Faceplates Silver or Black???????

Silver (my preamp is silver as there was no other option) is easier to find if stumbling around in the dark, and absorbs less heat in direct sunlight when outside, which it never is. The rest of my stuff is black, because it's more slimming and makes me seem like a better person than I actually am, so there's that. Also, on an unrelated note, I just bought a new motorcycle that is black and silver and chrome. A win win win.

To sum up: Gear color is a matter of choice, and "Notbananas" does not want his wife to know he buys cosmetic-free women based on performance.

Also...United Home Audio (sounds like a socialist hifi movement) puts Asian patterned stickers on some well regarded reel to reel tape machines. It's true. I'd like to see more wood veneered audio stuff (like a nice dashboard) or maybe Pass Labs or somebody could come up with a fake fur covered amp...but make it a good one so purists would buy it. Astroturf power amps...something...anything...

Please note that I recommend "cruelty free" fake fur to cover components. Cruelty to people is fine, as there are too many of them anyway.

Stealth paint from NASA would imply supporting the Military Industrial Complex and could result in the deafening of whales while listening to your over-hyped Adele album.

At night I like to see glowing tubes and the "output needle" setting on my Squeezebox Touch (unless it's off...then it displays a colorful analog clock thing). I have 2 Pangea power supplies with extremely bright LEDs that I put behind a little Bravo II plexiglass headphone amp to dissipate the brightness viewed from my listening spot. I use a Littlite mixing board light with a red filter on the top of the heap. I think all amps should be required to have some sort of moving needle or something to indicate life...I'd buy a Pass, McIntosh, or D'Agostino (!) just for that.