I bought a Squeezebox Touch and often have the "meter" setting on because I like it. It's cool and reminds me of my wasted youth spent in recording studios (now I waste my oldness in my digital, led metered studio). I also think the Appearance Factor as previously mentioned is a big part of this hobby...a very big part...and the wristwatch analogy is apt...I have a pile of mechanical watches and they have a vibe to 'em that only a watch geek can appreciate (I set my Valjoux or ETA loaded paperweights often when I'm at my computer so they're almost accurate). I refuse to buy a little "Class D" amp because they're too small (I want to put one in a large case with big meters!)...I like a nice brushed faceplate of several square inches for some reason, and the retro McIntosh stuff is hilarious to me, and most of it sounds great supposedly...certainly the Checker Car company of modern audio.
