How Much Do Aesthetics Factor Into Your Decisions?


Right or wrong, I have always taken what a component looks like into consideration when making a purchase. I like my components to look good.

Much like when I buy clothes. Fit, comfort and construction are important, but clothing also has to make you feel good when you wear it.

How do you feel about it.

Do you want everything to have a certain synergy of appearance, or are you okay wearing brown shoes with a tuxedo? So to speak.

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Lucky me I’ve loved the look and sound from all my audio equipment. But I would say it has to be something that I would also love to look at while playing music. For example I love to look at all those tubes glowing from my Audio Research Ref 750 mono blocks at night in the pitch black of my music room and get memorized by them and the sound quality of them. Now for my B&W 800 matrix speakers I’ve always loved the way they looked ever since I saw them in Stereophile in 91. Had to have them from looks alone. Bought them without even hearing them. And love the sound from them just as much as looking at them. Same with my ARC Ref 750s. Bought them without even hearing them. And couldn’t be happier. 

In a living area aesthetics are very important. Therefore small and unobtrusive.  In a listening area (home theater, music room) aesthetics mean nothing. Performance is everything.

Aesthetics are not high on my list - to the point where unless they are disgustingly ugly (and I have seen some that are) I only look for good sound.  I did have a minor battle with my wife when I acquired big Wilsons - first when three large crates weighing 1100 lbs. showed up and again when I had to explain that the speaker grilles had to be taken off  for listening (presumably viewed by he-who-must-be-obeyed as making them even uglier).