Ugly vs Gogeous speakers

I like exotic woods liked striped ebony and at one point nearly bought a pair of Thiels just for that (and they sounded good of course).

Same here.

When I first started contemplating buying a Thiel 2.7 or 3.7 years ago someone had offered to sell me the most gorgeous looking 2.7s in ebony.  I knew they would be perfect for my room, but couldn't help be tempted by going all the way to the flagship 3.7s, so I got the 3.7s in a finish that is high quality, but not the perfect shade for my room.

Letting those original ebony 2.7s go nagged at me ever after and when a pair miraculously appeared (never seen them before or since) on Audiogon a while back I grabbed them as quick as I could.  And at a killer price!

They are among the most attractive speakers I've ever seen and are also a perfect color/aesthetic fit for my room. And fortunately I like their sound better than just about anything else I've auditioned (except they are neck-in-neck with my bigger Thiel 3.7s). So it's a win-win-win situation of having the sound I want with exactly the aesthetics I desired.

I'll buy for sound, even if the speakers are butt ugly.  I presently own a pair of Ohm 1000's painted black.  They look good to me, but I want speakers that let me forget I'm listening to speakers and allow me to concentrate on the sound rather than the source, which the Ohms do.  You CAN get the best of both worlds, but the whole point is basically what appeals to my ears, not my eyes.

Careful what you ask for:  I bought a pair of racing red KEF LS50s for the living room.  My wife loves their appearance so much she wont consider replacing them with KEF Reference 1s.

Look like Goldmund.  Super expensive!