For the Audiophile with a taste for good design(looks)....a question.

Ikeda tonearm, especially in contrast to the 4Point. I was considering buying one but the ambiguous setup is a headache I do not want. 

jacksky

The Conrad Johnson ART Pre-amp, was far from "eye candy".  In it's day it was considered SOTA....state of the art.  But I do agree that sometimes looks seem to be more the objective than sonic merits.  But the same can be said for automobile design for decades.  Like when Ferrari was making the original GTO and Porsche had their 356 and Detroit was trying to make barges that ate gas and could barely be stopped without brake fade....but they did have fins that looked like sci-fi movie space ships. 

Yeah, those Tektons are among the ugliest components, and certainly as residential pieces of furniture, that I have laid eyes on .

@mikeydred  

Yeah, those Tektons are among the ugliest components, and certainly as residential pieces of furniture, that I have laid eyes on .

As wonderful as all the reviews are on Tektons, in fact claiming to challenge and beat out many $30K speakers, I've often wondered why Tekton doesn't put another few hundred dollars into improving the aesthetics in each pair.  This would not meaningfully alter the price point they are building to, considering their reportedly profound value.  In fact when I read threads of folks seeking $20K speakers Tektons often get mentioned so consider the market.  It just seems like they could capture an immensely larger market if the things just looked presentable in a normal living space as opposed to dedicated rooms that have been relegated to basements or rooms that are embarrassingly finished with red carpet and cheesy wanscoting.  They should at least offer a slightly higher-priced trim package for those who love the sound but would be otherwise embarrassed or put off by the looks.

D’Agostino.