Looks vs performance

[plastic penguin]

Anything with VU meters. Damn the performance just look at me 😍

Always liked Marantz gear so just stuck with them, I'm not a very adventurous guy.

Yup, anything with dancing VU meters does it for me.

 

[AJM1981]

My checklist in the exact sequence:
- What have multiple sources published about its sound quality?
- What is its frequency range. Useful for the amp - sub - speakers synergy in order to really have good extensions rather than overlapping frequencies.
-Does it have the necessary connections I would like to use. I don't like to miss one, and not to have dozens that I don't use
- Design

This might sound as that I buy bad looking products, but everything apart from some homebrew is great looking stuff in the first place.

Practical example of exceptions in why I would exclude certain design elements for home use. The JBL L100 has great looking grilles but I am sure that foamy stuff gets dirty over time. Besides that, our cat has a foam obsession and likes to chew on it, they would not last long. Especially when they are almost at ground level as they are. But still interesting speakers.

I don't know if speakers which are tilted slightly upwards provide an ideal angle but they dare to revive products with a different approach, I like that 🙂

 

[Dom]

I liked the Emit M30's by the way it looked and didn't purchase them for any other reason. The amplifier does look the part however, so I bought that because I knew it was a good amplifier.

 

[RoA]

This is at first a strange question, my initial thought was performance is everything and who cares about looks.
The thing is I liked the Emit M30's by the way it looked and wouldn't purchase them for any other reason. The amplifier does look the part however, but I bought that because I knew it was a good amplifier.

Most of us have partners to consider. Luckily I like Hifi to be 'tucked away' ... as much out of sight as possible though it seems I am in a minority. - Unfortunately that's not possible with speakers most of the time. Reality is, most folks, especially women but inclusive probably most non-audiophiles which are the majority of human kind, find very little attractive about electronic boxes on display.

 

[plastic penguin]

Still one of my favourite amps aesthetically was my old Pioneer SA-706.

 

[Symples]

Still one of my favourite amps aesthetically was my old Pioneer SA-706.

My first amp was a Pioner SA608 bought in 1980

 

[Symples]

The Yams don't appeal aesthetically

Funny you should mention that, as I quite like the look of their higher-end amp and am looking for one as my next purchase.

Second hand of course, as I'm not paying those prices!

 

[plastic penguin]

My first amp was a Pioner SA608 bought in 1980

Very nice. Pioneer seemed to have married looks with sound back in the 70s and early 80s. I kept mine for 17 years...

 

[plastic penguin]

Funny you should mention that, as I quite like the look of their higher-end amp and am looking for one as my next purchase.

Second hand of course, as I'm not paying those prices!

I had a Yam 2100 amp on home demo a few years ago, there was little to fault sound wise, aesthetically it was sassy. Didn't quite have the X-Factor of the Leema in terms of sound.

 

[Symples]

I had a Yam 2100 amp on home demo a few years ago, there was little to fault sound wise, aesthetically it was sassy. Didn't quite have the X-Factor of the Leema in terms of sound.

..and the A S2100 is precisely the model I want
In silver to match the CD

 

[matthewpianist]

Whilst sound quality is my number one it has increasingly been accompanied by the importance of practicality/functionality and looks. Like, I suspect, many here, I don't have a dedicated listening room and the hi-fi has to fit in to a certain extent.

The kit currently in place ticks these boxes quite well. I could improve the overall look by putting the big Denon in place of the Sansui, but I generally find the little 70s Sansui more enjoyable to listen to. I do also have a Cyrus ONE HD, and this very nicely combines features, looks and sound quality in a great package.

In the bedroom I have the Technics Ottava all-in-one. It's superb, and they make a version designed to be used with external rather than integrated speakers. My ideal would be to have this with the Focals downstairs, but it will have to wait a while.

 

[plastic penguin]

..and the A S2100 is precisely the model I want
In silver to match the CD

Certainly a very good sounding amp, matched with dancing VU meters. I understand the appeal.

 

[treesey]

I don't think you chaps are going to go for the looks of my 1970's amplifier....

 

[Gray]

Yup, anything with dancing VU meters does it for me.

Nah, nobody needs that sort of gimmickry.

.....anyway, to make mine more gimmicky, I fitted a couple of remote controlled RGB LEDs to each - so they can be any colour:


They look OK in the dark.
Trouble is, using its own PSU, this board:

makes them genuine peak meters....so you really see the lack of dynamic range in some music.....and shocking radio stations 😱.

 

[plastic penguin]

Nah, nobody needs that sort of gimmickry.

.....anyway, to make mine more gimmicky, I fitted a couple of remote controlled RGB LEDs to each - so they can be any colour:
View attachment 4039View attachment 4040
View attachment 4041
They look OK in the dark.
Trouble is, using its own PSU, this board:
View attachment 4042
makes them genuine peak meters....so you really see the lack of dynamic range in some music.....and shocking radio stations 😱.

That is soooooo blingy.

They look like they are preamps from some unknown Japanese maker.

 

[Gray]

They look like they are preamps from some unknown Japanese maker.

They're a BBC invention - why you always see them in old radio stations / OB vans.
(Probably explains the 34a model, similar to the 35a LS number).

The design brief was fast attack, slow decay.
High contrast, non- fatiguing to look at - hence white on black and with number 4 representing 0dB - as they wanted the majority of the dancing to be roughly central.

 

[plastic penguin]

They're a BBC invention - why you always see them in old radio stations / OB vans.
(Probably explains the 34a model, similar to the 35a LS number).

The design brief was fast attack, slow decay.
High contrast, non- fatiguing to look at - hence white on black and with number 4 representing 0dB - as they wanted the majority of the dancing to be roughly central.

Never seen them in a OB van. They look nice but too blingy for my pallet.

 

[Dom]

24 years ago, an old friend said I could have his Sanyo stereo music system which OfCourse I couldn't afford so he gifted them to me, the speakers you are seeing with a Sanyo 6-disk system player are are not these, but they are dam-near-close to what I had, and I will thank him for them if I see him again?

 

[robdmarsh]

Looks wise I have an aversion to Rega, in fact the Rega Brio looks like something an electronics student might knock up in his garage. The newer models look a lot better (Elex mk4 etc). I like those vintage Japanese amps for looks cos they look so cozy but they're a bit too big and I'm not sure about reliability of such items.

 

[matthewpianist]

Looks wise I have an aversion to Rega, in fact the Rega Brio looks like something an electronics student might knock up in his garage. The newer models look a lot better (Elex mk4 etc). I like those vintage Japanese amps for looks cos they look so cozy but they're a bit too big and I'm not sure about reliability of such items.

I do agree that a lot of Rega kit has slight hints of Heath Robinson in its looks, though there is usually very good performance behind that for the price.

I think Denon kit is about the best looking these days, and I like the fact that they maintain the quality look at all price points instead of reserving it only for the more expensive stuff.