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Post by MartinT on Mar 4, 2022 7:23:39 GMT
We often humorously jest about the colour of our hi-fi kit. So have at it, rant away about why your selected colour is best!
Me first: although my system is selected on the basis of its sound quality only, I do care that it looks decent and doesn't uglify my room. To me, black kit is ugly, featureless monoliths. There is nothing pretty about it. That's why I prefer silver: elegant, timeless, with control labelling that you can read. For speakers: wood finish is greatly preferred. Again, anything but black.
Your turn...
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Post by ChrisB on Mar 4, 2022 8:09:47 GMT
I don't care. I have a mixture of black, silver, gold, white and grey.
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Post by petea on Mar 4, 2022 9:28:12 GMT
I have always preferred black (although my first ever amplifier was silver). I think it is mainly because it tends to blend into the background more. My current pre-amplifier (Alegri+) is grey though (the only colour it comes in) although the Engima (eventually to be replaced by an Alegri Reference) is black. My LP12 is the classic 80s wood although the Tangerine Audio top-plate and Linn arm-board are black. The side panels of the Lector CDP and DAC are cherry - if Lector ever finish repairing my other one I was going to ask them to change them for black though!. The main speakers are wood (I think Rega called it walnut although it looks closer to cherry I think), but the fronts are black. The sub is oak and blends in with the furniture.
The racks in the UK are black with bamboo 'ply' sides (honey coloured) as are some of the shelves. In Germany most things sit on Townshend platforms (which are black of course) on top of an old 60s radiogram (that weighs a ton!) or, in the case of the power amplifier, on a platform on the oak floor. All black again apart from the Alegri+
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 4, 2022 10:26:57 GMT
Black for the same reason as peteaBlack racks, speakers and other Even better have the kit invisible. Black paper to cover the front of the silver Vida Phono stage and PSU Recently used to cover the light wood grounding boxes Sounds wonderful |
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Post by Slinger on Mar 4, 2022 10:43:58 GMT
The sound's the thing, not the colour, but if I'm given a binary choice of black or silver, I'll choose black. Why? Because good hifi should be heard and not seen. I don't want my hifi to be " eye-catching," because that's not the point of it. It's the diference between " look what I've got," and "have a listen to this," as far as I'm concerned. My last two major purchases have actually been "Lunar Grey," from Cambridge, which is the colour of the whole range now, and a dark grey affair that I'm sure I read somewhere was described as black by Arcam, but their entire range is the same colour now, so there was zero choice for either. Neither of them, thankfully, is "shiny" though.  My speakers: In the living room I've got twelve speakers **, including subs, and eleven of them are black, for uniformity. I don't want six or seven different shades of wood dotted about the place. The twelfth is hidden from sight. Main system, upstairs - Light Oak. My main system has black acrylic boxes, so glossy, but at the same time, minimalist and fairly understated. Another aesthetic point, my cabling is neat, or at worst, hidden. *cough* Martin *cough* **
Second audio system 2 + 1 AV system: 5 + 1 Computer system: 2 + 1 |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 4, 2022 10:52:55 GMT
my cabling is neat, or at worst, hidden. *cough* Martin *cough* Yeah, yeah, working on it...  |
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Post by karatestu on Mar 4, 2022 12:46:09 GMT
I don't care really. But they all have to be the same colour though (speakers excepted). Hidden away is preferable for me. I'm not in to willy waving.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 4, 2022 12:55:50 GMT
This concept of willy-waving: no bugger ever comes into my music room except some of you lot.
Most people go glazy-eyed at even the idea that I have a hi-fi system.
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Post by speedysteve on Mar 4, 2022 13:08:46 GMT
Really don't care. Black shows the dust more = might dust it more often, NOT! 🙂 Colour isn't really a consideration regarding visual impact😂 I have painted the 2.4m long tapped horns to match the walls. That's Farrow and Ball 'Pointing'. Our daughters often like to bring friends in for a look and listen. Show the iPhone / Android ear bud kids something different.  |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 4, 2022 14:01:29 GMT
Show the iPhone / Android ear bud kids something different. That's where it's good to have Bluetooth on the DAC. Let them connect to it and show them what a good sound system can do from their phone. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 4, 2022 15:28:42 GMT
So far as cabling hiding
I thought the rolls of black paper from work would be handy for something and so it has been
The largest piece hides a vast amount of grey cables at the back of the left hand rack
Disappears as everything else is black.
Hate LEDs burning my retinas so they have a peice of black card over them
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Post by John on Mar 4, 2022 15:32:26 GMT
I usually prefer black but vintage gear with switches and/or gauges silver
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Post by Slinger on Mar 4, 2022 15:43:49 GMT
Good point, John. I hadn't considered that, and some vintage gear is just made to be seen because it's gorgeous.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 4, 2022 16:15:46 GMT
The largest piece hides a vast amount of grey cables at the back of the left hand rack You've given me an idea. I wonder if I can hide all the black gear?  |
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Post by petea on Mar 4, 2022 16:23:21 GMT
I think Tesco do extra-wide aluminium foil! |
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Post by speedysteve on Mar 4, 2022 20:42:46 GMT
Show the iPhone / Android ear bud kids something different. That's where it's good to have Bluetooth on the DAC. Let them connect to it and show them what a good sound system can do from their phone. They can use Spotify connect to Volumio, and then I can take over and play them the same on Qobuz, and really open their ears😉 |
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Post by brettj on Mar 6, 2022 10:25:31 GMT
My stereo cupboard doesn't care what colour my kit is.
My wife did.
I have black clothes, shoes, headphones.
Why not follow on with amps etc.
Perreaux gave an option recently on yellow, purple, red amps.
Ewww. I'm sure they wouldn't sound as good...
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Post by MartinT on Mar 6, 2022 11:08:32 GMT
Excellent. Most of you prefer black. That makes me the easy tastemeister among you.  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 6, 2022 11:42:23 GMT
The odd boy in the class  |
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Post by Barrington on Mar 10, 2022 18:33:02 GMT
I like gear that is aesthetically pleasing , I can't afford an Accuphase but if I could I would see past the colour matching other kit . My last major purchase was a Yamaha amp , black would have matched my other gear but it just looked so right in silver , so that was it .
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