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Myself I think a Sanaui TU-9900 is the most elegant audio piece I ever seen. I stole the aqua color dial lighting idea for some of my gear.
Follow Ups:
Luxman from the seventies with the rosewood cases. Great looking stuff that I owned ;too bad it broke down too much! But it sured looked great.
Sansui TU-9900 is best modern look IMO. Best classic look is Sony STR-6060FW with flip cover in champagne color- super clean. I believe most were in silver- still fine appearence.
Especially the early ones.
A lot of Sansui from that era was supercool with enormous knobs as compared to what we were used to. In fact I think the Japanese companies went through a 'giant knobs and big switches' phase in the mid to late 70s: Sansui, Kenwood Pioneer and Yamaha. Kind of a Bauhaus or Socialist Realist approach. I loved all that big-knob stuff (no cheap pun intended)but Sansui with their black faces and silver knobs were definitely the sexiest. I especially like the black on white of the tuning window - very distinctive.
Some other striking designs:
B&O 4400 receiver - I liked the silver face version. The endless row of switches and slide rule dials was incredible in its day.
Dahlquist DQ-10. Okay it was lying about being a Quad but still.
Original Mission Cyrus Integrated - how cute and how Bwiddish!
Manley Stingray Integrated - with the lights out the tubes look like little choirs. Then there's the aquatic angle.
Oracle Turntable. Didn't it have a clear glass platform ('plynth'?)
That's just a few.
It's never too late to turn back the clock.
Just about all Mac amps, pre-amps and tuners. Also, Marantz receivers and separates, especially the Ectoset (spelling?) series of the 1980s. Also, Empire turntables, with their gold-plated surfaces.
The REL Precedent mono FM tuner. My favorite looker of them all!
Enjoy the music while your party is being reached...
+1
An excellent choice!
Happy Listening
Hi,
how about the Dynaco PAS 2 preamp and FM-1 tuner A brass faceplate with etched lettering. Not only beautiful with a fireman's bell shine but since the lettering can't wear off might last to the sun burns out!....Mark Korda
I have always loved the looks of this tuner ...
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
all this talk about fairchild.heres some eye candy.
real radios glow in the dark...
Look at the nice ..... errr, transformers on that girl.
Nakamichi 600 system from the mid 70s.
Hoveland power amp with the blue glass chimneys for the tubes.
Certainly the Scott tube receivers with the round tuning dial.
A while back someone asked which SS receivers looked the best. I had three favorites: Pioneer SX828, H-K 740, and Marantz 2238 in the wood case.
Some of the Luxman gear was very stylish, and I liked the Yamaha silver faced gear from the 70's.
While it's hard to make a speaker stylish, the DQ-10 and the Quad ESL came close. The JBL Paragon? Maybe. I also thought the Epicure speakers with the brass corner angles showing at the edges were elegant. I also though the Yamaha 1000 in both monitor and dress up versions were gorgeous.
Jerry
What a great thread - so much industrial art has come from the audio business:
In a class by itself, the JBL Ranger Paragon (as beautiful to look at as it was painful to hear.)
Other beautiful stuff:
KLH 9s
Braun TG-1000 with 8 3/4" reels of lime-green-backed BASF tape
KLH model forty (great paperweight!)
Nakamichi 1000
All the McIntosh tube power amps, all receivers, and all tuners through the MR77
KLH model 27 receiver and model 21 table radio
Garrard 401
All the old Sherwood and H. H. Scott stuff
Quad 33
Sony TA-2000
Ariston RD-40
John Boulton Signature series electronics (esp. the remote in the little walnut coffee-table box)
AR tuner and xa turntable
Klipschorns
Sony PS2250
Magneplanar Tympani 1
Thorens TD-224
Advent Videobeam
Dynaco FM-3
and in the studio: EMT250 ("R2D2"), Pultecs, Teletronix LA-2, Neumann U47, Fairchild 670, Ampex 350, Manley SLAM/ELOP/Vari-mu, and ANYTHING with "Studer" written on it
WW
New Orthophonic High Fidelity
Aiwa AD6900 Cassette
Pioneer RT707 Reel to Reel
Dalquist DQ10
Grace 704 Tone Arm
Oracle Delphi TT
Three most important things in Audio reproduction: Keep the noise levels low, the power high and the room diffuse.
The original Lamhorn
http://blog.joinsmsn.com/media/folderListSlide.asp?uid=notek&folder=49&list_id=10754391
If that's Sansui's TOTL receiver I have to agree
I played with one once. It wass hooked up to big tall single driver speakers. Can't think of the name of the speakers sorry.
Incredible power and options plus the look was incredible
My 8080DB is beautiful and sounds it too. My Marantz 2215B was underpowered but looked classic. My Thorens TD-165 isn't TOTL but has the vibe. I'm immersed in it's sound as we speak. My Decware Zen Triode Select (4 w) is cute enough to get anyone's attention. Just my 2 cents worth...
Freedom is the right to discipline yourself.
Go to fmtunersinfo and look up Sansui TU-9900. Click on picture. Killer looks.
As I reflected on Neff’s original question, and to the long and interesting string of responses it inspired, I had a sudden revelation. I recently turned sixty-seven. My love for audio equipment began in the days when stereo tape was in its infancy – the industry was still unsettled on the question of stacked vs. staggered heads – and the first commercial stereo lp was several years away. While doing the math, I realized that I must have fallen hard for components a year or two before I had ever actually heard them!
Now, in the ‘fifties, owning components was an act of political rebellion – not quite serious enough to get you hauled in front of H.U.A.C., but still worth getting you watched. However, my involvement in the civil rights movement had already gotten me branded as a fellow traveler, so that probably fails to account for my attraction to components. So unless there’s something I’m missing, that pretty much leaves visual appeal as the original basis for my involvement in this Thing of Ours.
Even today, I am gob-smacked by the aesthetics of certain pieces of equipment. Here, then, in no particular order, are a few of my favorites.
The Leak Point One and Varislope preamps – the ones with the brown-and-gold fronts. The amplifiers were very beautiful, as well. The Quad 22 preamp. The Marantz Audio Consolette - both the original version with the rooster tail controls, and the latter one with the solid milled brass knobs that would instantly identify a piece of Marantz equipment from across the room for the next three decades.
The Marantz Consolette was of course the precursor to the 7/7C/7T stereo preamp series - arguably the single most elegant piece of audio equipment ever designed - that Hahax analyzes so thoughtfully below. I always loved my Altec 440C preamps. Each had a wooden case – like Betty and Veronica, one was blonde, and one was dark – with a hinged front cover that when closed, concealed all the controls except for the illuminated logo, and big volume knob in the center.
Like ToddM, I was/am very much taken with the Fairchild 248, which somehow looked even more handsome as a stereo pair. And I would be remiss not to mention the Scott 130, with its quartet of red and green lights, and sculpted solid brass knobs. It's one of the few preamps that gives the 7C a run for its money, though in the end, what ToddM calls the Marantz's ‘almost Doric’ classic simplicity carries the day.
WE 753
Always thought Marantz's old 2270 was a looker especially in its wood cabinet. One day I saw a "gold/engraved" version of it and bought it immediately. Sounds pretty good also.
Outside it's my McIntosh MR-77 tuner.
Inside it's the Marantz 7C or the QUAD 33 preamp. Beautiful work!
yummy
.
Classic.
My Emotive Vita amplifiers
Really looks like a work of art and engineering.
Clearly no small amp!
A whole lot of care went into every aspect of that marvel.
Reminds me of my personal favorite amp of that nature. My NOS Valves VRD mono blocks. Kind of a shrunk down concept of it.
You must be deservingly proud!
Cheers
Dave
My top choice is the Michell/ Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference. I am a little prejudice because I have one.
Dave
I agree, says the guy who has a Michell branded Hydraulic Reference (but unfortunately not the Fluid arm). I like my AT-1010 arm though.
I don't have a Vestigial arm either. They are reputed to be troublesome. You are better off with the AT. My table has the leaf springs too.
Dave
Bent Passive line stage - ET
And the rest from this series.
nt
SOme of the late 1950's Bell preamplifier and integrated amps are very retro looking. Eico stuff is appealing to me simple but timeless plus much of it sounds great.
EICO?!
Caramba!
I mean, I love the stuff, but most of it is... homely. Sounds great, though.
Sherwood's cosmetics were certainly... idiosyncratic, too :-)
Now, HH Scott. HH Scott made some beautiful stuff; my favorites are probably the round-dial tuners and receivers of the early 1960s. I don't have any photos of those handy, so this'll have to do.
Oh. Fisher should also get an honorable mention, too. Not much says "Swingin' 60s" to me like a 400, 500C, or 800C. Another timeless suite of designs.
all the best,
mrh
My 340....
nt
all the best,
mrh
but the classic monoblocks---especially the HF-22, HF-35 and HF-50. Those to me are art!
Anyway, I, regrettably, don't have any of THOSE :-(
all the best,
mrh
B&O. The looks far surpassed the sound.
Thnks for the url. The history reminded me of an org. I am a board member of going through similar difficulties as B&O did in the 80s. Maybe the org. will benefit from reading the page.
I do wish the still made the SP12 or at least replacement stylii for it. 1 of the nicest sounding cartridges at then a very reasonable price. Up there with the best.
Soundsmith will rebuild yours for you.
Classically simple, almost Doric in style. It has a lovely visual rhythm created by a subtle and logical triple division of 12 controls in an almost symetrical(an oxymoron I admit) 4/4/4 division that logically divides the controls.. And that slight assymetry from the slightly larger round controls on one side creates a very slight dynamism that wouldn't be there otherwise. I could go on; it's plain beautiful.
When I saw a 7c (dressed in wood) in person, it was love at first sight. Rarely do I get attracted so much to a piece that I want to own it on looks alone and with what they are going for...it was tough to justify. I finally bought one and was REAL happy to find that I love the sound of it too.
Also felt that way about the 10b but that was an easier buy because I've heard them before and knew they sounded great.
.
I agree beautiful. Far better than the post 7t Marantz preamps.
http://electronluv.com/
Agreed, Electronluv for the win.
Other stuff with nice (but different) aesthetics: Sony's -1 series gear from the SCD-1 era (the amp and preamp plus the player), and the Martin Logan CLS (original ones).
-Ed
Captain Nemo meets Flash Gordon by way of Timothy Leary ... utterly amazing craftsmanship and design
YIPES!!!!
If I brought things like those into the house my wife would make me hide them.
Line Magnetic's LM 212 tower rack amp
WE amps are the tits. Those things scream serious engineering with the all business design. Iconic.
Those I appreciate. My folks for a time in the 60s owned a hotel in Alton Bay, NH named Oak Birch Inn. It had a movie threater. The theater ran a pair of carbon arc projectors and 1 of these amps was hung on each. They ran 7 days a week all ummer and then we'd pull them bring them into the shop and I'd go through them so they'd be ready for the next season. Sadly, in 1991, the subsequent owner had a fire and the hotel burnt down they were lost.
Bell 6060, Scott 399, Fisher SA-100 (with cage and logo), Pilot SP-216, Heathkit XO-1.
I wish I had some pics for all to see.
The Summits were art deco looking push-pull amps, using all UTC or Ferranti trannies. The UTC equipped one is the amp that turned me on to interstage trannies. It is wrinkle black with a wrinkle black and chrome cage; looking like a cool mixer amp. The Ferranti equipped item is a wrinkle brown monster. Both of these amps were stage and/or recording amps, complete with a compressor/limiter stage.
The Hallmark Williamsons are two chassis, British built probably from Acoustical (QUAD) with amazing build quality; in and out. Without a doubt, these are true beauts. Seeing a pair of these KT66 amps will make any tube fan drool.
The Cook Livingston is a "sleeved" hammertone grey stereo amp with separate power supply. In fact, the Cook Livingston is THE first stereo integrated amp as we know them. It was available only as the Cook Binaural discs debuted in 1953-1954. It predates the Bell 3D and the Brainard binaural amps. The amp cage is a rounded corner sleeve that is a unique, beautiful hammertone gray/blue shade.
The Fairchild 240 is the highest gain mono '50s preamp with gold and cream and gray tones, utilizing lucite "bar" tone controls. There were three versions that each look amazingly very pretty. These could be some of the toughest preamps to fix inside; but their physical look is very special, IMHO...
I might also add the Acrosound Stereo 20-20 amp and Fairchild 255 amps as the cutest good looking small amps.
If you guys are still around and following, I've recently come across one and now own it.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/1953-livingston-stereophonic-binaural-amplifier-very-early-stereo-integrated.860580/
It is very very cool!
Timeless design is formless.
What does sound look like?
Have you ever seen what the Rolling Stones stage amps look like?
Great equipment is heard and not seen. The best I have heard could not be seen. The best I could feel could not be touched. I hear with my ears, not with my eyes. No one has made a stereo that looked so good anyone would want it in the way if it did not make sounds. When you go into Electric Lady recording studios lobby, you hear music, but there is no equipment to see, no 'matter,' to contend with. When you look at a women do you want to see the slithering shape, form and movement, or do you want to see a skin bag, full of clearly defined bones?
Music should be heard and not seen.
~~~
Hide it~ nothing looks better..
I would have to choose the Carver Silver Seven.
Tossup:
1) KLH 27 receiver - simple, great looking tuning dials and devoid of switches nit ally necessary.
2) Later Sherwood tube units and 1st gen SS pieces - you can spot these almost instantly.
3) Scott tube tuner, tuner/preamp and receiver. Combines 2 with even more beautiful round tuning dials.
4) 1st gen SAE. The only units thatto me scream high quality even before touching a knob or dial.
5) +1 on the Empire tables
6) KLH 41 tape deck - you said looks not reliability.
7) Toss up between KLH Nines and Empire 9000M - yes, no accounting for taste.
Scott champaign face tube gear, particularly the tuners with the lighted vernier dials, mounted face up in a cherry or mahogany console look fantastic
Anything by Tandberg from the 70's; also an Empire 698.
As well as other Marantz equipment of the same era. Looks clean and elegant to me.
~!
The Mind has No Firewall~ U.S. Army War College.
nt
all the best,
mrh
I think that the classic silver Marantz is the most consistently attractive design line in mainstream/US market electronics- it's immediately recognizable and it still looks clean and modern for the most part (not all that big of a fan of the house sound, though, not even the much-loved - and very pretty - 1060)
... and, yeah, Fairchild's hifi stuff rules, big time.
He started more companies than you can shake a stick at - all successful, and some incredibly so.
And his pedigree was pretty high-end, too.
all the best,
mrh
Although not with this arm.
nt
She was a sophomore. And had a posterior to die for. No wait... you said "best looking AUDIO equipment."
My Bad. Carry on.
8^)
Ray Davies of the Kinks once said to a friend of mine at a party, 'Don't I have an absolutely perfect a**?' Didn't know he thought about such things, but women do, a lot. It must have to do with the blue-rumped ape business. For my part I would have no trouble naming the woman whose posterior towers above all others (well, not literally.) And when chicks are scarce I turn to good-looking integrated amplifiers. Now there's a phenomenon demanding explanation, especially now that Freud's theories are in the doghouse.
Which reminds me, it runs in my mind that you are into guitars. Which is the most Fendery sounding cheap Fender amp? SuperChamp? Blues Junior? I recently bought a Strat and a Vox ValveTronix practice amp replete with amp models, but I can't get it to sound Fendery - you know, that twangy yet bluesey, relatively clean sound. Maybe it's just me.Is cutting the mids and boosting the bass the secret? Or should I trade the Vox for a Fender? Thanks for any thoughts... Peter
It's never too late to turn back the clock.
.
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