Faceplates Silver or Black???????

I do go with black to match...but function is still the most important. Sorry for being style conscious.

Used to go black, now everthing silver. Must easier to see the lettering as my eyes get older. I went so far as to sell my Black SimAudio LP5.3 and purchase the same thing in silver because I got its external power supply in silver. Now I use a Musical Fidelity NuVista M3 integrated, although mine doesnt have all the gold accents and MF A3/24 DAC. My Oracle Delphi V SE and Transrotor Fat Boy are as shiny silver as can be, but my Sota Cosmos IV is African Rosewood. My project turntables will likely all have wood grain plinths, but some will have silver top plates and some Black.
I guess as I get older, the silver is jus easier to read and lighter feeling instead of the black techy look. If I had a choice, however, I would probably go for the Titanium grey finish that my old Carver Receiver 2000 had. Very pretty unit. Oh, speakers are black.

Its all about the sound. All that glitters is not gold.

Black or Silver: It's a survival decision!!!

Most of my rig is silver face plate, e.g., linestage and CDP. The phono pre has a black face plate. I just jumped from the ARC PH-7 to the ARC PH-8. Ordinarily, I would have gone with a silver face plate.

But, my PH-7 has a black face plate. I had to special order my PH-8 to have a black face plate to match the old PH-7. Otherwise. my wife would pick up the change in one nanosecond and my life would be worth "bubkas" (nothing of value; junk).

Aahh, what one has to do to maintain "shalom bayis" (peace in the home).

My PH-8 should arive any day. I bought it from John Rutan at Audio Connection in Verona NJ. I'll report back on how it sounds after I break it in -- or my wife breaks it over my head if she figures out what I did. In the meantime, my PH-7 is listed for sale on the "Gon" and eBay for a very fair price. It's a great phono pre -- it really is. I've just heard so much hype about the PH-8, I had to try it. But believe me, the PH-7 sings!!!

To sum up: Gear color is a matter of choice, and "Notbananas" does not want his wife to know he buys cosmetic-free women based on performance.

Also...United Home Audio (sounds like a socialist hifi movement) puts Asian patterned stickers on some well regarded reel to reel tape machines. It's true. I'd like to see more wood veneered audio stuff (like a nice dashboard) or maybe Pass Labs or somebody could come up with a fake fur covered amp...but make it a good one so purists would buy it. Astroturf power amps...something...anything...