Do looks matter? (1 Viewer)

[Ryan Tsang]

Come on guys admit it......would you give up "some" performance or overlook/favor a particular brand because of styling? I do.

My vote for best looking line of electronics: Aragon. My dream is to have 3 Aragon Palladium mono blocks across the front. yum.....

Speakers: JM Lab. Aerial.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I also like the looks of the Aragons with the notch in the top.

Personally, as I've krept up in cost of components, looks matter more and more in terms of adding to the overall satisfaction of a product. But luckily too, manufacturers also seem to recognize that. Ever see an ugly $5000 amp? Nope. (I also really like the looks of those Pass Lab amps.)

 

[DavidLW]

Haven't you hear? The better the component looks the better it sounds. If you don't believe me, just compare the sound of a $20,000 Krell Preamp/amp to a $600.00 Rotel reciever. Since some of us on this board contends that all electronic sounds the same, then the difference I hear must be attributed to looks. Therefore the Krell must sound better because it looks better. LOL

 

[Kevin C Brown]

So then you might as well get one of those $200 Technics receivers then, sit back, and enjoy your system.

 

[scott cerv]

The gemstone amp is pretty fugly, but sounds great and costs a decent amount. Funny this comes up as the best mic preamp I've ever used/heard was simply a black box with a switch, couple inputs/outpus, and 1 led. Everyone calls it the "brick", but it is sweet. When people see it they know what it is!!

FYI, the 2000-4000 series Aragons are from what I hear the old Acurus amps. The 8008 are still old Aragon. They do look sweet though!
SC

 

[Tim_Stack]

Well, I do that when it comes to the intelligence vs. looks of my chicks, why shouldn't the same be done for my AV equip?

Just kidding

 

[Kevin T]

some of my favorites in no particular order are

for solid state:

pass labs
aragon
halcro
47 labs

for tubes:

supratek
cary audio
EAR

kevin t

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I’ll confess that I do. I think certain brands are simply ugly and I wouldn’t have them based on that. Fortunately, the type of gear I typically buy – so-called “upper mid-fi” – there’s no shortage of other stuff that performs just as well. So I guess I’m not really sacrificing anything.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Will d s]

For the electronics I don't care that much, you can hide them in a rack. My speakers are what I want to look good.

 

[Ricky T]

Looks matter, along with brand matching, size, and weight

On bottom three shelves of my 5 shelf, open rack sit three Aragon Palladium II's (silver color), arranged with the V cut as Right, Left, Right.

On the shelf above is an Aragon 8008x3 (black, no V); my Aragon Soundstage prepro (black with some silver) sits on the shelf above that. All the Aragon gear is 19inches wide. That's 320 lbs of separates

On top of the rack are my three 17inch, silver source components (two DVD players & one SACD player).

 

[Ryan Tsang]

Ricky T:

You are one lucky SOB I'm not so particular over brand matching; I find it hard to believe one company can make the best component in every respective category.

However, weight does give you a sense of quality and substance, eventhough that may or may not = better sound.
That's why I'm more drawn to the Aragon 8008 series rather than the new 2000/3000 series.

No Stage One? Saw one going for $2K on Audiogon.

 

[Kevin T]

i used to be a diehard aragon fan. i think ricky and i owned about the same setup. i had a soundstage, 8008x3b, and a pair of palladium ii monos for the front mains. i had an inkling to upgrade but i was still uncertain, then while browsing the klipsch forum, either adam or steve stated that aragon was no longer going produce the palladium 1k mono or the 8008mkII. this was the "straw" so to speak. i felt that aragon was dumping on their two channel market (and heritage....aragon was a two channel audiophile company before they broke into home theater). i sold my entire aragon setup and purchased a denon 3805 for ht duty. i placed an order for a supratek chenin and i bought a pair of cary audio slm-200 for two channel / front main use. now i'm in tube heaven!

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Aragon (Mondial Designs) didn't screw themselves up. It was being bought by Klipsch. Klipsch completely destroyed the history, tradition, and excellence that was Aragon. It wasn't Aragon's entry into HT that did them in. The 8008x5 is *still* one of the best 5 channel amps you can buy.

 

[Ricky T]

Ryan,

I had the Stage One briefly (gorgeous in black even though silver is probably even better looking) but decided to buy a used Soundstage and upgrade it to the Stage One's digital section (probably less than 50 units upgraded). For my needs, giving up THX/Ultra2 processing and the tuner for a little better preamp, soundstaging performance, and the option to used balanced outputs.

Kevin,

Aragon/Klipsch's movement away from promoting 2 channel gear is probably one reason while I was able to get my Pallaidums and 8008x3 at lower prices.

 

[Kevin T]

kevin:

i'm well aware that klipsch has ruined the aragon name. i did not mean to suggest that aragon screwed themselves up when they entered the ht market. i was just pointing out that aragon was originally a 2 channel company who expanded into ht. many people are unaware of aragon's roots, hence my statement in parentheses. i can't speak on the 8008x5 as i never owned or heard one, but if it's anything like the 8008x3 then it's definitely a hell of an amp. a tad huge, but some folks like that.

kevin t