Most aesthetically pleasing amplifiers

[JiiPee]

Am I one of the few that thinks the best looking amplifier is the one you don't see?
All that it does can be controlled by remote. It fits inside a speaker, so why make an extra device out of that?

As an aside I often wondered why not more home cinema and car stereo speakers can be made active? Leave all the digital processing to 1 device and you're done.

There are all those "audiophiles" who absolutely hate the idea of integration. Their obsession is to have an audio system consisting of as many separate boxes as possible, so that they can dedicate their life to finding the optimal chain of boxes, where each box is a kind of fixed parametric equalizer alleviating the weaknesses of the rest of the chain.

Somehow, the idea that a manufacturer could build just one box, and make it right, seems to be heretical to them

 

[Killingbeans]

Am I one of the few that thinks the best looking amplifier is the one you don't see?

Nope, I said the same thing in post #20

Somehow, the idea that a manufacturer could build just one box, and make it right, seems to be heretical to them

A big part of what makes this hobby attractive to people is the great hunt for the fabled "synergy". It's no fun if you just buy a near-perfect all-in-one solution

(Peronally I don't mind skipping that part)

 

[kanefsky]

For what it's worth, I'd just like to underscore this insight. It reminds me of my aesthetic beef re: many things Parasound. The brand is responsible for good quality and not inexpensive hifi componentry -- but much of it looks cheap. It's got that 1980s/early '90s "imitation precision" look of the rack stereo systems that became popular in those days, and/or the genre known on some forums as "BPC" (Black Plastic Cr@p). It's not cheap -- but it looks cheap!

I agree that some of the low end Parasound stuff looks cheap, but I think the Halo stuff is very nice -- at least in terms of the front panel part that you see. I admit the sheet metal on the top and sides isn't very high-end but otherwise I think something like an A23 has some of the best aesthetic bang-for-the-buck at that price. I had a P6/A23+ combo in one spot for a few years and I don't think it suffered much at all in comparison to Bryston, Luxman, or Benchmark amps in my other systems as far as aesthetics go (especially considering the relative prices as I said).

 

[Powerbench]

 

[Angsty]

View attachment 204264

I still have a NAD 1600 that is just the pre-amp portion of this integrated. It's eclipsed in performance by my Bryston B100, but I can't bear to part with it because of nostalgia!

 

[Powerbench]

Yes the 1600 was a beauty. NAD had the monitor series design nailed especially with the rack handles.

 

[Angsty]

Don't get me wrong -- I like Nixies. Nixies are cool... but... why?!?

From an interview with Ron Sutherland:

Phil: And an unusual display [in the N1].

Ron: Those are called Nixie tubes and they were invented in 1955. They were the first numeric display. Before that you'd have 10 light bulbs lined up with numbers stuck on them. This is the first in line numeric display.

Phil: Why are you using these?

Ron: Because people like them and I like them. It's for fun.

An Interview With Ron Sutherland Of Sutherland Engineering Interview By Phil Gold

An Interview With Ron Sutherland Of Sutherland Engineering Interview By Phil Gold - Enjoy the Music.com Review Magazine

www.enjoythemusic.com

 

[kanefsky]

NAD is a really interesting brand that sort of looks cheap but has a really nice aesthetic at the same time somehow. I never had an NAD amp but I did have a 13" NAD TV a long long time ago along with a Laserdisc player just because I was a perfectionist and preferred to watch widescreen letterboxed Laserdisc movies on a really nice 13" TV than pan-n-scan VHS movies on a big crappy TV

 

[mhardy6647]

I agree that some of the low end Parasound stuff looks cheap, but I think the Halo stuff is very nice -- at least in terms of the front panel part that you see. I admit the sheet metal on the top and sides isn't very high-end but otherwise I think something like an A23 has some of the best aesthetic bang-for-the-buck at that price. I had a P6/A23+ combo in one spot for a few years and I don't think it suffered much at all in comparison to Bryston, Luxman, or Benchmark amps in my other systems as far as aesthetics go (especially considering the relative prices as I said).

Good point! You are correct (IMO, of course). If I had a few more minutes earlier today, I would have added that the really expensive Parasound components look pretty good -- i.e., much better than the merely rather expensive Parasound components, which look cheap (to me) relative to their not inconsiderable cost.

NAD is a really interesting brand that sort of looks cheap but has a really nice aesthetic at the same time somehow.

Well put. I would concur (FWIW). Some of the NAD stuff looked quite elegant and (almost) minimalist. Some of it got pretty busy looking, but still not inelegant (like the 7600 pictured above, I'd opine). Some was moderately Byzantine and stylistically jumbled. And... very early on, the NAD stuff looked sort of pseudo-sophisticated, cheap and tawdry, and elegant all at the same time! McIntosh, (I'd further opine) treads a similar line, more today than ever before, I'd say!

 

[mhardy6647]

Oh, and speaking of

pseudo-sophisticated, cheap and tawdry, and elegant all at the same time

Here's one of the most revoltingly amazing (or amazingly revolting, if one prefers) abominations of receiver (not amplifier -- sorry!) aesthetics ever foisted upon an unwitting cadre of consumers.

Sears Professional Series. 'nuff said.

It's as if someone looked at a Yamaha receiver of the mid 1970s such as the already pretty excessive CR-1000, also considered the simple, understated elegance of the big Marantz receivers and said to themselves: "Yeah, that's kinda nice, but it needs a little more zing!"
I wouldn't wonder if this putative someone was smoking an odiferous cigar at the time, as well.

EDIT: Yeah, I went with one of the quad Marantz receivers as my exemplar... go big or go home, baby!

 

[kanefsky]

Here's one of the most revoltingly amazing (or amazingly revolting, if one prefers) abominations of receiver (not amplifier -- sorry!) aesthetics ever foisted upon an unwitting cadre of consumers.

They wouldn't be half as bad if it weren't for those fonts. My eyes.... my eyes....

This was my first receiver and I still think it's one of the most beautiful things ever (maybe just because of sentimentality). Despite the fact that it had vinyl veneer (ugh). The best part is that you could send the needle from one end of the dial to the other with one spin of that flywheel tuning knob

 

[mhardy6647]

Aesthetically (de gustibus and all that), FWIW, I prefer the generation of Pioneers just before the SX-*80s (i.e., the SX-*50s).
Sonically, meh, but very attractive and also indisputably well made.
I do have one of them.

 

[JiiPee]

Pathos stack: Converto MK2 preamp with DAC; In The Groove phono preamp; AmpliD 2x130W at 4 ohm power amp.

 

[killdozzer]

why would it be, neither was my comment
the whole idea behind this topic is difference in tastes, isn't it?

You're right and I didn't mean to make it look like you'd react. I just stressed that to start off friendly-like. I sometimes overdo it in an on-line communication as I see it more prone to misunderstanding.

 

[killdozzer]

Something I'd watch even when it's not playing. (Overpriced? But of course.)

 

[mhardy6647]

Oh, you know -- as I reflect on this thread (which I have, quite a bit, actually), here's one (OK, two) that still check all of the boxes for me.

The late James "Bongo" Bongiorno's Great American Sound Co. (GAS) had two beautiful (IMO, of course) amplifiers: the GAS Son of Ampzilla and the Grandson (with meters, which were optional).

both borrowed images

The Ampzilla was not exactly beautiful but it was certainly striking. I wouldn't want to be struck by one, though.

not a borrowed image: this Amp(zilla) is not mine, but it is in my basement.

The Man himself: an aesthetic statement in his own inimitable way.

 

[Moderate Dionysianism]

Seeing that my previous post was quite well received and that HP amps weren't explicitly banned by the OP, I'm returning with more T+A p.rn

For me this is one of those cases where, if I ever had this kind of money to spend on audio, the looks could make up for some ~20dB of SINAD easily

 

[FrantzM]

On the Accuracy side of the equation these are horrible... Not worth 1/100th of the price (seriously) ... I do find them however, beautiful. An impressive-looking piece of equipment... A bit of Steampunk, maybe but ..
Wavac

 

[Powerbench]

Onix SP3

 

[killdozzer]

Seeing that my previous post was quite well received and that HP amps weren't explicitly banned by the OP, I'm returning with more T+A p.rn

For me this is one of those cases where, if I ever had this kind of money to spend on audio, the looks could make up for some ~20dB of SINAD easily

Ha! T+A with their pills-blister buttons. I like'em. They're German, no?