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Best looking / worst looking amps & preamps

OK, this week we garnered opinions on the best looking and ugliest speakers. Now it's time to assess the best looking and worst looking amps and preamps. To make the discussion more focused, let's confine choices to amps and preamps manufactured since 1980. Ready....GO!
sdcampbell

Showing 2 responses by garfish

garfish
1,840 posts
 
I see in Audio Advisor that Perreaux has redesigned and dramatically (improved) the appearance of their amps and pre-amps. They now look more "industrial" and more conventional (and pretty good!). It was a previous series that was so gross-- don't want to grind Perreaux into the mud-- they probably sound good. Cheers. Craig
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Best looking pre-amps: Sonic Frontiers Line series w/ black faceplate & ARC LS25/MKII/Ref 2 in silver-- ML 38/380S series also looks good. In amps, I was always partial to the sexy looking Classe's-- before the Omega series. There are many really cool looking tube amps around, and I like the Cary's and VAC just to name a couple. I'm sure others can nail this down better-- if they have good taste;>).

Ugliest components I've ever seen were the Perreaux (sp?) amps and pre-amps-- the face plates looked like the snout of a walrus or maybe like a mini bumber off a '55 Oldsmobile or Buick. I also don't particularly care for the present ML amp style, but wouldn't call them ugly. Cheers. Craig
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