Most Beautiful Receiver / Integrated - Ever was... ?


Time for what I hope is another fun thread. Please include links if you can.

I'm curious to everyone what you think the hottest/sexiest most interesting integrated or receiver ever was. For me, brands like these would probably be in the running:

  • Carver
  • Kyocera
  • Tandberg
  • Revox (old)

It didn't have to work, or sound good. Just had to do it for you in the looks department.
erik_squires
So much great looking audio gear and everyone has their favorite.  Since my first receiver was a HK 330C, I tend to really like that series like the 430 & 730 with the dual transformers.  The Yamahas were also beautiful receivers too.  Nothing against Pioneer, Sansui, Marantz, or Tandberg, etc they all look great!  If I had won the big PA lottery (like 550 million), I'd buy a bunch of gear and a building and make an audio equipment museum.  One room just for receivers.  
My vote will have to go to the Technics SE-A5 and its later siblings the SE-A1000, SE-A5000 etc. This 35-year old design is just about as fresh today as it was when tit came out in the early 80’s.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48136705@N05/14254248282/in/photostream/
I think current minimalist integrated amps are pretty sexy.

I love the look of the Pass Labs INT-250 and INT-60 integrateds:
https://www.passlabs.com/gallery/12#lg=1&slide=5
https://www.passlabs.com/gallery/12#lg=1&slide=3
https://www.passlabs.com/gallery/12#lg=1&slide=9

And the MBL integrated amps are flat out gorgeous:
http://www.mbl-northamerica.com/mbl-c51/
http://www.mbl-northamerica.com/n51-integrated-amplifier/

I owned a Yamaha CR620 receiver for 35 years, purchased circa 1977. It was a pretty nice receiver for modest $$. (It's still making music BTW.) Back in the 60s and 70s, what I truly I coveted was an upper end Marantz or Luxman receiver - much prettier and better sounding, but they were out of my reach. I do now finally have a Marantz integrated, the PM8004, and enjoy its clean, slightly retro look. The pic is shows a PM8005 in silver, which I think is sexier than the black:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxXctIk3zh4
Yes, indeed. Except for the headphone amp, everything that comes out of Pass is gorgeous to look at.

The MBL C51 is super nice, so nice that the knob looks almost out of place.

Yeah, I wish Kyocera was still making gear.

Best,

E