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
Sound is critical but looks help.  Op should look at Raven Audio they make some of the best looking and sounding tube amps that money can buy.  I have a Reflection Integrated MK2 tube amp that is a thing of beauty and outstanding power and sound.  I actually have it as a show piece and every time a guest comes into my house they want to know what that cool looking piece of machinery is.   
Zavato,
I loved my MR78, C-29, MC2105 and MC2300 with the lights dimmed.  Mac makes some of the best looking gear, proving that you can have good looks and superb sound.  These days things are simpler for me.  It's a Sansui 9090DB which looks and sounds wonderful. 

I have recently noticed that many high end systems are so  ugly I could never live with them. Speaker cables the thickness of a coke bottles strung across the floor on little speaker towers, thick stiff patch cables hanging from preamps, room tunes stuck to walls and ceilings, huge separate stands for amplifiers that were designed to sit on the floor...come on people it's a stereo!

I must be getting old, this stuff just looks so silly.  I am a musician and I insist on good sound, but also a good looking system that blends with my wife's tasteful decor is likewise important to us both.
Some systems just look comical.

N.
Aesthetics are important to me.  Call me shallow, but I like my electronic gear to be beautiful as well as sound amazing.  I think Levinson is some of the most rewarding gear to own in terms of appearance and man/machine tactile interface.  They do it right IMO.
Op should look at Raven Audio they make some of the best looking and sounding tube amps that money can buy. I have a Reflection Integrated MK2 tube amp that is a thing of beauty and outstanding power and sound. I actually have it as a show piece and every time a guest comes into my house they want to know what that cool looking piece of machinery is.


I agree that Raven has really nice looking gear. However, the Raven emblem could be toned down quite a bit. Maybe, a bit smaller. To me, the size of the emblem looks too "chevy". Some of the newer Chevy cars (I despise General Motors for their company culture) look decent except for the giant size bow tie emblem.
Probably the 2 "prettiest" components I've ever owned are my Cary SLP-98 pre-amp (in "jaguar red" with black faceplate), & my former Merlin TSM-M's (also in red).

The SLP-98 also has the advantage of having a separate power supply, so that the preamp is very slim & small. And the tubes are exposed. It doesn't look like just a metal box.