Most aesthetically pleasing amplifiers

[conqueeftador]

Not what is usually discussed, but everything out of the equation, what in your eyes is the best looking amplifier and why?

 

[JSmith]

Gotta love those VU's... unnecessarily pricey though. Would be great to see how it performs on the AP.


JSmith

 

[TheBatsEar]

 

[brandonhall]

 

[mhardy6647]

There are/have been oh-so-many.

Here's a personal fave -- setting a benchmark for timeless design, IMO (and FWIW).
borrowed images, since I'd have to sell a kidney to afford a single amp, much less a stereo pair.

the original morph (early 1960s):

the reissue (mid-1990s, IIRC):

 

[Moderate Dionysianism]

 

[Rednaxela]

It's a preamp, but I've always had a soft spot for this beauty.

 

[DSJR]

Hello all, spoilsport here

While you lot are wetting yourselves over acres of bling and meters (and a very average performance inside I bet), old grumpyguts here appreciates the half century old charms of this little beastie -

This is the very sample, but better pictured from the sale info. It's the perfect amplifying appliance and I love it for that (and the low price I paid for it). Currently, not even the optional front panel that was an add-on for these earlier models...

 

[kongwee]

 

[Mart68]

dodge journey 0 60 time

 

[dualazmak]

I agree with @JSmith and @TheBatsEar.

I use Accuphase E-460;

and Yamaha A-S3000;

in my multichannel multi-driver (multi-way) multi-amplifier stereo system.

Edit: System setup as of May 30, 2022; Please refer to my post here and here.

 

[JSmith]

Sansui BA-5000 Stereo/Mono Power Amplifier Manual | HiFi Engine

www.hifiengine.com

JSmith

 

[Zuccinho]

I have this one

But I wanted this (so I could imagine I lived in a cold war submarine or something)

 

[Andrew s]

Certainly not one with VU meters. Distracting, pointless... ... I hate them.
My Benchmark AHB2 is pure understated beauty.

Regards Andrew

 

[dualazmak]

Just for our reference, we have (had) a similar thread entitled "Poll: Best Looking Stereo Integrated Amp"...

 

[Midwest Blade]

How could I not include my odd little amp...

 

[DSJR]

Keeping it simple and less expensive than the incredibly shiny confections pictured above, I always had a soft spot for this brand, marketed by B&W in the UK - Available in silver or shiny black at very sensible lowish prices, there was a tuner and CD player to go with it and we found speakers to go with them that made for a lovely simple stereo system.

 

[Mart68]

 

[DSJR]

One more and I'll leave you all alone. May I please include these, as they look better and better as the decades pass

The B&O's below are fetching totally mad money now for fifty odd year old items, but that stylee did them well for well over a decade -

 

[Killingbeans]

Not what is usually discussed, but everything out of the equation, what in your eyes is the best looking amplifier and why?

The ones in active speakers

Other than that, I like anything small and inconspicuous.