What do you prioritize in your system SQ or asthetics ?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Khorn, Feb 21, 2018.

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  1. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian Thread Starter

    For me it’s always been the sound. I don’t care if the room would be stuffed with pro bass bins and huge horns and black boxes.. I’m not buying a Manet although I’d love A Bar at the Folis Berger. The original of course. :laugh:
     
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  2. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    It's a conundrum unless you are a hermit. Speakers may look good to us but the vast majority of people less music obsessed do not think so. I have gone into more than a few homes that still have a home audio where the speakers are shoved off into corners and against walls without any hope of presenting a stereo image or accurate balance..
     
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  3. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Sound is always first.
     
  4. Vinny123

    Vinny123 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I have a great wife. She’s put up w my audio craziness for 26 years. Our family room looks like a cross between Frankenstein’s lab and the Dead’s wall of sound. SQ always first.
     
  5. Preston

    Preston Forum Resident

    Location:
    KCMO Metro USA
    Sound. My wife is generally an exceptionally good sport about my hobby, but I always tell her "You get to decorate every room in this house and make decisions on how they look and are furnished, EXCEPT for my listening room." I have complete control there. So, my suggestion to avoiding conflict with your significant other is to have a dedicated listening room. :) If I had to also use a living room as a listening room, my answer would be different. Happy wife = happy life after all. We still battle over acoustic treatments, but after I remind her of our agreement (see above), she doesn't continue.
     
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  6. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Easy, it's sound quality.
     
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  7. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    In the Den everything has to fit in the cabinet except speakers and TT, and she gets to pick which TT. My office is my space to do as I please. Since she gives me free reign on the boxes in the cabinet, I can’t complain.

    Connecting the TV to the Sonos Playbar has been liberating since it keeps her out of messing with my 2ch world.

    As to aesthetics vs SQ, I think there is a lot of esoteric gear out there that tries too hard to look cool. As long as classic looks like ARC can deliver great sound, I am cool.
     
  8. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Must have both. A room sets a mood, so it has to incorporate aesthetics to make the experience enjoyable.
     
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  9. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    And if it eventually comes to a head, just say... Hold on a minute here, I never ask how much you spend on cosmetics/makeup/hair stylist.

    JG
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2018
  10. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    It is always about sound quality, but there is so awful looking equipment out there that costs an arm and a leg!

    There is a review of a turntable on Analogplanet and I absolutely hate the look of it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that!

    Merrill-Williams Audio Announces The R.E.A.L. 101.3 Turntable

    JG
     
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  11. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Sound quality is the priority, but I’m not sure why I would have to choose between the two. There’s plenty of gear out there that easily meets both criteria. I’m not having something in my home that’s just plain uggo...not matter how great it sounds. That just tells me the search for the right piece isn’t over.
     
    rischa likes this.
  12. myles

    myles Argyle, before you ask ....

    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    Sound, or else I would just buy Bang and Olufsen!
     
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  13. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    Do I stare at my audio gear or listen to it?
     
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  14. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    I think turntables makes are trying to hard to try to equate an exotic look with high end. That one just looks like a Scout with big feet and the corners chopped.
     
  15. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Both.

    I don't want ugly things in my home.
     
    Tlay, head_unit, Wally Swift and 10 others like this.
  16. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    These days, both.
     
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  17. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Most of the books I have of Houses have no speakers at all in their Living rooms
     
  18. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I'm fighting the idea of buying an Ortofon 2M Bronze because it's too ugly in pictures. My Blue is beautiful, its looks fits perfect in my turntable and the Black looks stunning in pictures. Maybe I can paint it black...

    So I guess it's a tough decision.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2018
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  19. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    Sound comes first. But if it a component looks great too, that is a definite bonus! So when given the choice is between two equally good sounding and similarly priced components, the cooler-looking one is likely to get the nod.

    But what looks good to me may not be what looks best to a the opposite gender. I really love that big and beefy industrial look which was so popular back in the late 70s into the early 90s.
     
  20. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    SQ, of course. For aesthetics, some of us have wives...
     
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  21. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    You must not have any big blue meters... ;)
     
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  22. Diskhound

    Diskhound Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    The equipment can be any colour as long as it is black.
     
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  23. Diamond Dog

    Diamond Dog Cautionary Example

    I search out the absolutely butt-ugliest equipment I can find. I will pay a premium for fugly over ugly. Once I've assembled the most utterly revolting-looking components available, I carefully audition each piece, A/B-ing the contenders as I weed out the pieces that offer up even a hint of listenability. Only the most awful-sounding, offensively terrible, lowest-fi are worthy of my attention.

    I'll normally stop for a beer here. This is thirsty work.

    I'll then set up the system, the anticipation of finally having achieved the pinnacle of my lifetime spent in The Hobby driving me on, my fingers trembling in anticipation...
    And then...it is done.
    I retreat to the sweet spot, bucket between my knees in case the sheer monstrosity of my creation should prove to be too much. And well it may - because before me is such a heinous affront to both God and Man that a mere glance in its direction churns the viscera convulsing beneath my cold and clammy flesh... the horror. THE HORROR !!!!
    Slowly my shaking hand raises the remote control, ready to unleash the agonizing banshee-wail of this child of unholy corruption and madness.... and then... nothing.
    Softly, I return the remote to its resting place. I rise and turn and leave, quietly closing the door behind me. I must hurry... Hannity's on.

    D.D.
     
  24. rischa

    rischa Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mt. Horeb, WI
    This is the correct answer. :agree:
     
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  25. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian Thread Starter

    Mix and Match Your Best

    The
    link above is to my 70’s system. The big blue meters were a distraction sometimes but those huge wide midrange diffraction horns sometimes looked like they were about to creep across the room and swallow you up. In those instances I would just close my eyes and listen to the music.
     
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