How important is aesthetics to you in purchasing


audio equipment? For example, there are certain brands that are supposed to sound spectacular, but just look terrible. do you go for the sound or looks or ???
thanks for your input.
otowick
Looks definitely is a consideration. How some manufacturers design some equipment aestically is beyond me. Everyone has different tastes though, which is why many manufacturers off the choice of silver or black. There is enough good equipment out there that I don't find myself torn into buying a gorgeous sounding unit in a hideous box. The closest I've come to that is the VAC Renassaince 30/30 mk III. Sorry, it does sound fabulous, but visually it looks like it was designed by Mr. T. I don't mean to offend anyone, it's just not my cup of tea. I couldn't sit and look at that. Another example is I recently saw a used pair of Jeff Rowland Model 7 monoblocks, they sounded good, bit unbelievably ugly. Two blocks of what look like solid gold. I guess I can take the silver and black, but too much gold appears gaudy to me. I would prefer my stereo system to call attention to itself by sound, and not because it visually screams for attention. Though some of my equipment looks good, some doesn't, but I don't own any hideous things. Of course hideous is in the eye of the beholder.
I meant no offense to those who like the looks of the above mentioned equipment. Someone must like them or they wouldn't be selling. To answer the original question, yes, to some extent visual appearance comes into play. It is very rare for me though. My wife will complain about appearance long before I will, hence the dreaded term WAF.

Cheers,
John
If you buy something that looks great but sounds so-so, you will not be happy with it in the long run. It will be like a thorn poking you every time you listen in dim light. And the upgrade bugs will bite sooner rather than later. I would go with good sound first.
Especially the appearance of speakers is very important consideration for me, when I was looking for speakers my dealer had Vandersteen, Dunlavy & Avalon available. I though each speaker sounded great and I would be happy to listen to, however the appearance of the Vanderstenn Black cloth turned me off, the large size of the Dunlavy's was in practical, the Avalon was the right choice for me. The cabinet construction quality is fabulous.
Good Question! Wow. IT makes you wonder about how we think and what pleases us with this stuff.
I do like equipment to look great, but sound is foremost I think. Still, if It doesn't look good, it's hard to get TOTALLY happy with something you have to look at all the time! Now if it's hidden, I can be MORE HAPPY with the gear if it sounds nice.
Hummmmmm...never thought too much about that. But I think you're right. It does make a difference to how I feel about the gear!
Maybe we're just vain. Naw!...there's an old saying,"if it don't go fast,CROME it!!! I guess that makes sense.
1st: Sound quality
2nd: Construction quality
3rd: Service availability & company reputation
4th: Appearance* I like the "industrial" but high quality look of most Levinson components.

*Like Lpgal, I don't think I could tolerate ugly speakers though. Cheers. Craig