Most Beautiful Receiver / Integrated - Ever was... ?

@bobheinatz

Totally with you there. :)

I am giving up being fuzzy and mixing and matching for the sake of minimum cables/clutter and maximum system simplicity.

Hard to do with a mixed music/movie system, but I'm trying.

E

I always cared more about sound than looks, and my systems tend to be ugly, bare tubes, rusty transformer covers and wires all over the place. But appearances are important, especially where user interfacing occurs or if there's a wife or girlfriend involved.

So I'll have to vote for the Marantz integrateds, like the 1030, or the Hong-Kong built Tandberg 3030 receiver, if you like lots of knobs and switches. I have one of these in my bedroom. These are much nicer than the more popular models with the blue lights.

However, if you're willing to expand the OP and include separates, nothing but nothing beats a Pye Mozart set.

http://umeya.bz/php/vintageaudio/pict.php?pic=manager/upfile/65_549444feeed1b2.jpg

Kyoccera, was pretty cool looking stuff at the time. If I am correct they were the first company to use mosfets and advertise them as tube-like.

Marantz 4400 4 chanell receiver with it's scope. amazing to look at in the dark!!

From the early 80's the Harmon Kardon stack. Featuring the spage age looking 775, "Ultra High Dynamic Range" mono blocks with the "I believe" first ever digital metering and shot beaded stainless finish. Even the tuner had a digital display that all ahh'd and ooh'd over. All components the exact same size. With the tiny "compared to ANY other" amp's back in the day. They were truly ahead of their time. Alas, I finally sold mine a few months ago.
     And maybe it's a stretch but I think the Onkyo M-508 Grand Integra with it's separate channel volume pots should qualify as an receiver/integrated amp. Sitting in the dark, listening.....and watching those gargantuan green ghost meters. Those were the day's that still are for me!