What is your most beautiful component?

Squeezebox Touch with Katie Perry or Sophie Millman artwork displaying.

Things head south when Lady Gaga cues up.

Just came across this thread again. Since my last report many components have been added ( and some left).

The Original La Luce by SpJ is still the most beautiful among my newer addditions:
Clearaudio Master Ref on Clearaudio Everest Stand- beautiful
Metronome Kalista Transport- sexy
Zanden Signature Transport 2000 - Elegant
Zanden monoblock amps 9600 - beautiful
I was really sorry to let my MBL 6010D preamp and Jadis orchestra go as they were both also really beautiful!!

toss-up between Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable and VAC 300.1a amp (with the tubes running and lights off)

My SP Tech Minis

Basis Ovation w/ Vector 4 Tonearm.

Without a doubt my 2 MC2000's. Cant beat tubes glowin and those big blue meters in the dark!

My Dali Euphonia ms4's. Even the wife remarks at least once a week about how gorgeous they are.

Almost all of my components happen to be totally utilitarian, with little concession to aesthetics. The Naim 555CDP looks okay, if you like all black, with no decoration. My linestage, Emotive Audio Epifania, is also purely form-follows-function, but the wood base is made of very nice tiger maple slabs (not veneer).

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My Michell and Oracle turntables. They are beautiful functional artwork.
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Jadis J-1 cd transport .
Nakamichi Tx-1000
My ex Jadis se300b or ja-30.

No need to put sound aside; Ayre MX-R Mono Amplifiers.

Metralla

You are killing me

Pictures please, bongo. ;-)

Regards,

My wife.

hmmmm....I would say my Usher BE-10 speakers or my Esoteric P-03/D-05 transport/dac combo...both have amazing build quality and a very nice look to them (to me anyway).

That would be my Kiseki cartridge, although I like the looks of my entire turntable...

http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/30713/2004150184027539252_rs.jpg

Tidal Contriva speakers; sculptures that happen to do music as well (mine are in black)

http://www.tidal-audio.de/english/startenglishprodukte.htm

Ha-Ha!!

Would X2's fit In a Ferrari? and why would one want to? lol

For the price of Wilson Alex's, can't you just get a red Ferrari??? ;>)

Wilson Alexandria X-2's in Ferrari Red

Salk HT3's

burbinga wood finish

play as great as they look

C'mon - Start! LOL

Is a "truckwhisperer" something like a 'Horse-Whisperer'?

JRDG Concentra. Hands down winner.

My McIntosh MC240.

Arthur

Basis Debut Diamond Signature Turntable with vacume,
it is clear & when you put a colored record on the platter it turns to that color. I like my red Japanese mono pressings of the Beatles playing on it myself.

three letters M A C - the blue light in the dark - especially when you get it to clip-protect. a laser light show of mind blowing sound

I will give it to Wavac PR-T1.
The Kharma 3.2 are superb looking speakers too.
For me the system components are important visually. You wont listen to your music 24/7, but if it is in your main room, you see it many more hours, when you actually listen to it. Sometimes, I just can not find the right CD to listen to. So, I switch it all and just sit, and watch.
We all like to see beautifull things around us.

think of low level room lighting.....
one single dj's light shining down & from the side to cue your record on.....
a clean & polished gyrodec spinning slowly, hypnotically.

my gyrodec is a working piece of art. magical. mesmerizing!

2 New ones:
Lenco built by the Master of the North- Jean N.
Thor preamp

My modded shanling CDT100, a true work of art.

MBL 1621A :)

http://www.mbl-usa.com/tra1621a.html

Actually it's my vintage early 60's Heathkit/Daystrom AA-151 tube amp and matching AJ-11 tuner. Burnt orange cabinet and a charcoal with black horizontal pinstripes faceplate, and a cool chrome visor (physically in mint condition). Also has the vintage knobs and the red/black/chrome logo. Even the sectioned off horizontal heat vents on top look cool.

Lenco. bamboo plinth.

Hey Maxxc,

Agree with you re: the Focus Audio 688's - mine are Burr Piano walnut. I also have a pair of Focus Audio 888's in the Burr Piano Oak and they are visually stunning . . . so it's a toss up for the "1A" spot. The looks and comments from friends that drop in are priceless - without exception everyone has to touch them. The best part is then when they eventually hear them :))) !!

That said, runners up for the "Miss Most Beautiful Component" are (drum roll please) . . .

1b) Pathos New ClassicOne or Original Leonardo CD 9.3 (in work office)

1c) Aurum Cantus V3M (in home office) - Cherry with Piano black fascia

1d) Yamamoto Headphone Amp (in home office) Hand made in Cherry

Marry Christmas,
Garry

Barclay X-1 CD-Drive

,best CD Drive ever and the most beautiful component ever build :)

Toss up: Basis 2001 in black. Cary SLI-80. Silverline Sonatina II in rosewood. Funny, your question made me realize that I've been gravitating to gear that both looks and sounds good. Why looks? Well, the system is my living room! When is the last time you bought a sofa or table for your living room based purely on functionality, ignoring looks?
Art

My Jadis Eurythmie speakers. While they don't have the finish of the Sonus Faber Homage series cabinets, they have a look which makes them special enough. They sound pretty good too... :^)

Oh I should have reported back months ago. My La Luce TT by SpJ.

Real toss up between my SF Guarneri's or my Rowland model 8.
FWIW, wife prefers the SF's.

Ohm 100 MK 3 - Tiger Maple Veneer

Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage. The Italians are to speaker cabinets what the Danes are to drivers.

Martin Logan Aerius i's. Not exactly beautiful, but certainly striking. They're my pride and joy. My Adcom, HK & Behringer electronics are strictly two-baggers. But, they sound great. I'm single and frankly don't care if the stuff looks like junk, as long as it sounds good. That's what audio cabinets with doors are for.

Come to think of it, my old AR ES-1 turntable with Sumiko MMT arm (currently collecting dust in a closet) is pretty darn pretty, especially with the dustcover off.

I agree with Doug Schroeder ... the Pathos Classic One MkII looks clean, simple, and stunning ... lots of thought went into this amp. I owned one for 6 months or so and hated to part with it, but it wasn't a good match with my speakers ... and I most definitely wanted to keep the speakers I had (and still have).

Pathos Classic One MkII tube hybrid integrated amp(soon to be twinned, as I plan on running them in bridged/mono mode) is my most gorgeous component. And yes, they DO sound as fantastic as they look!

My Luxman tuner collection. Each is a visual delight.

My cherry wood Cain & Cain IM-Ben's(pic) w/ matching Bailey subs & amp stands.

There are times when sunlight streams through that window hitting them, that the cherry grain looks like flowing pearlescent liquid. Never ceases to take my brath away.

He said audio components! Who cares about your wife. You must be whipped!