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Post by russellcreekps on Aug 2, 2024 20:05:53 GMT -6
If I can’t find anything that sounds nearly as good, then I’ll bypass looks, but if there’s many (somewhat) equal options out there, do looks matter to you? There was a mic where I just couldn’t get over the logo, but they changed it and it changed me. Or, I’m not a fan of square shoulder dreads, so I never bought a Martin, but I’ve been a long Gibson fan anyway for some reason (no idea why). For me, the gear I use needs to visually inspire me as well…like a piece of art. Anyone else? I must say though that I didn’t like the look of the RS660 at all, then I heard it, started the drool, now I look at them all the time and have come to love the look. Kinda like how shit music is played on the radio and eventually it’s played so much that it gets in your head?  …Not that the RS660 looks like shit! |
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Post by notneeson on Aug 2, 2024 22:23:12 GMT -6
I love my Silver Bullet, and I’m not really a fan of the design aesthetic.
But, the user experience and sonics are among the very very best. So much so, that I don’t really mind the look of it anymore.
I don’t like the Stam logo either. I think I might be a snob.
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Post by copperx on Aug 2, 2024 22:35:58 GMT -6
I guess it could, but nice looking gear is exceptionally rare.
Practically all gear is ugly and utilitarian, with a few exceptions. I guess I've heard people refer to the Shadow Hills compressor as a gorgeous piece, but I think its busy and unergonomic. Maybe I could call the Avalon 747 somewhat aesthetically pleasing because it has a lot of symmetry.
Microphones are all phallic, except perhaps the Coles 4038 and a few other. The 4038 is an interesting piece.
There's something pretty about Neutrik XLR terminals. There's a few nice headphones, like the top tier Grados.
But there are so few aesthetically pleasing pieces that if I had to pick them over others, I would have only one 2 or 3 items.
What gear do you consider nice looking?
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Post by drumsound on Aug 3, 2024 0:17:24 GMT -6
Instruments, yes, but recording gear, mostly not.
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Post by OtisGreying on Aug 3, 2024 1:21:27 GMT -6
They definitely do, if I feel like something is well made and has attention to detail I find myself gravitating towards it, probably because that’s how I feel I operate with my own work. Obviously Sonics is paramount, but sometimes I think things built like a tank just give me a different sense of confidence
Edit: I guess im conflating looks with build quality here but yeah, as far as color scheme/layout or whatever that’s pretty subjective and non important to me. Mostly what I like is a tactile/nice build quality that feels well made
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Post by ninworks on Aug 3, 2024 2:44:59 GMT -6
Instruments, yes, but recording gear, mostly not. ^ This. I can't stand the looks of Telecasters but the sound is undeniable. The body kinda looks like the profile of a Sperm Whale with its mouth open, and the headstock, well, where's the rest of it? It took me 40 years but I finally got one and couldn't be happier with it. It's my secret weapon when nothing else will fit in the track. It ALWAYS works. |
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Post by thehightenor on Aug 3, 2024 3:52:50 GMT -6
I have a Tone King Imperial mk2 Head and matching cab with a WAZA Tube Amp Expander sat on top and in front a 20 pedal boutique pedal board complete with pedal switcher …. and the cab is miced up to with an AEA R92 and SM57. It looks like Dave Gilmore is about to drop a track  My buddy brought his Axe FX FM3 around to do a comparison and you know the FM3 did sound pretty good in sound directly compared. But visually I know which I prefer and which inspires me, setting aside the advantages of being able to twiddle real knobs on a one function per knob basis. So yeah, I’m human …. looks count for me |
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Post by skav on Aug 3, 2024 6:24:12 GMT -6
Looks matter. The gear which became classics often have a good looks. Great looks enhance the experience and inspire performance!
Often, we can tell alot by looking at the outside of something..
With that said, there are plenty of good and useful units which look 'boring' or plain ugly.
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Post by ninworks on Aug 3, 2024 8:47:00 GMT -6
With that said, there are plenty of good and useful units which look 'boring' or plain ugly. Neve 1073 comes to mind. Kinda retro looking which is understandable. |
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Post by eyebytwomuchgeer on Aug 3, 2024 9:25:14 GMT -6
Maybe it matters like 20% to me. I'm much more confident with my drumming skills than my recording/production chops, and I feel like I care waaaay less about the look of a drum or a cymbal. And to some extent, I think there is a certain charm that comes from seeing somebody dominate a performance on an instrument that looks terrible, or perhaps its is Frankenstein-ed together, etc.
But for outboard/mic stuff, I think I'm still in the phase where the looks mean something haha. And most of the time, its really stupid stuff. For instance, I'd love to get a Fatso to complement my 2 Distressors, but I cannot stand that the knobs on the Fatso don't align with the knob spacing on the Distressor. They are slightly off. It's a stupid hangup, but for some reason, the thought of those misaligned knobs just drives me nuts. I've had a few chances to get a Fatso at a good price, but I just haven't been so footloose-and-fancy-free with pulling that gear trigger. I realize I can put the Distressors/Fatso in seperate rack areas, but then THAT would look stupid too. Now, something like 4 Distressors stacked with 2 Fatsos, that would make more sense. To me.
So, I guess I'm more in the drums-are-a-tool camp for drummy stuff, and more in the recording-is-a-hobby camp for that side of things. Still, its nice to have a vision, whatever it may be, and then spend whatever money you can budget to meet that aesthetic. There is a certain charm to having a unified vision, just as there is an equal charm in organized chaos.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,083 
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Post by ericn on Aug 3, 2024 10:17:53 GMT -6
It is complex because what look sells a piece is so inconsistent, but go look at a bunch of new product threads and see how often the looks are mentioned, because it certainly do influence buying choices or most 1176 reproductions would be 1 rack space.
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Post by poppaflavor on Aug 3, 2024 10:28:19 GMT -6
I kind of think looks sell gear for everyone to some degree, but perhaps I'm just projecting my own thoughts.
It does seem like there's an opportunity to get some custom builds for less when their looks are not quite as aesthetically appealing to what most folks want because of color scheme or knob layout.
I personally like the vintage vibe like the Retro sta level and Audioscape ASA6A, although I do like some of the more bubbly aesthetics like the MC audio labs Luna.
The problem is getting all the gear to coordinate and look aesthetically pleasing together :-)
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Post by Tbone81 on Aug 3, 2024 10:53:10 GMT -6
Yes it matters. It’s partly just vanity, I’ll admit it. I like it when stuff looks expensive or “pro”. But there is something to be said about gear being aesthetically pleasing. We are pursing art after all. To me the look of the gear is part of the over all look of the room. And things like vibey lighting, cool decorations, comfortable seating etc make me more in the mood to create.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Aug 3, 2024 11:33:27 GMT -6
High quality aesthetics hint at a commitment to excellence. They don’t always go hand-in-hand, but often do.
When you ride a Harley Davidson, or drive a Mercedes, you can usually feel the difference in quality as well as see it.
Same with Audio.
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Post by honkeur on Aug 3, 2024 14:36:40 GMT -6
I usually prefer gear that makes an understated visual statement -- good clear ergonomic design, with aesthetics second. Maybe a slightly industrial or scientific vibe. If it's too stylish, or too retro, it make me suspect someone is trying too hard, and the gear might not stand on it own merits. At least we're not living in the Golden Age of Ugliness now. That was the 80s and 90s. Remember the Focusrite Green Voice Box? Yikes  Attachments:
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,083
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Post by ericn on Aug 3, 2024 15:24:15 GMT -6
I usually prefer gear that makes an understated visual statement -- good clear ergonomic design, with aesthetics second. Maybe a slightly industrial or scientific vibe. If it's too stylish, or too retro, it make me suspect someone is trying too hard, and the gear might not stand on it own merits. At least we're not living in the Golden Age of Ugliness now. That was the 80s and 90s. Remember the Focusrite Green Voice Box? Yikes You won’t believe this but some people actually bought the Green series for the looks! Yeah they always left me laughing, but for some that plastic texture actually had fans! The green is kind of under appreciated, it’s the red without Transformers. |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Aug 3, 2024 16:17:23 GMT -6
It totally matters to me. Contributes to the overall vibe of your space which contributes to inspiring one to be creative, IMHO.
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Post by geoff738 on Aug 3, 2024 16:32:50 GMT -6
I guess no, not really, but it doesn’t hurt either.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by geoff738 on Aug 3, 2024 16:36:17 GMT -6
Instruments, yes, but recording gear, mostly not. ^ This. I can't stand the looks of Telecasters but the sound is undeniable. The body kinda looks like the profile of a Sperm Whale with its mouth open, and the headstock, well, where's the rest of it? It took me 40 years but I finally got one and couldn't be happier with it. It's my secret weapon when nothing else will fit in the track. It ALWAYS works. For years, decades, I thought I hated Telecasters. Now I love their combination of form and function, and although I own a lot of guitars, there is just something about a Blackguard Tele. I think they are beautiful. And yes a good sounding Tele is a great thing. Cheers, Geoff |
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 3, 2024 17:50:32 GMT -6
Haven’t had a chance to read the thread. But yes, definitely. Looks trump sound in most cases for the consumer. Now, that’s not a true statement, but something that looks like a Neve is gonna sell more than one that doesn’t.
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Post by russellcreekps on Aug 3, 2024 18:10:02 GMT -6
I guess it could, but nice looking gear is exceptionally rare. Practically all gear is ugly and utilitarian, with a few exceptions. I guess I've heard people refer to the Shadow Hills compressor as a gorgeous piece, but I think its busy and unergonomic. Maybe I could call the Avalon 747 somewhat aesthetically pleasing because it has a lot of symmetry. Microphones are all phallic, except perhaps the Coles 4038 and a few other. The 4038 is an interesting piece. There's something pretty about Neutrik XLR terminals. There's a few nice headphones, like the top tier Grados. But there are so few aesthetically pleasing pieces that if I had to pick them over others, I would have only one 2 or 3 items. What gear do you consider nice looking? Everyone’s got their vibe I guess. I think there’s a lot of utilitarian looking gear that’s gorgeous. Like a Chandler Mini Rack…wowzers in my trousers! I think I might ogle it in my rack more than using it . And totally agree on headphones, love the look of my LCD-X’s…keep em on a headphone stand on my desk when not in use. |
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Post by russellcreekps on Aug 3, 2024 18:17:29 GMT -6
^ This. I can't stand the looks of Telecasters but the sound is undeniable. The body kinda looks like the profile of a Sperm Whale with its mouth open, and the headstock, well, where's the rest of it? It took me 40 years but I finally got one and couldn't be happier with it. It's my secret weapon when nothing else will fit in the track. It ALWAYS works. For years, decades, I thought I hated Telecasters. Now I love their combination of form and function, and although I own a lot of guitars, there is just something about a Blackguard Tele. I think they are beautiful. And yes a good sounding Tele is a great thing. Cheers, Geoff I love the look of a tele as well, not a fan at all of a strat or lp (looks). I have a vintage Gibson ES-175, I think that’s the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever seen or heard…makes me so happy every time I break it out. And I really love seeing the EQP-A’s in my desk, so purdy. Oh, and every time I use the B67/269…I feel like I’m making a record. Not like the NU100K, it’s got a great sound but doesn’t inspire the same…a sexy mic can equate to a better performance, for me anyway. |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Aug 3, 2024 22:13:56 GMT -6
I would add to maybe separate guitars vs rack gear. Guitars are totally in another world.
Part of the reason I've never bought a Daking unit, for instance, is I just don't like the look. Also don't want Dr. Bill on my ass but I hated the meter on the Silver Bullet to the point of reaching out to see if I could custom a unit with another approach. But, that's just me and is not a slam on anyone.
The vibe is huge though. You come in, you sit down in your space. How do you feel? I want to feel like something's going to go right today.
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Post by russellcreekps on Aug 4, 2024 16:54:57 GMT -6
I would add to maybe separate guitars vs rack gear. Guitars are totally in another world. Part of the reason I've never bought a Daking unit, for instance, is I just don't like the look. Also don't want Dr. Bill on my ass but I hated the meter on the Silver Bullet to the point of reaching out to see if I could custom a unit with another approach. But, that's just me and is not a slam on anyone. The vibe is huge though. You come in, you sit down in your space. How do you feel? I want to feel like something's going to go right today. I was referring primarily to rack gear in my original post. Agreed on that one, I love my VU meters. Wouldn’t mind having Chandler everythang! Ha! |
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Post by Oneiro on Aug 4, 2024 18:48:02 GMT -6
As we work, we are steeped in bias of all sorts. Instead of eliminating all of it, I'd rather indulge most of it. Something that looks lame is a big self-own, especially when so many love a clean utilitarian look that costs less than visual noise. Maybe some things are a matter of taste, other things are conditioning via vintage fetishism, but this stuff is expensive. Why would you work against yourself as a manufacturer? Self-expression vs. losing 5+ figures in sales before they've even heard your work? The reality is there are very few manufacturers who can speak to a genuine sonic edge or novel superiority, most of them are working from the same century old cookbook. Build quality and intelligent design are just two things working in someone's favor. Not looking like a post-modern nightmare is another one. Outside of the pedal world, I don't know many pieces of gear that are absolutely brutal looking and have endured on the basis of sound.
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…Not that the RS660 looks like shit!
