AudioNervosa
Systemic Development => Bipolar System Disorders => Topic started by: biglou on June 28, 2007, 12:05:33 PM
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seems to me that equipment is getting uglier, however, i've never been accused of having good taste. some aesthetics that bug me:
1. blue LEDs used as decoration. i dont mind big blue meters, or blue displays, but dont care for highlighted logos, or tubes.
2. overuse of clear arcrylic
3. garish tube cages or protectors
4. huge logos.. PLINIUS comes to mind
5. the use of gold on any component other than vintage Marantz. ugly example: Shanling and VAC
6. over styled.. think Consonance Turnadot
is it just me?
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I've noticed a lot of the Chinese stuff looks like late-70's macho-Italian-style for whatever reason... Shiny gold cages, knobs, face plates on shiny black backrounds... way too flashy for me. I don't care for piano black anything, either.. I don't like 'shiny' stuff in large doses... but that's me.
I'm still a fan of the brushed aluminum with dimly lit blue LED's. I like the purplish-blue ones too. Butler's amps look cool... the Manley equipment looks very nice... and then some stuff looks a bit boring... like Conrad Johnson, some of the Levinson stuff, etc.
But, I really don't care what it looks like if it sounds great. I'm not a fan of the looks of my own gear (McIntosh) but love the way it sounds.
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I think so.
I liked the look of the older Classe' gear. The new stuff looks mid-fi. I liked the look of the older Plinius gear. The new stuff looks like Classe' gear. Not to mention Bel Canto....they used to make great tube gear. Now they make stuff that looks like PS Audio.
But beauty is in the sound. (and the eye of the beholder...)
Hell, I've got a purple pre-amp :wtf: :rofl:
WEEZ
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lord knows i didnt choose the JuicyMusic Blueberry on its looks! i agree with your Classe assessment. i just cant help but feel i'd be paying extra for having a logo carved into an aluminum faceplate.
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I sure like the looks of the Raysonic cd player! :drool:
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lord knows i didnt choose the JuicyMusic Blueberry on its looks! i agree with your Classe assessment. i just cant help but feel i'd be paying extra for having a logo carved into an aluminum faceplate.
You hit the nail on the head. The looks cost money, that IMO could be used for better parts. Machine work is very expensive. They just don't get it. Keep it simple silly. Design the enclosure to compliment the design and use materials to control resonance than just look good. Interaction of materials is key to sound quality. Ever wonder why different footers for example react differently with each component? Resonance Free Technology can be very affective. Halcro is an example, of well thought out material choice based on this technology. Overpriced yes but very well executed.
So IMO save the manf. cost of "Rodeo Drive eye candy" and improve the parts selection. Shorten the signal path, improve and separate the power supply with balanced transformers, use V-caps and shield the the enclousure to ground. Just a few ways to improve the design. Imagine, maybe MBL with its superior circuit designs could tame the looks and make components we could afford. Now if they would only heed to our advice. Function over looks what a pleasant thought.
rollo
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I personally prefer spartan, minimalistic looking understated design cues Vs gawdy overpriced Audio Jewelry.To each his own i guess....WCW III