Poll: Faceplate preference

[0b11011001]

Both actually. As long as the faces are metal I dont really care.

All one color is kind of boring, so some pops of silver makes things more fun.

The only thing black I dont like is black wood, it makes me ill.

View attachment 3692681
View attachment 3692680

Even natural black wood? Some are very beautiful, at least for furniture.

 

[TomD62]

Is that a preamp? That thing is beautiful!!

Erhard Audio Aretha MKII preamp. No affiliation, just a fan.

Erhard Audio

 

[TomD62]

View attachment 3692619
like this, and no I don't have one, wish I did

I have one and it sounds beautiful. Gets used almost every day. Keeping this over a SX-1010.

 

[N0rt0n]

I have various but prefer silver. I also like the Gold on my old VAC Pre.

 

[parman]

I have one and it sounds beautiful. Gets used almost every day. Keeping this over a SX-1010.

I am currently looking for a 881, about 2 years ago a stereo shop near me had one and I thought they were asking too much. Now I can't even find one on the bay LOL.

 

[Apreggiator]

Silver appreciation post.

 

[Bodyblue]

Even natural black wood? Some are very beautiful, at least for furniture.

I despise all black wood equally....I do not discriminate.

I also despise the hideous oak vinyl wrapped furniture/speakers etc of the 80s also.

 

[Bodyblue]

I ordered my KLH Kendalls in black oak on purpose, so far, I have not gotten sick

Its your money, if it makes you happy then more power to you.

 

[0b11011001]

I despise all black wood equally....I do not discriminate.

I also despise the hideous oak vinyl wrapped furniture/speakers etc of the 80s also.

Oh definitely, any vinyl wrap is bad, black or otherwise.

 

[Bodyblue]

Oh definitely, any vinyl wrap is bad, black or otherwise.

Some vinyl wraps are done well but that oak crap from the 80s was not.

 

[GChief]

Its your money, if it makes you happy then more power to you.

I will let you know if it makes me ill

 

[peterp1]

Once you go black, you don’t go back!

Yes, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that champagne is often involved

 

[0b11011001]

Yes, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that champagne is often involved

Nothing wrong with a magnum of Champagne!

 

[Gigantic]

I despise all black wood equally....I do not discriminate.

I also despise the hideous oak vinyl wrapped furniture/speakers etc of the 80s also.

I will not invite you to my home. Most of my furniture and all of my cabinetry are either black or espresso- brown so dark that it's nearly black- I live in a condo and didn't have a choice regarding the cabinetry and I don't care enough to do anything about it. My 3-way horns are piano black with mahogany accents. I have one piece that's not black, a dry bar between my kitchen and living room area that resembles an antique Chinese sideboard, but likely came from pottery barn or world market. (it belongs to the s/o; I haven't bothered to ask about its provenance- I don't particularly care)

 

[peterp1]

Black, black, black, black -- that's all I hear . Sounds like Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. Look, let's be honest, there are a few people here who have been trying to shamelessly promote black with Brut force comments, while I've been trying to keep the discussion light, bubbly, and refreshing. I don't have a Cristal ball, but I feel pretty good about the poll turning around. Of course, I'm a "glass is half-gold" type of person.

Those of you with "dark champagne" amps -- it's not too late to correct your vote

 

[GChief]

the poll turning around

Turning around from what? It is what it is...

JMO after a little thought (yes it hurts). Now that the old timers that "grew up" with and sought out silver gears are aging out, and those that grew up with black gears are slowing becoming the majority, the poll numbers make sense. the next poll in a few years may have flipped but still have the 2 vote difference

 

[cason]

Antique Silver will still be the best.

 

[painttoad]

Turning around from what? It is what it is...

JMO after a little thought (yes it hurts). Now that the old timers that "grew up" with and sought out silver gears are aging out, and those that grew up with black gears are slowing becoming the majority, the poll numbers make sense. the next poll in a few years may have flipped but still have the 2 vote difference

i like blackface. always have. always will.

but i like silver face too.

if i ever downsize to one stack only, it will be this, with a different table.

 

[peterp1]

Turning around from what? It is what it is...

JMO after a little thought (yes it hurts). Now that the old timers that "grew up" with and sought out silver gears are aging out, and those that grew up with black gears are slowing becoming the majority, the poll numbers make sense. the next poll in a few years may have flipped but still have the 2 vote difference

Hopefully it's obvious that my entire post is tongue-in-cheek. I'm the one that has been shamelessly promoting champagne (also 95% tongue in cheek).

I think @knotscott and @Lavane got it right early in this thread (posts below) that it's the overall finish and quality that matters, not color. I like every color, probably about the same, when it is a high quality finish and tastefully done. Color preference for me varies per room, and is much more about fitting the room, vibe, and surrounding equipment than it is about any predetermined color.

Among quality finishes, I'd give a slight edge to champagne maybe having the potential to look best when well done (e.g. Accuphase), but champagne probably looks worst when poorly done (e.g. plastic/plain surface, etc.).

Now, if you'll let me get back to my shameless promotion, I'd like to debunk an old wives' tale: People do get a kick from champagne!

For me it dends on how the manufacturer made the faceplate.
Overall I still like brushed aluminum. But we'll made black or black brushed aluminum looks great too, especially when a nicely done black face plates have silver knobs. The only equipment I have left with silver faceplates are a power amp, integrated amp, and tuner. My main system has mostly black faced, or had polished stainless steel equipment with a bit of wood siding, etc. Most of the preamps and amps I've built I used hammered silver and copper paint. Too much to post.

It depends on the whole look...not just the color. I like a lot of different looks if they look good. Most of my stuff ended up black, but it wasn't planned.

Of my gear, I especially like the black with bold red lettering of the Lazarus preamp along with the low profile.

 

[Lavane]

Hopefully it's obvious that my entire post is tongue-in-cheek. I'm the one that has been shamelessly promoting champagne (also 95% tongue in cheek).

I think @knotscott and @Lavane got it right early in this thread (posts below) that it's the overall finish and quality that matters, not color. I like every color, probably about the same, when it is a high quality finish and tastefully done. Color preference for me varies per room, and is much more about fitting the room, vibe, and surrounding equipment than it is about any predetermined color.

Among quality finishes, I'd give a slight edge to champagne maybe having the potential to look best when well done (e.g. Accuphase), but champagne probably looks worst when poorly done (e.g. plastic/plain surface, etc.).

Now, if you'll let me get back to my shameless promotion, I'd like to debunk an old wives' tale: People do get a kick from champagne!

Champagne done right does really look nice. Same with gold.
NAD equipment never looked good to me. I'm not knocking the sound or build quality, but I just can't get past how NAD'S equipment looks.
Some people like how there equipment looks and thats fine.
It's just too stark and dull looking to me.