How Much Do Aesthetics Factor Into Your Decisions?

1. Prior to Appearance and Relative Locations of Equipment (which is important to me):

2. Listening Space. Private Listening Cave (perhaps ’perfect’) or Natural/Shared Living Space (best achievable within that space) (influenced by WAF).

My Current Listening/Living Space:

Daylight; Plants; Artwork; Donna’s ’pretty’ stuff, life acquired furniture, including meaningful family heirlooms; listening position(s); lighting control.

Equipment: Each piece individually has it’s personal appeal, and work together based on my happiness whenever I simply see the equipment prior to listening. Some, like a SACD player, not visually interesting, perhaps annoyingly slow, but excellent sound makes it special to see/hear.

Next: Operational Height: Turntable/CD/Reel to Reel/Preamp Controls/Remote line of sight: Best achievable, i.e. Turntable lower than ideal, but highest relative to height of windows behind. Tape a bit low.

NOTE: Dining Table??? As all horizontal imaging is Phantom, speaker created, the dining table is not problematic once you have achieved the ability to ignore it's presence.

Of course I have compared:  removed the table, placed a carpet over the large exposed wood floor, listened with friends to same content: makes no difference to horizontal imaging perceived by me or my friends. Probably surprises many, but happily it is true. Height and Depth are Mind Created in any case.

Placement/Heights more preferable in my Office:

I do like the flamingo!

lots. if i dont like lookin at it i wont buy it. 

I recently replaced my beautiful looking amp with a plain Jane looking one that performs much better, especially at higher volumes.  Would I go back to the pretty one?  Heck,no.  Most of us want to close the eyes and just listen anyway.

@dekay it lasted 20 years but it died about 5 years ago and we couldn't find it anywhere.  I can't remember the brand, but I think it was European, but it made American style waffles.