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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Are aesthetics and sound reproduction quality mutually exclusive? posted by cfb on October 26, 2002 at 11:57:59:
You pose many questions. But I will attempt to answer them in order.No, it does not have to be ugly to sound good. Although people who saw my Eico 20 integrated amp thought so.
What's aesthetically appealing? I happen to think nice wood grain is attractive. So my preference is for speakers to have a lot of wood showing, and a pretty grain. Back in the 60's and 70's I loved the Pioneer's wood cases and those that were available for Marantz and the Phase Linear gear. Best looking gear? A Pioneer SX-828, Marantz 500, or McIntosh, or a Phase Linear 400 with the wood case. For speakers, I always liked the appearance of the Beverige and the JBL Paragon. It didn't hurt that they sounded good, too.
For a stylish, yet good sounding system, I select: original Snell A, driven by a Phase Linear 400 with the wood case. For a source we'll go with a Dunlop turntable (I can't think of a handsome CD player). Tuner, the Marantz 10B with the wood case. And for a preamp, the matching Marantz also with a wood case. Am I dating myself? Probably, but I think the last 20-25 years of "professional" black gear is about as unstylish as it gets. And gear that "makes a styling statement" like the B&W Nautilus is mostly just plain ugly or even bizarre. I can excuse things like the NAD's molded plastic front panels and Vandersteens' black "sock", particularly at their price point and as a trade off for good sound. And functionally, I can excuse a "form follows function" approach as in many turntables. But something like the Manley amplifier's form seems to have no functional purpose, and I think it's bizarre. But that's my opinion. That was what you asked for, wasn't it?
Hope that's what you wanted.
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Follow Ups
- Re: Are aesthetics and sound reproduction quality mutually exclusive? - Bold Eagle 10/27/0220:17:29 10/27/02 (1)
- Re: Are aesthetics and sound reproduction quality mutually exclusive? I don't think they have to be. - EveAnna Manley 10:58:18 10/28/02 (0)
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