What is the best LOOKING audio component you have bought

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #80 on:** 23 Feb 2013, 01:08 am »

My first system, a Beogram turntable and some Beovox standmounted speakers. From Bang and Olufsen.

George3 · « **Reply #81 on:** 23 Feb 2013, 02:51 am »

T-100....Modded, of course.....

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #82 on:** 24 Feb 2013, 06:34 am »

Rare bird sighting - both beautiful in their own way : Manley Neo-Classic 300B Pre and Esoteric K-03...

D.D.

edwyun · « **Reply #83 on:** 26 Feb 2013, 04:56 am »

I'm a sucker for innards, myself...

TONEPUB · « **Reply #84 on:** 26 Feb 2013, 08:08 am »

Love those Pass/Threshold amps....

Got an Aleph myself. Love it.

edwyun · « **Reply #85 on:** 28 Feb 2013, 03:45 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 26 Feb 2013, 08:08 am

Got an Aleph myself. Love it.

The Alephs are all definite keepers. Plus, they double as room heaters in the winter!

thomashek · « **Reply #86 on:** 19 Apr 2013, 02:03 am »

High gloss rosewood Dynaudio Confidence C1. Also Sonus Faber Cremona M were nice.

pglbook · « **Reply #87 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 04:07 pm »

Yamaha CR 2020 vintage receiver. A beautiful classic!

WireNut · « **Reply #88 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 04:23 pm »

That Manley looks nice

James Romeyn · « **Reply #89 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 04:54 pm »

Mark Levinson No. 23

And Wilson Audio WATT (2 or 3, can't remember, no Puppy)

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #90 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 06:08 pm »

Quote from: WireNut on 27 Apr 2013, 04:23 pm

That Manley looks nice

Thanks, WireNut. Imagine if I could take a decent picture...

I like that Manley house-style but it's not for everybody. It sounds pretty awesome, too.

D.D.

neekomax · « **Reply #91 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 07:08 pm »

Quote from: Diamond Dog on 27 Apr 2013, 06:08 pm

Thanks, WireNut. Imagine if I could take a decent picture...

I like that Manley house-style but it's not for everybody. It sounds pretty awesome, too.

D.D.

DD, how would you describe the Manley's contribution to your system's sound? Kickass looking preamp, since that's the topic. I like to SEE that glass, maaaan....

skifasterslc · « **Reply #92 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 09:14 pm »

I had these Talon Raven's a few years ago, I always thought they were damn handsome

SteveFord · « **Reply #93 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 10:01 pm »

Not my photos but I do own these and find them to be handsome:

InfernoSTi · « **Reply #94 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 10:15 pm »

Hawthorne Audio Reference Speakers in Sepele wood....four baffles total.

In my listening room:

The "left" speaker(s):

Those are 15" drivers (to give a sense of scale). Sorry about the fuzzy phone camera shots...

Best,
John

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #95 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 11:39 pm »

Quote from: neekomax on 27 Apr 2013, 07:08 pm

DD, how would you describe the Manley's contribution to your system's sound? Kickass looking preamp, since that's the topic. I like to SEE that glass, maaaan....

Not much light-show outside of the rectifiers but whatta ya gonna do? Some of the pix in this thread are spectacular ! So jealous...

Funny you should ask about the Neo's contribution to my system's sound. A recent thread on AC about preamps had me asking the same thing so I took it out of the system and ran my K-03 straight into the amps for a while. When I put the Neo back in the mix, it made the presentation of the Esoteric on it's own sound like bonsai hi-fi - exquisitely detailed, virtually perfect but small...The Neo really fleshed out the sound, gave it dimensionality and a much larger soundstage. Bass not quite as tight, a hair less detail but overall more of a sound you feel you could just walk into and wander around in, getting in the way of musicians, stepping on their cords and knocking over sheet music stands...The K-03 has real game and I could learn to live without the Neo but I'm glad I don't have to.

D.D.

mcbuddah · « **Reply #96 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 04:29 am »

The most beautiful piece I used to own was about twenty years ago. I had the Klimo tube preamp and its companion Merlin phono stage. Klimo's board layouts were so beautiful that it was obvious that the components he selected must have been chosen based on their color and size and shapes as much as their sonic excellence. He had great disdain for components and features that did nothing for the sound, so he refused to put LEDs and light bulbs on his panels. Instead he designed a window to peek in at the top of one of his glowing tubes to show when power was on. He was so proud of the designs' aesthetics that they came from the factory with a clear plexi-glass top-plate so you could could see inside when changing records. A real nice touch late at night!

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #97 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 04:17 pm »

Quote from: mcbuddah on 28 Apr 2013, 04:29 am

The most beautiful piece I used to own was about twenty years ago. I had the Klimo tube preamp and its companion Merlin phono stage.

Is this the one, mcbuddah ?

I see what you mean !

The picture doesn't do it justice, does it?

D.D.

audiogoober · « **Reply #98 on:** 29 Apr 2013, 12:25 am »

Daedalus Ulysses AP's

medium jim · « **Reply #99 on:** 29 Apr 2013, 12:47 am »

Not the best, but still eye candy: ARC VS-110

These just might be: Marantz Model 9's Sorry for the crappy photo...

These definitely are: Self explanatory....

Sorry, but I couldn't resist...they are electronic and make music

Jim