How important is spending time with your gear?

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy during times I'm not listening. When listening I go for total dark out room, eliminating distraction of physical sensory inputs allows one to 'see' further into music. Having said that, I do like the glow of tubes from my pre and 300B amp, 845 tubes are far more than glow, space heaters and like 100 watt light bulb. My SE blacked out 845 tubes much more of the nice glow.

Great topic of discussion; thanks.

I seem to have no stunningly beautiful electronics at my price point but I am fine with seeing them, or not seeing them.

I have been thinking a bit of a 'speakers only' listening room lately but my rack is three low shelves so it's less visually intrusive. But it does take up floor space that could be open instead if the rack was gone.

But, since the burlwood finish on the speakers is so beautiful (putting our furniture to shame) it's a toss-up on them being visually 'invisible' for me while listening; they already sonically are.

I'll continue the thread drift. The best visual aspect regarding my stereo room is the view out my two windows. It doesn't hurt that the window glass doesn't affect the imaging enough to bother me.

Am I a bad guy for dropping my girlfriend off early so I could go home and listen to my new DAC ?    

it is a sign that perhaps you will keep the dac and throw the girlfriend now or later...

Sorry...