I think it depends on how it is done. I've seen some Dared tube preamps and I swear they show all the different tubes but to me with all that shiny gold and chrome it looks kind of blah looking. I've also seen some Yaqin tube buffers or tube phono preamps that have the tubes exposed but they don't look so great to me.
I then got a Response Audio BellaMax tube preamp in a nice wood case but the tubes are hidden and have no problems with the aesthetics.
One good thing to me about not having tubes exposed is it potentially make it so that a person won't tube roll as much. I put a tube cage on my Jolida amp so I wouldn't be tempted to keep tube rolling. Now I really like the look of the cage on it. To each is their own I guess.
I then got a Response Audio BellaMax tube preamp in a nice wood case but the tubes are hidden and have no problems with the aesthetics.
One good thing to me about not having tubes exposed is it potentially make it so that a person won't tube roll as much. I put a tube cage on my Jolida amp so I wouldn't be tempted to keep tube rolling. Now I really like the look of the cage on it. To each is their own I guess.