Ugliest component ever created

[Mart68]

 

[Waxx]

I don't know what these are, and i don't think i want to know...

 

[fpitas]

With a lot of these, they don't have to be ugly; but it's like a team sat down and said, "How can we make it wonky?"

 

[khensu]

I don't know what these are, and i don't think i want to know...

Tube-based espresso machines?

 

[tubess1988]

These usually make an appearance in such threads, and rightly so:

View attachment 155937

The Daleks are here to see you Dr.Who..

 

[Prana Ferox]

I don't know what these are, and i don't think i want to know...

This looks like part of something Pee-Wee would make as a wife for Conky

 

[tubess1988]

Tube-based espresso machines?

I don't know what these are, and i don't think i want to know...

It's a double espresso machine?

 

[Rednaxela]

 

[TonyJZX]

This is also hideous ugly, the HSE Masterline 7 Phono preamp:

I actually let out a "WHAT TH' F'C" when I scrolled to this.

Its not ugly per se but its over designed. To me there's not a lot of 'ugly gear' out there... there is certainly ugly stuff in this thread.

but i see d'Agostino and Gryphon gear and I came to the same conclusion... the designers didnt know when to stop.

And no one in the company told them to "go home" for the day.

eg.

I have no doubts this is a fine piece of machinery and I would love to own it just to revel in its insanity but I would always smile to myself at the absurdity.

 

[jsrtheta]

I see koala with big fuzzy ears.

Or a McCormack Micro Line Drive having an allergic reaction to something.

 

[jsrtheta]

I don't know whether to run away from it or try to have sex with it.

Run away.

 

[egellings]

I don't know what these are, and i don't think i want to know...

Like the steam punk on that one. Where does the coffee come out?

 

[Soniclife]

Actually can’t remember but for ugly and fatuous this takes some beating.

It is a ‘record clamp’ in case you were wondering.
Keith

That's not a clamp, it's a harmonic exciter you balance on top of a record, it's probably also a gift to the replacement cartridge sellers.

 

[egellings]

That's not a clamp, it's a harmonic exciter you balance on top of a record, it's probably also a gift to the replacement cartridge sellers.

How many grand do they charge for that?

 

[JeffS7444]

Like the steam punk on that one. Where does the coffee come out?

I think Josh Stippich was only around 16 when he created those. Can't recall if I saw those exact amps or a later creation in person, but thought the visuals were very imaginative, and execution looked impressive. You are basically buying a sculpture which happens to function as a hifi component.

 

[Purité Audio]

How many grand do they charge for that?

I can’t remember if it was five or ten k ( pounds sterling that is).
Keith

 

[Mnyb]

This..... takes the cake , looks like craft project from school when the poor designers had their sense of style erased by an radiation therapy machine ( Therac-25 with the bugg )

 

[Multicore]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Metaxas and Sins:

Take a look at their R2R. It looks as if it couldn't afford to see a dentist:

Did you watch the Cronenberg film of Naked Lunch?

 

[Multicore]

An over-engineered TT.

I thought it looked more like a 1970s Doctor Who radio telescope.

 

[Mart68]

This..... takes the cake , looks like craft project from school when the poor designers had their sense of style erased by an radiation therapy machine ( Therac-25 with the bugg )

I know - it is an even bigger visual impact when seen in the flesh, as it were.

It's ugly but it's at least visually interesting, whereas a lot of modern equipment manages to look both ugly and bland.