How important is how your hi-fi looks?

[DistortedVision]

I view hi-fi as luxury goods so for me its important. I think this applies especially to speakers. Some of the best speakers I've heard and the worst looking in my opinion: PMC, ATC and Spendor. I refused to buy them on this basis. Striking the right balance is especially true for speakers.

I was wondering what people's views are.

 

[insider9]

None whatsoever for me. Of importance is only the sound and it needs to physically fit into the room

I prefer to listen in the dark anyway.

EDIT
Although, it used to be not so long ago. I then went to Scalford hifi show and it all changed within hours. I started to crave speakers that I'd previously dismiss because of looks alone.

 

[newlash09]

As they reside in my dining room. I really wonder why atc and PMC can't charge the buyers an extra 200 pounds to make their speakers appealing. Probably resilience that one has to quit aesthetics to get sonic gains. But Iam not one of them. IAM probably buying a PMC twenty 26 which I will have stripped off its amarone finish and repainted in oak to go with my flooring.

 

[Vladimir]

As they reside in my dining room. I really wonder why atc and PMC can't charge the buyers an extra 200 pounds to make their speakers appealing. Probably resilience that one has to quit aesthetics to get sonic gains. But Iam not one of them. IAM probably buying a PMC twenty 26 which I will have stripped off its amarone finish and repainted in oak to go with my flooring.

ATC and PMC are pro audio manufacturers primarily, but they are catching up in the lifestyle department more each gen.

 

[tonky]

None whatsoever for me. Of importance is only the sound and it needs to physically fit into the room

I prefer to listen in the dark anyway.

EDIT Although, it used to be not so long ago. I then went to Scalford hifi show and it all changed within hours. I started to crave speakers that I'd previously dismiss because of looks alone.

+1 The sound is most important - looks secondary - and it needs to fit physically in the space available.

tonky

 

[newlash09]

Will leave the PMC's unmolested as suggested. And thanks for the assurance on Thier sound quality. Every bit helps here as IAM going blind with purchase.

 

[Gray]

As they reside in my dining room. I really wonder why atc and PMC can't charge the buyers an extra 200 pounds to make their speakers appealing. Probably resilience that one has to quit aesthetics to get sonic gains. But Iam not one of them. IAM probably buying a PMC twenty 26 which I will have stripped off its amarone finish and repainted in oak to go with my flooring.

Maybe you're buying seconhand with no choice of finish but the whole twenty range used to be available in light oak. My 21s are light oak. Nothing wrong with their appearance, not even any grille fixings on show thanks to the magnets.

I say 'used to be' because I've just looked on the PMC website at the twenty 26 (and 21). Listed under 'finishes' is jet black only! What's that all about?

Whatever their finish though, the 26s will sound fantastic (subject to the rest of your gear of course) and that's what counts.

No way would I ever be repainting speakers to match a floor! Buy an Amarone carpet if you must! (and improve the sound in the bargain)

You wouldn't like the colour matching of my components much newlash. Black, silver and champagne gold! If it all matched that would be good but it don't and I don't care.

I often hear poster's talk of their partners directing every move, colours, size, price, positioning etc. They will say of course that they're not 'under the thumb' but I actually think some blokes want to be. "Will it be OK if I put my speakers here dear?" It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

 

[Vladimir]

Would any of you buy this Sanyo set? The innards put some Accuphase and Luxman units to shame.

 

[newlash09]

Recommend it mr.vladimir

 

[Andrewjvt]

Not really fussed how it looks
If I like the brand or sound
I much prefer atc look to say something like kef reference in piano black ultra modern

 

[newlash09]

Is it wrong to demand good sounding speakers to look good too. Why should it be the accepted norm that good sounding speakers look mundane.

With increasing real estate prices, most folks don't have the liberty of a man cave any more. Atleast I don't . So my speakers go into the dining room, and I expect them to look the part, not weird looking boxes from star track. I guess iam not asking for too much.

As we progress , aesthetics will become more and more important. And manufacturers who can't address that will become reduntant. Space in almost all cities is getting scarce. So hifi now goes where everyone sees it . So it has to look good in my opinion.

 

[lindsayt]

I have never come across a genuinely good sounding speaker that looked mundane. They have all had a form follows function design. They have all looked like purposeful exercises in mechanical engineering. It'd be fair comment to call a lot of them "striking" or "unusual" or "unfashionable" or even "ugly", but "mundane"? No, never. The only mundane looking speakers I've come across have sounded mundane too.

And yes it is asking too much to demand that good sounding speakers look good too. It just can't be done due to what you have to put into a speaker, engineering wise, to make it sound good.

 

[newlash09]

Look at those monitor audio speakers , they look gorgious. And don't sound bad too. So what can't ATC and PMC do the same with their speakers.

 

[rainsoothe]

Would any of you buy this Sanyo set? The innards put some Accuphase and Luxman units to shame.

I definitely would, if they sounded that good. Also, I think they look great - they have that "heavy smoking owner" kinda look.

I'd be lying if I said looks didn't matter at all for me, but not as much as making me buy something like the horrible sounding Devialet Phantoms.

 

[lindsayt]

newlash09, whilst you're in the states try to visit a few people who own speakers that are outside the slimline ported paradigm. Speakers like electrostatics, horns, horm hybrids, huge sealed box speakers. You can find the owners of such speakers by checking out US based forums like Audio Asylum.

You could even start a thread along the lines of "Hi, I'm here from India for a few months. I'm in the State of XYZ. I'd love to hear a few speakers that aren't common in my home country as I'm embarking on my hi-fi journey (and intend buying PMC twenty 26's at $4500). Please PM me if you have any electrostatic or horned or large sealed box speakers and would be happy to allow me to listen to your system for a couple of hours."

With hi-fi it's all relative. It's only when you've heard some good sounding speakers that you realise that speakers that you previously thought were great, weren't all that good.

If the only audio equipment you'd ever heard was an alarm clock radio and the sound system in a standard Toyota Cotolla, you might well think that the Corolla had terrific sound quality.

Having said that, you might hear all the genres of speakers I'm talking about and still prefer the sound from the upper end of the model ranges from MA, ATC, PMC. In which case that would be fair enough and I'd conclude that you had very different "ears" or taste to me - which is fine. There are many routes to hi-fi happiness.

 

[Leif]

I'm shallow, looks do matter. I loved the KEF LS50 speakers when tested in the shop, but I could never buy something that looked so ugly. I tested a Spendor A1, but the finish was sub-standard for the price in my opinion. You can't spend a packet on something which has the finish of a cheap product. I have Monitor Audio S1 speakers which look gorgeous. My Arcam Solo Movie is not high end audio, but it looks decent enough and sounds good to my ears. I could not have a pile of mismatched separates, or something ugly, it is furniture after all.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Look at those monitor audio speakers , they look gorgious. And don't sound bad too. So what can't ATC and PMC do the same with their speakers.

Most people that buy atc/pmc won't have Ikea so don't worry.
They fit in to a rustic environment ok.

The speakers that Lindsay is talking about make most atc/pmc look like compact lifestyle compromise.
I've seen a set in the flesh.
Massive and sound great

 

[Vladimir]

The speakers that Lindsay is talking about make most atc/pmc look like compact lifestyle compromise. I've seen a set in the flesh. Massive and sound great

No you haven't. Those are just his TV speakers. *ROFL*

His primary criteria is to be able to walk in the speaker cabinet.

 

[nopiano]

My old Sonus faber in Piano black finish were the best looking speakers I'd ever seen, that I could afford, back in '98. It was Sonus faber that showed you could have Italian looks and great sound, while British speakers were mostly ugly boxes.

My 2017 ATC are more functional, but by no means unpleasant to my eyes, though the models preceedeing the 'curved' cabinets do look pretty chunky. Choosing them earlier this year, I was struck by the high quality finish on most makes theses day, such as KEF, Quad and even Wharfedale. Ghastly vinyl boxes are the exception nowadays. I guess we have both fashion and modern manufacturing to thank!

 

[Nelis87]

Looks matter to me. My setup is in my living room and I want it to look clean and modern. The oldskool hifi stuff just doesnt appeal to me and no matter how good Cyrus may sound it will never buy it because of how its looks. I'm a fan of the more common 43cm components, like Onkyo a9150, Vincent sv500 etc.

 

[newlash09]

That was one good suggestion. You figured out that my problem is actually a lack of reference. I could post that in the us forums and not expect too much help IAM good in the whathifi section as is ..thanks.

 

[Al ears]

Looks are, to my mind, there to impress your mates..... don't think they would be impressed with my setup.

Sonically it's brilliant but looks? I can only wish....

 

[newlash09]

But if you are limited like me to place the speakers where they are evident to one and all
Wouldn't you want them to look good too

 

[newlash09]

Pmc's off their amarone finish. But have been advised against it. So I will now be giving them a popular car wrap. I guess I will go with gold

 

[Gray]

Looks matter to me. My setup is in my living room and I want it to look clean and modern. The oldskool hifi stuff just doesnt appeal to me and no matter how good Cyrus may sound it will never buy it because of how its looks. I'm a fan of the more common 43cm components, like Onkyo a9150, Vincent sv500 etc.

Maybe half width is not for you. All I can say is that I had three amps consecutively on home loan. Roksan and Arcam were full width.

By far the best sound and the one I chose was Cyrus. To me it's absolutely unthinkable that I could have based the choice on looks.

If you haven't properly heard Cyrus, maybe it's better that you never do in case you discover what you're ruling out. (Though to be fair, you did say you didn't care how good it sounded!)