Do you listen to your heart or your eye?

Sd; thanks for saying it for me. And BTW, I listen with the grills on. Also, the V5s fit very nicely into my room/stereo system. It may be a cliche', but I'd defend Marakanetz' right to express his opinion-- this is America-- too bad he's wrong though;>) Cheers. Craig

I think appearance is crucial if the speakers are imposing and in your main room,which is probably most people's situation however of course thare are those who only consider functionality.
Nobody can be wrong either way.
It's clear in ALL hi-fi that design and looks are given serious consideration by manufacturers.
And as we see from above when aesthetics become involved then the viewpoint is obviously subjective-it at least made me investigate how Vandersteen 5's look-but I'd prefer to keep out of this one.......

I must have bought for the sound and the price. My newform research speakers will never win a beauty contest. There are times when I wish they were beautiful and then I fall in love with them all over again, it goes in cycles....they always make people comment on them even touching the ribbons and saying"what are these things?". I always wished I had a pair of mini monitors that were 1. cheap. 2 and could move me like the newforms....What do I do? Live with the newforms. They're like owning a beetle....they look odd but the owners love them...One of the handsomest speakers I ever swa were the Castle Winchesters in mahogany. Women would gush and fondle the wood[the speakers]....they were a very elegant sounding speaker

When I purchased my last speakers, the only factor my wife requested is that the speakers do not look like "R2D2" or anything that came off the "Star Wars" set. Among the numerous speakers I listened to, I wound up getting a pair that are very plain looking, but sound beautiful. Dynaudio Contour 3.3's.

I personally feel that there are enough good sounding speakers or other high end pieces available at all price points that there is no reason to consider something that does not make a statement in your room or on your rack. Part of the appeal of high end should be to sound better and to look better than ordinary gear, thus contributing to the pride of ownership thing. BTW the speakers I own are the Apogee Duetta Signatures and Vienna Acoustics Beethovens.