Your favorites amplifiers for their visual look ?


Hello

Most of us chose an amp for it's musicality.

But if you would chose your amplifiers for it's visual aesthetic, some great looking amplifiers, metal or wood face plate, which ones you would chose ?

Myself I would chose a Pass Lab amp, for a metal face plate. And the Sonus Faber Musica Integrated Amplifier, for a wood face place.

Thank

Bye

Gaetan

gaetan8888
Pass Labs X1000.5 monos. The Krell 750 mcx moonblocs.

I love beautiful monster sized amps.
Not to everyone's taste, but ElectronLuv makes some unusual-looking amplifiers:
http://electronluv.com/html/amplifiers/My%20Gallery/index.html
Years ago we wanted a different looking amp that would be a complete departure from anything we had done at the time. I consulted with one of my employees on this, who had an art degree and now works for Bel Canto. I gave him a pretty free reign, this is what he came up with:
http://www.atma-sphere.com/support/archive/novacron.html

They were built in left and right hand pairs. I think it is their looks that drives their resale; we have seen them go in auction for more than we sold them for new. I think its one of the better-looking tube amps out there, certainly one of the best we've done...
I bought a Pioneer M-22 power amplifier based on its looks. I have kept it because of its sonics. It is truly fun to listen to music through this amplifier.
My favorites (visually) are:
1. Emotive Audio Vita and Caeli
2. Cary 40M
3. Classe CA300

I own the last two but not, unfortunately, the Emotive amps.
I really like the looks of the Jolida FX-10 tube integrated, especially for $450.

I'll probably never own a VAC Phi Beta so I might settle for the little Jolida. Nice sounding as well from what I have heard.
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Another vote for the Carver Silver Seven monoblocks. They just command attention when you see them.
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Burmester. Love that Teutonic chrome. And more importantly, Burmester sounds better than it looks (which is awesome).
The Italians do seem to do elegant, simple design, like knowone else. New Audio Frontiers, Pathos, including the inpol on it's way to me now.

Not to much US exposure, but the Korean Emille amps, are just gorgeous to. I am listening to their K40 integrated now. It's going back to the dealer, the Inpol sounds that bit better.
Nakamichi PA-7 or PA-7II with the rack handles. IMO it just looks real bad a$@. When I look at it I think that it just exudes I will eat any speaker alive.
Was it Wavelength Audio that made a poweramp that looked like a V-8 engine (maybe it was even called the V-8)?

Off the top of my head, I'd say that Joule, Pathos, Bel Canto, some of the Cary monos, KR, and Mac are all striking looking devices. Each in a different way.

Marty
I like the Art Audio Symphony II with the polished stainless steel chassis especially at night.
It has 2 output tubes, 2 rectifiers and 4 small signal tubes all reflecting off the chrome like chassis. Also has two little blue lights (actually crystals) about the size of a pencil eraser that light in a subtle way.

Sounds good also.
I have an old Crown Dc300 for my basement rig. The thing just screams bad-ass!
There's nothing like a Jadis JA-500! I also agree with the up poster, gotta love those (first) big Krell fins on the KSA/KMA 80/160 200/400 series.

Peter
I like the Krell KSA series and Levinson 300's. Macs ain't too shabby either.
I agree with Mapman, the Silver Sevens are stunning. I also like Art Audio amplifiers.
Anything Italian

Pathos, Graaf, Audia Flight, you name it.

Some Americans

BAT, Levinson, McIntosh, and Rowland.
Tube look for me would be Audio Valve ,Solid State Jeff Roland,using wood how about Tenor Audio.
MISSION 776/777 with the name cast across the front and acting as heat sinks.

Best I ever saw was a DIY amp project made out of chromed out Harley V-twin.
Any tube amp with a chrome plated chassis. The Pathos Logos with the ingenius heat sinks is striking, the Viva Solista is gorgeus, especially in person, the VAC Phi amps and also the Renaissance 30/30, and lastly the casework on the Rowland gear is tasteful bling.
Hey Jax2......I'm sure there's some coffee machines in those photos?

Those'd be some mighty expensive coffee machines! I do love the style of coffee machines that I think you're referencing too (I'm a coffee junkie too), though not as beautiful as Stipich's creations. If you think those are wild, check out his preamps and speakers. Buck Rogers meets Dr. Seuss! I love'em! That is extraordinary design and a beautiful thing to behold to my eyes.
Already mentioned and I agree: VAC Phi Beta, McIntosh, and Manley Stingray. I'll add the Thor Crescendo Monoblocks.
I used to think the Dynaco ST70 amplifiers were the most ugly things around, followed by AtmaSphere.

Then, about 10 years ago, I bought a pair of Atmas, and my opinion flipped completely. Most surprisingly, my wife liked the look even before I came around. I really came to admire their aesthetic, though less so in the tubes on the side days. However, once they went to the current cosmetic, which was an update of the look they went away from, my love for the cosmetic found new all-time highs.

Through that period, I still felt Dynacos were like the east end of a horse going west. But, I built a Dynakit, and now I've come to admire its look as well.

But, I'll second the Jadis vote, they do make some absolutely beautiful looking (and sounding) stuff.
The first ones to come to mind, are the Pass Alephs. So purposefully looking.
Son of Ampzilla (rack mount with handles); Luxman integrated amps, like the L590A; old version Pass X250.
To my eyes, not even remotely any contest whatsoever: Electronluv...nothing else even comes close on visual looks.