Cartridges! Why are they so damned ugly.

[bigfish786]

For pieces of audio equipment that can cost a lot of money, why are so many of them devoid of any kind of esthetic design? They are mostly ugly boxes, bland shapes and poorly finished. I know they are small, but I'm sure it wouldn't cost much to make them more visually appealing.

 

[spiny norman]

For pieces of audio equipment that can cost a lot of money, why are so many of them devoid of any kind of esthetic design? They are mostly ugly boxes, bland shapes and poorly finished. I know they are small, but I'm sure it wouldn't cost much to make them more visually appealing.

 

[Vladimir]

 

[bigfish786]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

 

[Vladimir]

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

This is what I have.

 

[Vladimir]

If you work for DHL, this is perfect.

Interesting.

Classy.

For that Marantz this would fit perfect.

 

[expat_mike]

None of those are bland shapes, so I think that the OP needs to clarify what he means by ugly.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

If you work for DHL, this is perfect.

Interesting.

Classy.

For that Marantz this would fit perfect.

2M range is very pretty indeed, but then I am somewhat biased *biggrin*

 

[MrReaper182]

It's all down to taste. Just because you find something ugly does not mean everyone else will. I don't like the look of Cyrus Equipment but I would never call it ugly as there is always someone who would find the Cyrus design beautiful.

 

[Al ears]

I see this a just a cheap way of turning a 9" tonearm into an 11" one.

 

[Al ears]

If you work for DHL, this is perfect.

Interesting.

Classy.

For that Marantz this would fit perfect.

2M range is very pretty indeed, but then I am somewhat biased *biggrin*

The shape assists with set up and I prefer something with parallel sides the 2M s a ******. The Koetsu simplicity itself.

Cartridge are there to sound good and are not designed to be aesthetically pleasing, they are just a housing, sometimes, for the innerds which are always ugly.

C'est la vie!

Oh, and anyone who sits staring at their cartridge all day is very sick and needs serious help. (Ed. Koetsu Urushi Tsugaru excepted)

"Quick nurse, the screens."

 

[brownz]

I'm sure they spend more on the boxes sometimes ;-)

 

[Al ears]

I'm sure they spend more on the boxes sometimes ;-)

That's because they have to withstand the rigours of incompetent delivery folk.

 

[brownz]

My pet hate, they're all as bad as each other, I'm sure they're trained at the same facility as airport baggage handlers !
There's a video of some "Yodel" employees transferring boxes from one van to another doing the rounds at the moment on the interwebs. Scary stuff really.....

 

[MajorFubar]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

 

[bigfish786]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

i think the materials used are sometimes a bit bland, the shapes of most are a bit boxy, like old volvos

some high quality finishing would be nice, maybe carbon fibre, polished metals. Etc.

It would be nice to point out a new cart to someone that has a wow factor to its looks, as well as its sound . Rather than pointing at your newest Lego brick

 

[Al ears]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

i think the materials used are sometimes a bit bland, the shapes of most are a bit boxy, like old volvos

some high quality finishing would be nice, maybe carbon fibre, polished metals. Etc.

It would be nice to point out a new cart to someone that has a wow factor to its looks, as well as its sound . Rather than pointing at your newest Lego brick

Nice thought but this would add a great deal to the cost and I for one prefer to pay for what is inside, or sometimes exposed.

 

[Diamond Joe]

I'm not so sure about ugly, functional maybe, although some Ortofon products look quite good, but I think the price of some of them is truly eye watering *shok*

 

[Al ears]

I'm not so sure about ugly, functional maybe, although some Ortofon products look quite good, but I think the price of some of them is truly eye watering *shok*

Especially that Anna seen in an earlier post. I want

 

[Diamond Joe]

I'm not so sure about ugly, functional maybe, although some Ortofon products look quite good, but I think the price of some of them is truly eye watering *shok*

Especially that Anna seen in an earlier post. I want

Yeah, I found one when I was surfing earlier, about £5k ish I think. I found a few dearer than that though, yoink!

 

[Al ears]

I'm not so sure about ugly, functional maybe, although some Ortofon products look quite good, but I think the price of some of them is truly eye watering *shok*

Especially that Anna seen in an earlier post. I want

Yeah, I found one when I was surfing earlier, about £5k ish I think. I found a few dearer than that though, yoink!

£4999.99 to you sir, and it does come in a very nice box. Yoink indeed.

 

[MajorFubar]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

i think the materials used are sometimes a bit bland, the shapes of most are a bit boxy, like old volvos

some high quality finishing would be nice, maybe carbon fibre, polished metals. Etc.

It would be nice to point out a new cart to someone that has a wow factor to its looks, as well as its sound . Rather than pointing at your newest Lego brick

A fair answer. Maybe there's room for those kind of considerations at the top of the price scale, but at the prices I'm ever going to be able to afford, I'm happy for them to look like boring square boxes that sound great, much like anything else in my HiFi.

 

[Al ears]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

i think the materials used are sometimes a bit bland, the shapes of most are a bit boxy, like old volvos

some high quality finishing would be nice, maybe carbon fibre, polished metals. Etc.

It would be nice to point out a new cart to someone that has a wow factor to its looks, as well as its sound . Rather than pointing at your newest Lego brick

A fair answer. Maybe there's room for those kind of considerations at the top of the price scale, but at the prices I'm ever going to be able to afford, I'm happy for them to look like boring square boxes that sound great, much like anything else in my HiFi.

Too true. When I am listening to my vinyl I cannot even see my cartridge so why the bell worry about what it looks like?

 

[bigfish786]

Neither of them do anything for me unfortunately.

Think we need a bit of help regarding what you think would be attractive.

i think the materials used are sometimes a bit bland, the shapes of most are a bit boxy, like old volvos

some high quality finishing would be nice, maybe carbon fibre, polished metals. Etc.

It would be nice to point out a new cart to someone that has a wow factor to its looks, as well as its sound . Rather than pointing at your newest Lego brick

A fair answer. Maybe there's room for those kind of considerations at the top of the price scale, but at the prices I'm ever going to be able to afford, I'm happy for them to look like boring square boxes that sound great, much like anything else in my HiFi.

Too true. When I am listening to my vinyl I cannot even see my cartridge so why the bell worry about what it looks like?

It's probably just me being me then, I would just prefer to buy something esthetically pleasing, rather than an ugly square plastic box.

If you had the choice of the two, offering the same performance, would you chose the ugly plastic, or a carbon and gold offering?