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Yamaha AS1200/2200/3200…best looking integrated amps outside of some vintage pieces. Mesmerizing meters. Expensive? YES! Beautiful? Absolutely!! And they sound great.
Yes agreed Great LOOKING amp...Yet for my money and system needs Yamaha A-S801 is like a swiss knife of an amp... plenty of watts 100x2 8 ohm...ESS Sabra dac... analog & digital inputs...OWN a Yamaha A-S801...no meters...But TO ME a bargain @ 899.99$ purchased 3-4 yrs ago..GOOD LOOKING &GREAT SPECS{SOUND QUALITY}
what is the big deal about VU meters, they don’t give any useful information like a an EQ spectrum analyzer to help me pair speakers with the music. source =Apple Music lossless
@@mrpmj00 it's not about getting useful info it's aesthetics. Would you buy a puke green colored dimpled iron boxed receiver with buttons all different shapes with the labels in wildly different fonts? None of the uniformity and sleek design of all modern electronics is helpful to the sound. That's the point of the whole video. All design is theater and for some people VU meters are the pinnacle of theater.
I wouldn't stick one of those Chinese vu meters in the path way because it could add noise to the signal path.i don't need flashing lights for music to sound good. My prettiest components are my speakers and I designed and built them so no one has the same ones and everytime I build a speaker I make it different because I have so many ideas in my head for speaker designs I want to build.
Randman, please... We all love audio eye candy. VUs on the EverSolo (mirrored onto a 77" OLED). On the little bear loop switch. On the Fosi , Douk, Nobsound etc. speaker switches. But lets also not forget the soft glow of "electric sex" from any tube amp, preamp, streamer. Mix in some cables that look more like Burmese pythons with irradiating sleeves. Oh.. oh dont forget the manufacturer signage. Yea.. we get it.🤠
A nice utilitarian aesthetic can be ugly to some but lovely to me. Having said that, saw the advanced Paris last year at capitol audio fest and it was gorgeous.
Looks & aesthetics definitely take a back seat to sound quality for me. I'd rather have an ugly black box with a lower noise floor than some pretty digital meters. The great thing is that there are products made for whatever is more important to you. You do you 👍
To a large degree, beauty is as beauty does. If it sounds great, it will start to look beautiful. In about 5 years the goodwill be filled with Kefs because someone changed their couch material.
Since I am 70, it CERTAINLY IS! I just got a lo hrs Yamaha RX-485. (mid 90s) cheap. Perfect upgrade for me, but all black & DULL. So I cosmetically fixed every scratch, dent, painted metal case copper, added nicer index marks & clear coated the knobs with lacquer. Added 1.5 inch turned wood feet, also copper. I love looking at it.
I like the Advance Paris, maybe because I'm partial to the McIntosh. We had a family friend who had a McIntosh amp & preamp/receiver with B&W floor standing speakers in the early 80s. I loved that system. I think it was the MC2125 and MX113.
Aesthetics play an enormous role in the overall enjoyment of our gear. And it can vary wildly. In my younger years, a horn tweeter with exposed crossover and wires sitting on top of the woofer cabinet was eye candy. Today, the deep mesmerizing finish of my stand mounts gives me visual enjoyment. I'm sure I could find better sounding speakers someday, but the finish on these keeps me from searching at the moment. That ROYGBIV light bar looks interesting. With a microphone, any whispered sweet nothings into the ear of my spouse become visible, even when she's tuning me out. I've always thought "Life's too short to listen to your favorite music on crappy speakers." And if you like how they look, all the better.
I appreciate your comments regarding that visual stimulation is important. I’ve gone one step further - I had smell to my audio file experience. The base notes are very earthy and musky, and the high notes are very fragrance like lavender and rose hips. Mark my words, Smellovision is coming!
Listen to the French song "Cézanne Peint" and you feel the Mediterranean climate of Provence.. No need for new equipment: your brain associates the sound with all the related past experiences it can retrieve. 😃
As I get older, I have been choosing function over form for most things. Lately, my audio equipment has become a conversation point with guests, especially when the component is cool looking. It engages folks who may not be interested in the hobby. Good one, Randy!
Yep! Agree with you 100%. Way back in 1980 I was buying a new record deck. It was a toss up between a "Dual" or a "Little Oak", (no longer made). The Oak won because it was a solid oak plinth. LOOKED a lot better so that won easily. Still have it but no longer used. Maybe one day...
I just picked up one of those 2 days ago, definitely not pretty but I’ve wanted one for so long that I’m sure I think it’s better looking than it really is… Also, holy crap what a great amp!
I say it matters. I'm beyond exhausted by the "black box" look. I decided to get Yamaha's A-S301 integrated amplifier and when I went to Crutchfield, they had discontinued the "retro" silver finish on that model, and had to go with the much more expensive A-S501 because it was still available in silver. I also chose the Elac Debut Reference speakers - in part - for the aesthetics.... "woodtone" finish with cool gray cloth grilles (they also happen to be some fantastic-sounding speakers!). It doesn't cost any to make products attractive.
I'm 61 and I have been having fun for years. I swap out 4 different Amps and 4 different Speakers to keep things exciting. Vintage Amplifiers: 1. LUXMAN LV-17 2. NAD 3020 3. Technics SU-7300 4. Yamaha CA-2010 Vintage Speakers: 1. Acoustic Research AR 93 2. Bowers & Wilkins DM-220 3. Mission 770 4. GALE GS-302
I agree with you about screens on streamers. But I'm usually sitting too far away to see what's on the screen. What I would like is a streamer that will send it's display to a tv. Sort of like Amazon music through a fire tv, but my WiiM pro plus sounds better, so I have to do without a display. Do any streamers you've reviewed do that?
I think streamers with an HDMI out can display to your TV. Randy or others here can confirm, but the latest Wiim streamer/ dac/ pre amp I think has HDMI out.
@@eddents I could be wrong but think the HDMI connection are inputs to get signal from TV. Somebody that knows for sure please tell me I'm wrong. I'm not spending any more money on streamers just in hope that it will send a readout to my TV.
I’m waiting for the same thing but the only streamer that has mirror is the rose, way too expensive. I just want streamer with mirror capabilities that I can hook to the tv. I don’t need a streamer with dac, amp, etc.
The question: "Does aesthetics matter?" should be asked in a turntable video or forum... From what I found: when using a turntable at any kind of loudness, will in most cases - allow the speaker vibrations to distort / interfere the sound coming out of the turntable. - It's not guaranteed, but basically it's accepted that if someone is playing something on a turntable, the volume is at medium at most. There are, as always, exceptions to this.
I eliminated ugly equipment out of my life years ago. Especially plain black boxes. I must have meters or glowing tubes. My DAC even has a graphic EQ meter display.
100% agree. The way something looks matters even if our eyes are not the primary sense used for the experience. Our senses work together. Verbal communication for example should technically be auditory, yet every communication class tells you that your message can be greatly influenced by how you look when you make your case. Eating food should technically be about taste, yet we all know that eating food that looks or smells bad is difficult regardless of the taste. Why would HiFi be an exception?
I had an Onkyo Home Theater AV Receiver for a while that I purchased used.... It looked good but the sound was much more balanced and the listening experience much more enjoyable after running Audyssey with a mic to balance out the speaker levels. Huge difference.
@Randy Good point to bring up. Do the looks matter? For the most part, yes. I too, at one time had a very pretty Onkyo M504 power amp. It put out 165 wpc, it was built like a tank and it had big green VU meters and wood sides. It look great and sounded great. It is certainly built better than that Advance Paris A10 unit you have there and certainly didn't cost me anyone's $2500. ...I know, and I am sorry for getting on you about that amplifier. I am sure it is a good amplifier, but it is just overpriced and I feel that is is probably worth more around $1000 than $2500. I ended up selling the M-504, mainly because I was moving and didn't want to put the unit in storage, but also because I really didn't need to have an amplifier that puts out 165wpc when I regularly use less than 20wpc. So I ended up with a much lighter Denon 50wpc amplifier and it sounds great, only not as pretty. It is WAY lighter though! But, getting to the case in point, many of the vintage receivers and amplifiers (Old Pioneer, Kenwood, Sansui, Marantz, etc) were built with looks in mind. In some cases the looks were better than the sound, especially when comparing them to modern equipment. However, the prices have been getting insane on vintage gear as well. Worst part of it is that it is old gear and if it doesn't have a problem already, it will have one down the road. Then getting it fixed can be an issue, perhaps a costly one. So then, if it means I have to spend a ton of money to get the beauty aspect as well as good sound, then the answer is a big fat NO. Your Sonus Faber speakers come to mind here. The shiny gloss wood plinth and the fake leather covering make the speaker look pretty and yeah, it certainly adds to the cost. I certainly WILL NOT spend $1500 for a pair of bookshelf speakers and I bet as much as half the cost goes into the way the speaker looks. Now, on a more positive note, you mention meter add-ons. I am all for that, and I certainly will be getting one of those One Little Bear / Douk Audio VU3 meters for my system. Granted the meters aren't built into an amp, but in a dark room with the just the meters lit, you don't see much of the amplifier anyway, especially if it is black. So yeah, looks do matter, but I am certainly not going to pay a fortune for it. I would rather put the money into something that is a bit blander looking, but sounds better. I have the Klipsch RP-600m's. They look great with the copper colored trim and woofer cone. The horn / waveguide looks awesome too. But, overall, I am a bit disappointed with the sound quality. I recently bought a pair of KEF Q350s and OMG! These sound awesome! Far cleaner and they image WAY better than the RP-600m's. Granted the cabinet isn't very elaborate as it is a wood grain vinyl wrap all around with no accents. The concentric speaker is all black, although it does have cool details. Overall, it is no where near as flashy looking as the RP-600m's. Yet, the primary function of a speaker is good sound. So the Q350s win!
Yes. After reading all I could on the A10 classic and then seeing your 2 videos...I pulled the trigger. It is phenomenal. And I think you are right. If it's good looks and the way it makes me feel helps me perceive the sound to be better. So be it. But! The amp is phenomenal. A huge upgrade over my CX 81.
I have vintage Sansui and Kenwood recievers. My latest gear is Sound Performance Labs (SPL). Elector preamplifier, Crossover and Performer m1000 monoblocks. The Elector and Crossover have VU meters and look great to me and perform even better. I use an RME ADI-2 PRO FS R BE as my dac. I have two Schiit Gungnir dac's and a Modius as well. Looks definitely matter to me. It also shows a detail of craftmanship as well. Biggest thing is to enjoy your gear and music!
To me, what anything looks like matters. If the equipment can be seen, it's part of your decor. Therefore, it matters. Cool looking rooms have cool looking things in them. Period. Point blank. It's that easy a concept. "Cool", however, is a matter of individual opinion.
There is a "look" that appeals to me. Vintage stuff, Marantz, McIntosh stuff is just all a classic look. Heck, there's probably a market for empty boxes with VU meters that light up and sit on the rack!
Pretty components that sound good ... How 'bout a pair of Directly Heated Triode monoblock amplifiers with a tube rectifier in a shoebox sized brushed stainless steel chassis with tiger maple on top. It's called 'Mercury', and was made by Wavelength Audio in 2001. 3.5 Watts rms into 8Ω. with up to +8dB of short term headroom. The warmer than hot filament shows up as a red-orange glow. Beautiful to l👀k at, extraordinary to listen to.
I purchased the Paris A10 after seeing your review video replacing my Emotiva TA2 mainly for the blue meters but was instantly impressed on the upgrade in the sound quality and I love my emotiva
@@Brian_Romska In the right room, they're awesome, because they depend entirely on the reflections for imaging. Even if the gear isn't "great": a Concept 2.0 + Bose 901s + Technics belt-drive automatic turntable playing the live cut of "Faith" off the Cure's "Charlotte Sometimes" 12" vinyl made me sit down it sounded so good.
The prettiest addition is the Phillips Hue Bridge with some smart lights that go with my vintage components. I stopped watching the meters on my Sansui QRX-7500 once I went with the hue lights.
Still running the Carver M500t I bought in 80 something. Love the big VU meters, now with blue leds. I would seriously consider that AP integrated if I were looking for a replacement.
I use the Douk Audio switcher atop my electric guitar amp "mountain" so one of my amps can switch between two very different sounding speaker cabinets. It adds a nice 70's HiFi vibe.
Back in the day I had an expensive Pioneer cassette deck that had switchable VU meters. One was VU and the other was peak, I liked the VU the best just swinging away in a near mystical way
I have a 70s Pioneer SX-750 that i find i use a lot more than my better sounding Cambridge AXR-100 because i like having all the switches and nobs to play with as well as the low glow of its lighting on the face. It just feels alive and is a much more fun experience than the stark minimalism and boring digital screen of the Cambridge.
Mhmm, true with the car 😅 And with audio equipment as well. It's an aestetics thing I guess. We want nice things in our listening room. I added pretty fans to the computer and a small monitor for feedback and to show the time with a warm woodgrain background, which is completly useless otherwise.
It probably matters long term, especially once you've kind of found your home sonically but short term it's a mistake to consider it heavily. If you have 2 options equal in their stats and sonics but one looks better obviously pick the better looking one but as someone getting into the hobby I am not going to spend way more money to get prettier boxes and then realize I like a different sound or that my needs have changed and spend even more correcting it. I'd rather start simple and cheap first and once I figure out what I like, THEN go for stuff that is pretty and sounds good
Looks matter a lot! In reality, I will look at the component in the living room much more time than I will listen to it. And apart from this, electronics must look good as everything else we use.
I agree , unfortunately I have an ugly parasound amp to look at . Wish it had meters. I would never add a little bear meter , it would look like an after thought in my system.
Psychology teaches us that men are visually stimulated. So audio equipment for me has to be both sonically and visually stimulating. And every one has a different opinion on what is visually stimulating. I have Black Ice Audio F-35 amp, DAC transport, and their SS-X Sound stage expander. Black Ice Audio equipment to me is both visually appealing and sonically appealing too. I personally like the looks of tube equipment.
Cheers! ☕️ Hey what do you think is the best way to flesh out the lower range of, hypothetically, a bookshelf speaker like a Piega? Hypothetically... I don't want to just assume that a subwoofer is always the answer. And why does A10 Classic have space for two subs? Feels like a Rumsfeld opportunity... didn't know... Also, looks like min 6ohm speakers in the A+B speakers in the Advance Paris... What happens if I ignore that? 👀🫣 Damage or just they don't play loud, or... I'm afraid... Ummm, I'm just curious now... Is the next step UP in Advance Paris line incrementally better, along with the more money, Or is there a sort of a hole there... Strictly curious. (A12 Classic has same ohm limit in A+B setup.) Oh!!! Oh! just at the end, about 9:27, you put in a tune with tiny voices under the instruments, rapping about "I like my coffee black..." I can HEAR THAT! I can hear that even from your soundtrack! I think that's NEW! ...because Piegas. Music is like a painting you look at every time you walk by.
I appreciate Aesthetics and I won't sacrifice the looks versus how the equipment sounds. The Why is easy "I have to look at it ar some point" and if its butt ugly the sound is inconsequential. Now we are all different and obviously your milage nay very in what "is" attractive and whats "sounds" better to, you. And personal tastes can change with time. At one time I bought, back in the day, a Harmon Kardon 630 Receiver and I thought the sound incredible. And to this day HK Vintage Gear is still Kick As*... exceedingly well built and can now be given collector status, obviously Audio excellence, given it being High Current Dual Mono Amplified. I had it less than 3 weeks s abd teturned it because it was then, IMO, Butt Ugly, 😂 And I didn't like the feel of the On / Off button. Loved that the button glowed red. Even funnier is that was one of the few issues then as now eith the HK Units. However now, the aesthetic appeals to me not just because its Vintage, though that is a dmall part, it is that I really like Mid Century Modern items houses, future etc. the HK units 330-730's also have that Mid Century Modern Vibe, and I'm there for it. The only trouble is finding one not over priced and with wood case. A Model 630 would work, but I'd love to find a 730.
Eye candy can be very impressive. Seen a few and oh my - I want that now🤔🤔Almost in tears now, too expensive, but wait I can sell the kids or something
To be honest, all separate means a lot of cables, and cables are ugly. Yes, you can hide the cables, that's what I do for my living room, but that also hides the equipment as well 🤪. I like well made equipment when I buy it, but then cables mess everything up, or I forget what the equipment looks like. I don't like equipment with screens: they are too small. Might be nice on a desk, but unreadable from listening distance in a living room or bedroom. I prefer phone remote control (screen is up close) or the TV as screen (large enough).
For me, performance Trump’s being pretty, but I still don’t want ugly gear. I like my equipment to match one another as best as possible. That does not mean it necessarily has to be the same brand, just have similar aesthetics.
The sound is most important but the looks are in the second place. The only problem is when I look for a streamer the ones with a screen have too many options. I would like a streamer with only a DAC inside with a screen. But I can't find them.
I replaced my SMSL SU8s stack for the DX9 strictly because of its looks and have no regrets. It just so happens that the DX9 is the best headphone amp/pre-amp I have ever heard. The appeal is half the meal. Speaking of ugly audio, have you seen DMS headphones? lol. Yeah, no.
I'm just super tired of the always ubiquitous black and silver. LAME!!! Let's get some color up in here! Like Sugden is doing with some of their gear. That stuff makes me feel a certain way...
I'm not impressed with the appearance of the uber expensive Fleetwood Deville speakers. They may sound fantastic but I just can't get over the looks of them.
voicemeeter banana PC digital software (preamp), SMSL su-1 hooked up directly to main in into NAD amp with transmission line 8 inch 2 ohms speakers. the shortest path to the great sound.
Looks aren't my priority but ot is a factor. My Triumph America is better than my Harley 1200 Low in every way except looks and sound. I love them both.
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That's why I love Vintage electronics with modern speakers
Yamaha AS1200/2200/3200…best looking integrated amps outside of some vintage pieces. Mesmerizing meters. Expensive? YES! Beautiful? Absolutely!! And they sound great.
So are Luxman and Accuphase :)
@@darensamuels5208 Exactly what I wanted to comment, but you were first!
Absolutely love my Yamaha A-S3000
Yes agreed Great LOOKING amp...Yet for my money and system needs Yamaha A-S801 is like a swiss knife of an amp... plenty of watts 100x2 8 ohm...ESS Sabra dac... analog & digital inputs...OWN a Yamaha A-S801...no meters...But TO ME a bargain @ 899.99$ purchased 3-4 yrs ago..GOOD LOOKING &GREAT SPECS{SOUND QUALITY}
I remain amazed how little time audiophiles give over to the aesthetics of the equipment and the room set up.
Sound is all that matters to me!
It's incredible that manufacturers can't seem to get $12 vu meters in a unit without needing an extra $1200.
imagine if ayima had put big fat VU meters on the T9. i used that thing constantly beacuse it had that little tiny VU meter on it.
what is the big deal about VU meters, they don’t give any useful information like a an EQ spectrum analyzer to help me pair speakers with the music.
source =Apple Music lossless
@@mrpmj00 it's not about getting useful info it's aesthetics. Would you buy a puke green colored dimpled iron boxed receiver with buttons all different shapes with the labels in wildly different fonts? None of the uniformity and sleek design of all modern electronics is helpful to the sound. That's the point of the whole video. All design is theater and for some people VU meters are the pinnacle of theater.
I wouldn't stick one of those Chinese vu meters in the path way because it could add noise to the signal path.i don't need flashing lights for music to sound good. My prettiest components are my speakers and I designed and built them so no one has the same ones and everytime I build a speaker I make it different because I have so many ideas in my head for speaker designs I want to build.
The only reason I didn’t pull the trigger on buying one is it got to affect the sound.
@@garytoddvolquardts126 that's what I am thinking. It's adding something in the pathway with cheap Chinese parts. It could cause noise
I don't tend to sit staring, lovingly, at my equipment. I am more interested in the sound.
Totally. If they happen to look & sound great..well that's a plus. Sound quality is of most importance
Agree my equipment is to the left and sort of behind where I sit so I am not looking at it anyway.
It's Audio, not video, and not, "Hey look at my pretty stuff!" You want pretty, buy a sports car.
Just like food you eat with your eyes, but I'm with you I don't mind how it looks, proof is in the pudding .
@@Evolved_ue7 Totally agree..but you hear with your ears and only your ears. Were this a television, I might agree. This however is audio.
Looks are definitely important, I love my McIntosh gear because of the sound and the timeless big blue meters!!
Randman, please... We all love audio eye candy. VUs on the EverSolo (mirrored onto a 77" OLED). On the little bear loop switch. On the Fosi , Douk, Nobsound etc. speaker switches. But lets also not forget the soft glow of "electric sex" from any tube amp, preamp, streamer. Mix in some cables that look more like Burmese pythons with irradiating sleeves. Oh.. oh dont forget the manufacturer signage. Yea.. we get it.🤠
This. 💯
A nice utilitarian aesthetic can be ugly to some but lovely to me. Having said that, saw the advanced Paris last year at capitol audio fest and it was gorgeous.
Looks & aesthetics definitely take a back seat to sound quality for me. I'd rather have an ugly black box with a lower noise floor than some pretty digital meters.
The great thing is that there are products made for whatever is more important to you. You do you 👍
Orange knob on your Fosi... pretty much all you need 😎
To a large degree, beauty is as beauty does. If it sounds great, it will start to look beautiful. In about 5 years the goodwill be filled with Kefs because someone changed their couch material.
Since I am 70, it CERTAINLY IS! I just got a lo hrs Yamaha RX-485. (mid 90s) cheap. Perfect upgrade for me, but all black & DULL. So I cosmetically fixed every scratch, dent, painted metal case copper, added nicer index marks & clear coated the knobs with lacquer. Added 1.5 inch turned wood feet, also copper. I love looking at it.
I like the Advance Paris, maybe because I'm partial to the McIntosh. We had a family friend who had a McIntosh amp & preamp/receiver with B&W floor standing speakers in the early 80s. I loved that system. I think it was the MC2125 and MX113.
Aesthetics play an enormous role in the overall enjoyment of our gear. And it can vary wildly. In my younger years, a horn tweeter with exposed crossover and wires sitting on top of the woofer cabinet was eye candy. Today, the deep mesmerizing finish of my stand mounts gives me visual enjoyment. I'm sure I could find better sounding speakers someday, but the finish on these keeps me from searching at the moment. That ROYGBIV light bar looks interesting. With a microphone, any whispered sweet nothings into the ear of my spouse become visible, even when she's tuning me out.
I've always thought "Life's too short to listen to your favorite music on crappy speakers." And if you like how they look, all the better.
I appreciate your comments regarding that visual stimulation is important. I’ve gone one step further - I had smell to my audio file experience. The base notes are very earthy and musky, and the high notes are very fragrance like lavender and rose hips. Mark my words, Smellovision is coming!
You’re weird, but probably correct 😊
Listen to the French song "Cézanne Peint" and you feel the Mediterranean climate of Provence.. No need for new equipment: your brain associates the sound with all the related past experiences it can retrieve. 😃
I accidently added smell to an old Adcom amp when I burned it up. Not pleasant at all.
Anything from Primare just looks and feels stunning. Oh yeah, and their stuff sounds great, too.
Nice video btw ❤
Their knobs look great.
It matters in the same way that the color or the pattern on a beach towel matters. But in terms of function it does not matter.
My two ifi supanova power cable look awesome, and the best part is noise cancellation and it’s soft.
source=Apple Music lossless
As I get older, I have been choosing function over form for most things. Lately, my audio equipment has become a conversation point with guests, especially when the component is cool looking. It engages folks who may not be interested in the hobby. Good one, Randy!
Ava loves that little Douk Audio light meter bar, so much that she took it to her room and won't return it. Visual looks are important.
Hi John!
@@Brian_Romska Hey Brian
Technics had understood this very well... and still does.
Yep! Agree with you 100%. Way back in 1980 I was buying a new record deck. It was a toss up between a "Dual" or a "Little Oak", (no longer made). The Oak won because it was a solid oak plinth. LOOKED a lot better so that won easily. Still have it but no longer used. Maybe one day...
I get it, example, Geshelli gear definitely sounds better in hand made wood cases instead of boring black boxes 😊
Cool thanks again Randy!
I have 2 Adcom GFA-555 II. Ugly as sin but sound amazing.
I just picked up one of those 2 days ago, definitely not pretty but I’ve wanted one for so long that I’m sure I think it’s better looking than it really is…
Also, holy crap what a great amp!
I have the ADCOM GFA 555mk2 as well I think it is not ugly at all. Ohhh how much I love big black box that sounds amazing. I have the 545 MK2 as well.
I think Adcom is quite nice looking. All the knobs a equidistant and clean layout.
I say it matters. I'm beyond exhausted by the "black box" look. I decided to get Yamaha's A-S301 integrated amplifier and when I went to Crutchfield, they had discontinued the "retro" silver finish on that model, and had to go with the much more expensive A-S501 because it was still available in silver. I also chose the Elac Debut Reference speakers - in part - for the aesthetics.... "woodtone" finish with cool gray cloth grilles (they also happen to be some fantastic-sounding speakers!). It doesn't cost any to make products attractive.
I'm 61 and I have been having fun for years. I swap out 4 different Amps and 4 different Speakers to keep things exciting.
Vintage Amplifiers: 1. LUXMAN LV-17 2. NAD 3020 3. Technics SU-7300 4. Yamaha CA-2010
Vintage Speakers: 1. Acoustic Research AR 93 2. Bowers & Wilkins DM-220 3. Mission 770 4. GALE GS-302
I agree with you about screens on streamers. But I'm usually sitting too far away to see what's on the screen. What I would like is a streamer that will send it's display to a tv. Sort of like Amazon music through a fire tv, but my WiiM pro plus sounds better, so I have to do without a display. Do any streamers you've reviewed do that?
I think streamers with an HDMI out can display to your TV. Randy or others here can confirm, but the latest Wiim streamer/ dac/ pre amp I think has HDMI out.
@@eddents I could be wrong but think the HDMI connection are inputs to get signal from TV. Somebody that knows for sure please tell me I'm wrong. I'm not spending any more money on streamers just in hope that it will send a readout to my TV.
I’m waiting for the same thing but the only streamer that has mirror is the rose, way too expensive. I just want streamer with mirror capabilities that I can hook to the tv. I don’t need a streamer with dac, amp, etc.
The question: "Does aesthetics matter?" should be asked in a turntable video or forum... From what I found: when using a turntable at any kind of loudness, will in most cases - allow the speaker vibrations to distort / interfere the sound coming out of the turntable.
- It's not guaranteed, but basically it's accepted that if someone is playing something on a turntable, the volume is at medium at most. There are, as always, exceptions to this.
I eliminated ugly equipment out of my life years ago. Especially plain black boxes. I must have meters or glowing tubes. My DAC even has a graphic EQ meter display.
My one-owner Denon DP59L turntable...silky-smooth, rock-solid piece of audio gorgeousness.
100% agree. The way something looks matters even if our eyes are not the primary sense used for the experience. Our senses work together. Verbal communication for example should technically be auditory, yet every communication class tells you that your message can be greatly influenced by how you look when you make your case. Eating food should technically be about taste, yet we all know that eating food that looks or smells bad is difficult regardless of the taste. Why would HiFi be an exception?
I had an Onkyo Home Theater AV Receiver for a while that I purchased used.... It looked good but the sound was much more balanced and the listening experience much more enjoyable after running Audyssey with a mic to balance out the speaker levels. Huge difference.
@Randy Good point to bring up. Do the looks matter? For the most part, yes. I too, at one time had a very pretty Onkyo M504 power amp. It put out 165 wpc, it was built like a tank and it had big green VU meters and wood sides. It look great and sounded great. It is certainly built better than that Advance Paris A10 unit you have there and certainly didn't cost me anyone's $2500. ...I know, and I am sorry for getting on you about that amplifier. I am sure it is a good amplifier, but it is just overpriced and I feel that is is probably worth more around $1000 than $2500. I ended up selling the M-504, mainly because I was moving and didn't want to put the unit in storage, but also because I really didn't need to have an amplifier that puts out 165wpc when I regularly use less than 20wpc. So I ended up with a much lighter Denon 50wpc amplifier and it sounds great, only not as pretty. It is WAY lighter though! But, getting to the case in point, many of the vintage receivers and amplifiers (Old Pioneer, Kenwood, Sansui, Marantz, etc) were built with looks in mind. In some cases the looks were better than the sound, especially when comparing them to modern equipment. However, the prices have been getting insane on vintage gear as well. Worst part of it is that it is old gear and if it doesn't have a problem already, it will have one down the road. Then getting it fixed can be an issue, perhaps a costly one. So then, if it means I have to spend a ton of money to get the beauty aspect as well as good sound, then the answer is a big fat NO. Your Sonus Faber speakers come to mind here. The shiny gloss wood plinth and the fake leather covering make the speaker look pretty and yeah, it certainly adds to the cost. I certainly WILL NOT spend $1500 for a pair of bookshelf speakers and I bet as much as half the cost goes into the way the speaker looks. Now, on a more positive note, you mention meter add-ons. I am all for that, and I certainly will be getting one of those One Little Bear / Douk Audio VU3 meters for my system. Granted the meters aren't built into an amp, but in a dark room with the just the meters lit, you don't see much of the amplifier anyway, especially if it is black.
So yeah, looks do matter, but I am certainly not going to pay a fortune for it. I would rather put the money into something that is a bit blander looking, but sounds better. I have the Klipsch RP-600m's. They look great with the copper colored trim and woofer cone. The horn / waveguide looks awesome too. But, overall, I am a bit disappointed with the sound quality. I recently bought a pair of KEF Q350s and OMG! These sound awesome! Far cleaner and they image WAY better than the RP-600m's. Granted the cabinet isn't very elaborate as it is a wood grain vinyl wrap all around with no accents. The concentric speaker is all black, although it does have cool details. Overall, it is no where near as flashy looking as the RP-600m's. Yet, the primary function of a speaker is good sound. So the Q350s win!
Yes. After reading all I could on the A10 classic and then seeing your 2 videos...I pulled the trigger. It is phenomenal. And I think you are right. If it's good looks and the way it makes me feel helps me perceive the sound to be better. So be it. But! The amp is phenomenal. A huge upgrade over my CX 81.
I have vintage Sansui and Kenwood recievers. My latest gear is Sound Performance Labs (SPL). Elector preamplifier, Crossover and Performer m1000 monoblocks. The Elector and Crossover have VU meters and look great to me and perform even better. I use an RME ADI-2 PRO FS R BE as my dac. I have two Schiit Gungnir dac's and a Modius as well.
Looks definitely matter to me. It also shows a detail of craftmanship as well.
Biggest thing is to enjoy your gear and music!
To me, what anything looks like matters. If the equipment can be seen, it's part of your decor. Therefore, it matters.
Cool looking rooms have cool looking things in them. Period. Point blank. It's that easy a concept.
"Cool", however, is a matter of individual opinion.
Bang and Olufsen anyone? I have a Century in the bedroom, looks great and sounds decent.
Best intro yet - "Life is too short for ugly HiFi."
There is a "look" that appeals to me. Vintage stuff, Marantz, McIntosh stuff is just all a classic look. Heck, there's probably a market for empty boxes with VU meters that light up and sit on the rack!
Pretty components that sound good ... How 'bout a pair of Directly Heated Triode monoblock amplifiers with a tube rectifier in a shoebox sized brushed stainless steel chassis with tiger maple on top. It's called 'Mercury', and was made by Wavelength Audio in 2001. 3.5 Watts rms into 8Ω. with up to +8dB of short term headroom. The warmer than hot filament shows up as a red-orange glow. Beautiful to l👀k at, extraordinary to listen to.
Aesthetics are incredibly important. I tend to buy vintage because so much of the modern stuff is hideous.
I purchased the Paris A10 after seeing your review video replacing my Emotiva TA2 mainly for the blue meters but was instantly impressed on the upgrade in the sound quality and I love my emotiva
Bose 901s series 2 on top of tulip stands is the ultimate. I have to work extra hard to get a good sound out of them, but worth the effort.
I’m tempted to pickup a pair, with the stands that’s an iconic setup, regardless of sound quality I’m sure I’d enjoy them too
@@Brian_Romska In the right room, they're awesome, because they depend entirely on the reflections for imaging. Even if the gear isn't "great": a Concept 2.0 + Bose 901s + Technics belt-drive automatic turntable playing the live cut of "Faith" off the Cure's "Charlotte Sometimes" 12" vinyl made me sit down it sounded so good.
The prettiest addition is the Phillips Hue Bridge with some smart lights that go with my vintage components. I stopped watching the meters on my Sansui QRX-7500 once I went with the hue lights.
Still running the Carver M500t I bought in 80 something. Love the big VU meters, now with blue leds. I would seriously consider that AP integrated if I were looking for a replacement.
I use the Douk Audio switcher atop my electric guitar amp "mountain" so one of my amps can switch between two very different sounding speaker cabinets. It adds a nice 70's HiFi vibe.
Back in the day I had an expensive Pioneer cassette deck that had switchable VU meters. One was VU and the other was peak, I liked the VU the best just swinging away in a near mystical way
I have a 70s Pioneer SX-750 that i find i use a lot more than my better sounding Cambridge AXR-100 because i like having all the switches and nobs to play with as well as the low glow of its lighting on the face. It just feels alive and is a much more fun experience than the stark minimalism and boring digital screen of the Cambridge.
Mhmm, true with the car 😅 And with audio equipment as well. It's an aestetics thing I guess. We want nice things in our listening room. I added pretty fans to the computer and a small monitor for feedback and to show the time with a warm woodgrain background, which is completly useless otherwise.
My life has been soo long that I have had enough good looking gear.
It probably matters long term, especially once you've kind of found your home sonically but short term it's a mistake to consider it heavily. If you have 2 options equal in their stats and sonics but one looks better obviously pick the better looking one but as someone getting into the hobby I am not going to spend way more money to get prettier boxes and then realize I like a different sound or that my needs have changed and spend even more correcting it. I'd rather start simple and cheap first and once I figure out what I like, THEN go for stuff that is pretty and sounds good
Looks matter a lot! In reality, I will look at the component in the living room much more time than I will listen to it. And apart from this, electronics must look good as everything else we use.
I agree , unfortunately I have an ugly parasound amp to look at . Wish it had meters. I would never add a little bear meter , it would look like an after thought in my system.
Psychology teaches us that men are visually stimulated. So audio equipment for me has to be both sonically and visually stimulating. And every
one has a different opinion on what is visually stimulating. I have Black Ice Audio F-35 amp, DAC transport, and their SS-X Sound stage expander. Black Ice Audio equipment to me is both visually appealing and sonically appealing too. I personally like the looks of tube equipment.
Cheers!
☕️ Hey what do you think is the best way to flesh out the lower range of, hypothetically, a bookshelf speaker like a Piega? Hypothetically... I don't want to just assume that a subwoofer is always the answer. And why does A10 Classic have space for two subs? Feels like a Rumsfeld opportunity... didn't know... Also, looks like min 6ohm speakers in the A+B speakers in the Advance Paris... What happens if I ignore that? 👀🫣 Damage or just they don't play loud, or... I'm afraid...
Ummm, I'm just curious now... Is the next step UP in Advance Paris line incrementally better, along with the more money, Or is there a sort of a hole there... Strictly curious. (A12 Classic has same ohm limit in A+B setup.)
Oh!!! Oh! just at the end, about 9:27, you put in a tune with tiny voices under the instruments, rapping about "I like my coffee black..." I can HEAR THAT! I can hear that even from your soundtrack! I think that's NEW! ...because Piegas. Music is like a painting you look at every time you walk by.
Good sight and good sound go hand in hand to make your listening room beatiful and your eye and ear a comfortable feel of pleasure.
Love looking at my old Yamaha M-4 C-4 amp, pre-amp.
The Advance Audio is definitely a great looking integrated amp.
I believe crystals can improve sound. Whether it looks cool or not, I can provide decorative crystals to make mine look cool enough.
That's why I use a McIntosh MAC7200. Those meters are timeless.
I chose the Lyngdorf tdai-1120. Incredible sound quality.
My onkyo M508 and my yamaha Mx1000 look and sound awesome!
I appreciate Aesthetics and I won't sacrifice the looks versus how the equipment sounds. The Why is easy "I have to look at it ar some point" and if its butt ugly the sound is inconsequential. Now we are all different and obviously your milage nay very in what "is" attractive and whats "sounds" better to, you. And personal tastes can change with time. At one time I bought, back in the day, a Harmon Kardon 630 Receiver and I thought the sound incredible. And to this day HK Vintage Gear is still Kick As*... exceedingly well built and can now be given collector status, obviously Audio excellence, given it being High Current Dual Mono Amplified. I had it less than 3 weeks s abd teturned it because it was then, IMO, Butt Ugly, 😂 And I didn't like the feel of the On / Off button. Loved that the button glowed red. Even funnier is that was one of the few issues then as now eith the HK Units. However now, the aesthetic appeals to me not just because its Vintage, though that is a dmall part, it is that I really like Mid Century Modern items houses, future etc. the HK units 330-730's also have that Mid Century Modern Vibe, and I'm there for it. The only trouble is finding one not over priced and with wood case. A Model 630 would work, but I'd love to find a 730.
I like the system to be understated ... but carry a big stick i.e. the sound is my icing and the presentation is secondary.
Eye candy can be very impressive. Seen a few and oh my - I want that now🤔🤔Almost in tears now, too expensive, but wait I can sell the kids or something
I hide all my equipment, so I don’t care if it’s ugly as long as it sounds good and easy to setup and use.
My favorite looking system: technics SU-7300 integrated amp, technics SL-D3 turntable, technics cassette deck, AR-2AX speakers. However, not my favorite sounding system.
I’m lusting after the Hifi Rose RA280 😍
I guess it takes all kinds because for me in my room at my stage I prefer discrete black boxes with as few lights as possible
To be honest, all separate means a lot of cables, and cables are ugly. Yes, you can hide the cables, that's what I do for my living room, but that also hides the equipment as well 🤪.
I like well made equipment when I buy it, but then cables mess everything up, or I forget what the equipment looks like.
I don't like equipment with screens: they are too small. Might be nice on a desk, but unreadable from listening distance in a living room or bedroom. I prefer phone remote control (screen is up close) or the TV as screen (large enough).
That explains why I do not own any Geshelli Labs equipment; all their stuff looks like it was slapped together in someone's garage.
Funny. I love the looks of J2 in the stained wood and orange/clear face. Got serious character! Different strokes….
it was
For me, performance Trump’s being pretty, but I still don’t want ugly gear. I like my equipment to match one another as best as possible. That does not mean it necessarily has to be the same brand, just have similar aesthetics.
Yeah, i'm also a sucker for VUmeters. But why choose the cambridge over the dmp-a6?!?
"Life is too short for ugly hifi" Hilarious! 😁
I’d rather spend $1k on ugly equipment with better sound than on a prettier equipment that sounds less good.
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source=Apple Music lossless
Advance Paris looks very interesting here in the uk, a lot of amp for the money
The sound is most important but the looks are in the second place.
The only problem is when I look for a streamer the ones with a screen have too many options.
I would like a streamer with only a DAC inside with a screen.
But I can't find them.
The A10 is a beauty today. But will that look date? Who knows.
Hifi gears should sound good, furniture deco good look, light, small and simple.
Advance Paris should make a Silver faced version of A10 & A12!!!
Buy vintage equipment, rather than buying new pretend old stuff.
Saves landfill and you get some amazing designs.
Looks matter. I have some led puck lights to add some light and color to my system
Carver CM 1090 is the best-looking amp I still have in near pristine condition.
Please make a review over de Advanced Paris bx2 mono blocks !!
Sound should come first, but you do have to look at your equipment (unless you listen in the dark).
my equipments are behind my couch in my 7.4.4 theater so i ont see them
I replaced my SMSL SU8s stack for the DX9 strictly because of its looks and have no regrets. It just so happens that the DX9 is the best headphone amp/pre-amp I have ever heard. The appeal is half the meal. Speaking of ugly audio, have you seen DMS headphones? lol. Yeah, no.
I want Vu meters. Absolutely no good reason other than I like the look. I agree the aesthetic does improve enjoyment on some level. Go figure.
I'm just super tired of the always ubiquitous black and silver. LAME!!! Let's get some color up in here! Like Sugden is doing with some of their gear. That stuff makes me feel a certain way...
I was just thinking about this.
I'm not impressed with the appearance of the uber expensive Fleetwood Deville speakers. They may sound fantastic but I just can't get over the looks of them.
voicemeeter banana PC digital software (preamp), SMSL su-1 hooked up directly to main in into NAD amp with transmission line 8 inch 2 ohms speakers. the shortest path to the great sound.
Since when is audio determined by looks? Gee I dunno isn’t audio about the audio…🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Have you tried a cup of tea?! I still find you entertaining!
The answer is yes…gear should be part of your home …or at least take the time and effort to make the room look decently put together 😊
Looks aren't my priority but ot is a factor. My Triumph America is better than my Harley 1200 Low in every way except looks and sound. I love them both.
Not just components/ sources, how about Speakers? Wharfedale Evo’s in Walnut….Hmmmmm
Thorens 124 turntable Gorgeous!