the look of Braun stereo equipment designed by Dieter Rams: https://www.economist.com/1843/2019/03/01/a-sound-system-that-speaks-for-itself |
I'm partial to my Scientific Fidelity "Tesla" speakers, and love their sound even more than their great looks. Corey Greenberg in Stereophile basically killed the company with a bad review. But Stereophile raves about others I've had in my listening room to compare (by PSB, B&W, MartinLogan), and they have all fallen short. Still, here's a link to that scandalous review for the sake of the image. https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/492scifi/index.html |
For current, new product I have found the new model VK-80i integrated amplifier from BAT to be exquisite. A nice blend of traditional tube look combined with modern day design elegance. And the BAT products are stunning sonic performers as well. Check it out... VK-80i Integrated Amplifier — Balanced Audio Technology |
Just go’s by the person. I will not have any piece of any thing I consider ugly in my living room.Except me . My friend , a dealer, almost gave me a pr of KEF 700 , the deal was SO good I took those brown pups home . The were fantastic speakers for my room , as good as good can be in every aspect .Save the color . After a week i took those mint speakers @ 75% off back because I only like black speakers in my room with black and white decor . |
Many Audiophiles revere what the coveted as youths. In your case not so much. I agree about beauty. This is why I refuse to listen to certain brands for fear I might like them. I won't mention which in order to avoid a war here. Amp- Leben, Shindo, Mac Speaker- Chord ELS 57,most else is pretty much ugly. Let us know what you choose! |
Larry, it is not always the women. I did architecture and interior design for years, even taught. Most of the best industrial design, architecture and MOMA consumer products were designed by men. Very few Ferraris, Porsche, Packards and others were designed by women. Women can and do design great things. But to say that men goober anything up not true...who designed and built that building you are living in or the car you drive or most of the furniture in your home? Do a Google search with the word Bauhaus or name Raymond Loewy....just for a basic beginning. Do google/ebay for great designers, buildings, homes, cars, coffee pots and more and see which gender designed them. Like men are bad cooks, the vast majority of world class restaurants I have been to have a man for head chef.....not to mention the aircraft I flew on to get there. Both genders can excel. |
I have no good looking sources, unless I count Altmann Tera Player; Mac Mini does not count, either. Pass D1 DAC is not bad looking (as well as that generation of preamps).I like the looks of Pass Labs Aleph power amps, esp. the big ones (Aleph 1, 1.2 and 4). Unfortunately Aleph 4 struggles with low efficiency, low impedance speakers. Early Madrigal MLs are nice, in particular 23, 27, 28; and 26, but that one I have not seen in the flesh. As for loudspeakers, Gradient 1.5 Helsinki have the looks and the sound to match; probably my room is a little too big for them (45 sqm / 500 sq. feet with a couple of large openings). MBL 101c look great, I only wish I had the original stands, And they need a sub (by the sound of it, they need to be relieved from the lowest bass, as this model has nothing but three radialstrahler drivers). And headphones. AKG 701 are nice, Ultrasone Ed. 8 Ltd. are posh, but the cushions fall off, beyerdynamic T5P are good looking (but have a fragile cable), Senn HD 600 look good, too; beyerdynamic 1350 also are good looking, but not very comfortable. |
My Consonance Droplet 5.0 CD player would be at home in any Art Deco listening room. It looks like miniature UFO. I recently bought a McIntosh headphone amplifier. You can’t tell me that the green glass and blue meters aren’t a factor in the purchasing decision of this expensive equipment. They have always appealed to me. Also, I can't claim that the clear plexiglass enclosure didn't influence my purchase of a JA Michell GyroDec turntable. |
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Charles and Ray Eames, Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Tapio Wirkkala, George Nelson and many other designers from the middle of the last Century until now have designed some great consumer products. https://coveteur.com/2018/05/31/new-midcentury-modern-furniture-designers/ And like most "things", this list is a beginning rather than an end. Enjoy. |
