2. amps-preamps
  3. 131662-10803

How important is component “aesthetics” to you?

Obviously, performance, sound, etc is what matters most. However, some super fine, high performance products are just plain ugly. Aesthetcs does play an important role for me since we have placed a lot of emphasis on furnishing our home. 

Anyway, my search for a preamp has led me to the conclusion that ugly is more the norm. I love the look of glowing tubes with the Primalunas, mystere, Atma-sphere, Rogers, Decware, mapletree etc. In the solid state world, the macs have those famous blue meters. Even the “fake tube” older Peachtree components looked really nice. 

Just curious how “ looks” play a role when choosing components?
aberyclark
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,057 posts
 
@zavato

I hear you....must be nice to own a piece of history. I believe MR78 is probably the best McIntosh tuner to date.

@erik_squires, I own Merrill’s THOR monoblocks and they are quite amazing. Love the small footprint!
paul8060
43 posts
 
Unfortunately, too important.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,431 posts
 
Very. I've always loved the look of Conrad Johnson and Atma-Sphere's champagne-colored faceplates, the control knob layout on the Marantz 7, the Marantz Model 9 power amp, and the retro-styling of the Atma-Sphere M-60 Mk.3---with rounded corners and stainless steel plate behind the tubes (and original Quad tube pre, which can't really be retro, can it?!). In loudspeakers, the Magneplanar Tympani-IVa in black cloth and oak side rails looks amazing. George Cardas owns a pair, as do I.
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,391 posts
 
 
lalitk said


“I hear you....must be nice to own a piece of history. I believe MR78 is probably the best McIntosh tuner to date.”

listening to my MR78 right now. Love having it. I had a magnum dynalab previously which I sold for more than the MR78 cost me. It’s a great tuner. The MR71 is also great. If I could justify owning two tuners, the other would be an MR71. I already blew my chance at owning a Marantz 10B. Some years back I was offered a pair of 10b’s. For $1200. For both of them. 

rockadanny
1,221 posts
 
Not at all. I would run a pair of paper plates as speaker drivers connected to a potato as an amplifier if it sounded better than my current gear. Although I admit I haven't yet tried that combination.
More to discover