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Do you listen to your heart or your eye?

There are tons of good speakers out there, not to mention personal preferences, but how many of you buy speakers PURELY based on sound? I have owned over a dozen $10k+ speakers in life, but always wanted to own Sonus Faber Amati for its look. I never once liked the sound at dealer demo, but I contributed the bad sound to equipments and rooms (Classe or Levinson). But convince the SO is much easier with Amati than another square or weird looking box. My yard stick is high, the trust worthy Dynaudio Confidence 5 which has seen no equal after three years. What do I do or what have you done?
fpga
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Tie up your eyes before even seing any speaker prior to auditioning and than decide. Vandy 5s are realy ugly especially without grilles. Them you'd better audition with tied eyes.
killerpiglet
373 posts
 
As long as it doesn't look like a coffin, it's fine.

KP
ncarv
974 posts
 
I listen with my ears.
I don't care what the speakers look like.
thunnicutt
41 posts
 
The sound is paramount, but for me, looks (including fit n' finish and "fit" in the room/rack, are also important.)

It's the same as if you buy a car -- it can drive great, but look like crap, or built cheaply, or not fit in the grarage. I wouldn't buy it. Same with my audio gear.

I don't think that makes me less of a diehard audiophile, just that the items mentioned above are also important to me in the purchase decision.

BTW: I ownthe Amati's and they are one of the best looking speakers on the planet. And with the right gear, they are also one of the best sounding speakers on the planet. A true reference product. Depends on what musical cues are important to you (i.e. they don't have that last ounce of lowest octave bass). I've heard them with Classe, and wasn't impressed, same with Levinson. Amati's truly shine with tubes. Magical.
flemke
557 posts
 
Doesn't a good speaker disappear anyway?
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