I like to see the tubes, too. Check out Atma-sphere if you like to see lots of big glowing power tubes. I really prefer the look of some tubes that glow a bright white - I think those are the ones that have direct heated thoriated cathodes, maybe 845s, 300s - I'm not sure, can someone help me out here? I remember this look on some Art Audio Carissas - just beautiful. I wish someone would make 6AS7 tubes like this so I could outfit my Atma-spheres with them. And maybe throw a little neon in so they would have a bluish tint, too. That would be heaven. Why is this? I don't know, but I think people are generally attracted to bright sparkly lights, especially against a dark background - the stars and moon in the night sky, sparkly jewelry, candles, the aforementioned campfire, blue LEDs against a black anodized or polished aluminum chassis. As a kid, the coolest thing in the world was an airplane dashboard full of lights and switches. I don't really know why, though.
I agree about the Cary pre amp. It looks like a solid state preamp with a bunch of tubes stuck on the top for no reason. To each his own.
I agree about the Cary pre amp. It looks like a solid state preamp with a bunch of tubes stuck on the top for no reason. To each his own.