Why are modern arms so ugly?


OK.......you're going to say it's subjective and you really looove the look of modern tonearms?
But the great tonearms of the Golden Age are genuinely beautiful in the way that most Ferraris are generally agreed to be beautiful.
Look at the Fidelity Research FR-64s and FR-66s? Look at the SAEC 308 series and the SAEC 407/23? Look at the Micro Seiki MA-505? Even the still audacious Dynavector DV-505/507?
But as an architect who's lifetime has revolved around aesthetics.......I am genuinely offended by the design of most modern arms. And don't give me the old chestnut....'Form follows Function' as a rational for ugliness. These current 'monsters' will never become 'Classics' no matter how many 'rave reviews' they might temporarily assemble.
128x128halcro
I wonder what the WAF rating would be for this...[http://www.horomusic.com/filosofia2.jpg]
Graham arms ugly?

I personally think they look great - I never got tired of the look and quality feel of my Graham 1.5T (which I owned for ~18 yrs). Sound eventually took precedence and I upgraded to the Phantom - whose look and feel are also superior IMO.

As for the earlier arms I've owned - I liked the SME V's battleship build, though it was hardly beautiful. The Sumiko MDC800 was beautiful (IMO) and had a quality feel to the touch - I miss it.
BTW Halcro, the Dynavector arm you mention has always looked ugly to me, I used to wonder who would want to own such a thing. (I'm talking about looks, I acknowledge that this is a fine sounding arm). Seriously, compare that monstrosity to the elegant Sumiko MDC800.

Perhaps fortunately, beauty is a very subjective thing.