[Hershon2000]

I'm hoping someone can educate me here & I'm not trying to be sarcastic or criticising people, but why is it that the majority of posts I seem to read here & on other forums as well, seem to be more concerned with build & apprearence as opposed to if its an improvement on audio sound from your previous equipment? I just don't get it. Maybe some one can clue me in what I''m missing when I read these posts. In regards to build- who cares- what is the likelyhood that your going to drop it & break it? As long as its in a secure place it should last. The only thing analogy I can perceive is its like people who collect rare records but have never played the record.

 

[kuma]

Bling sells.
Noooo doubt about it.

 

[PeeeMeS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hershon2000 I'm hoping someone can educate me here & I'm not trying to be sarcastic or criticising people, but why is it that the majority of posts I seem to read here & on other forums as well, seem to be more concerned with build & apprearence as opposed to if its an improvement on audio sound from your previous equipment? I just don't get it. Maybe some one can clue me in what I''m missing when I read these posts. In regards to build- who cares- what is the likelyhood that your going to drop it & break it? As long as its in a secure place it should last. The only thing analogy I can perceive is its like people who collect rare records but have never played the record.

To me, headphones are a fashion statement
I wear them like jewelry and I want nice looking jewelry

However, this doesn't mean I won't buy audio products that I feel are ugly
I'll just have to mod them

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS To me, headphones are a fashion statement I wear them like jewelry and I want nice looking jewelry However, this doesn't mean I won't buy audio products that I feel are ugly I'll just have to mod them

-cough- sock mod -cough-.

Um, anyway. I think the OP is actually reading the wrong threads. WAY more focus is put on the audio quality here at Head-Fi from what I've seen. I mean, just look at the K1000s, Stax earspeakers, and most amps under $500 (besides the Corda Aria).

 

[drarthurwells]

Why can't I get all my components in Chartreuse with Gold trim?


At least my headphones!

 

[2426]

I think the title of this thread is a little harsh. But, anyways, we do, or at least I care about sound quality first, but if I am going to spend my money on something expensive, I do not want it to break on me. I would also want it to look half decent. Thats just my opinion.

 

[Jahn]

I swear I made sure the SQ was good before the 24K plating was applied!

 

[kuma]

Whoa dude!
And I thought the Corda Aria was too bling.

Well, I take that back.
This was pretty bling.

 

[kg21]

there are so many people on head-fi who are very knowledgable and spend thousands of dollars on audio equipment and I don't think its because of appearance although appearance isnt a bad thing. I havent found many threads focusing mainly on appearance, its just mentioned in a sentence or two usually.

 

[Asr]

If I'm going to be spending hundreds (or even worse, thousands) on audio equipment, I demand it to look nice. Wouldn't you? You're no longer buying a utilitarian product for its sound output abilities - it's going to be placed somewhere where you can see it, and if you can see it, IMO it damn well better look good where it's sitting, because what's the point otherwise? You like ugly-looking equipment?

I've already dismissed tons of amps and sources because I haven't liked their looks. Reviews on the sound won't change my mind, I have a preferential look, and if a component doesn't match up, I won't consider it. Some people might tell me my attitude will exclude tons of good-sounding components that aren't lookers, but there are tons of other components that have just as good (or better) sound and meet my visual expectations. So there!

 

[rincewind]

Build quality only matters insofar as the machine not falling apart, these aren't military equipment. It always counts in anything you buy. In any review/impression on here, you're unlikely to see more than 1 or 2 sentences in a row about build quality and appearance. Unless it's particularly flashy, and there's always at least one in every crowd in a hobby like this.

 

[gevorg]

When audiophiles have hard time noticing sonic differences, they start talking about the looks. Why do you think most $$$ gear looks so good?

 

[zeropoint]

Everyone's different - each to their own. Some people focus on one aspect, to the exclusion of all others. Whereas, other people appreciate more than one aspect. I have a set of priorities, including performance, aesthetics, build, fit & finish, etc, and rank them according to my preferences. However, each priority has a minimum qualification level, that depends upon my objectives. Often it's a case of eliminating options where all else is equal, or very close: if two items sound similar, maybe one is very slightly better, but it's real ugly, and the other is beautiful, then I'd go for the looks. When you're not comparing, the slight sound difference will become a distant memory, but you're stuck with the looks. Build and looks, etc, also tend to indicate the general care and effort expended on the item, and may be reflected elsewhere in the design, as a tentative guide. The point is, we do care, very much, but we also care about the looks.

 

[memepool]

The main difference with digital sources like CD players between budget and high-end is going to be build quality. Although this will also have an influence on sound quality, anything with moving parts is going to last longer if it's made of die-cast metal rather than plastic.
Vinyl is another matter altogether. Spend more money on the whole and you get better engineering and better quality materials which have a huge influence on sound quality.
Real Hi-fi is more usually confined to the specialist engineering led manfacturer concept where a brand is built with a few models over many years rather than the idea of 3 new product ranges per year which the consumer electronics giants are so fond of.

more this

than this

But you couldn't say design is completely diveorced from fashion...

 

[Jeff E]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hershon2000 I'm hoping someone can educate me here & I'm not trying to be sarcastic or criticising people, but why is it that the majority of posts I seem to read here & on other forums as well, seem to be more concerned with build & apprearence as opposed to if its an improvement on audio sound from your previous equipment? I just don't get it. Maybe some one can clue me in what I''m missing when I read these posts. In regards to build- who cares- what is the likelyhood that your going to drop it & break it? As long as its in a secure place it should last. The only thing analogy I can perceive is its like people who collect rare records but have never played the record.

of Head-fiers valuing sound over appearance come immediately to mind.

Consider our feeding frenzy regarding

1. the Zhaolu DAC
2. the AKG K701