Black, Silver or Other. What colour is your gear?

[walpurgis]

Nearly every piece of Hi-Fi electronics I use is black or grey.

I just don't like bright silver/champagne coloured boxes staring me in the face. Fortunately, most of the equipment I like comes in black anyway. The only real exception is my Graham Slee phono stage, which is silver. I did contact them and enquired about a black case, but they don't do 'em. (I do have wood speakers and a wood based turntable though).

What are your preferences?

[brian2957]

I like my gear to be black too ( including my rack ) . However , my MA R852s ( same as Dave's ) are wood finish but they ain't going anywhere anytime soon.:)

[struth]

I have a mix. But mostly siver upstairs and mostly black downstairs. I like both

[synsei]

I really like the colour of my JVC AX-A3 integrated which is a sort of dark bronze however I am not at all fussy really, as you will have noted during your visit here Geoff. There's an entire, if somewhat subdued, rainbow of colours going on in my system rack :)

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af316/Sgtgrash/Hifi%20Stuff/a98db405-133b-4967-a468-ba00ee3ce61e.jpg (http://s1019.photobucket.com/user/Sgtgrash/media/Hifi%20Stuff/a98db405-133b-4967-a468-ba00ee3ce61e.jpg.html)

[Effem]

I always seem to end up with kit that I buy for sound quality now rather than it's looks, so I usually end up with black, silver or champagne which always looks odd in the rack.

Still, if you don't like those colours, I hear that Dulux do a really nice shade of PINK :artist:

[Gordon Steadman]

I'm a hi-fi child of the 70's and 80's appearancewise so its black with nice wooden end cheeks - just black is a bit boring. The Quads are like that, the CDP has been done with cherry. The headphone amp and Firebottle Phone need the whole treatment. Even the Stereo 20 might get done.

If I can get away from the customers (retirement - ha!) I'll get a few bits done. I might even get time to dust:eek:

[YNWaN]

I don't have wood finished speakers or turntable - it's pretty much all shades of black ;) - some smoked grey acrylic.

I'm really not a fan of wooden cases or side cheeks for amplifiers and prefer a much more 'brutal' style for hi-fi.

[walpurgis]

I think I favour black because it doesn't draw attention and is more relaxing to be in front of. To me, silver equipment always looks as though it wants to make a statement.

[prestonchipfryer]

My wife prefers silver. :)

[YNWaN]

I think I favour black because it doesn't draw attention and is more relaxing to be in front of. To me, silver equipment always looks as though it wants to make a statement.

I wouldn't say mine draws less attention as such as it does take up two entire walls of the room - but I know what you mean.

[Macca]

Mostly black but I have a few silver bits from both the Seventies and the late Nineties 'silver periods'. Like Frank I buy for sound quality above all so I end up with all sorts of design cues and colours but when I bought my XTZ amp I could choose between black, silver or two-tone silver and black. I went for black.

If I had my way though I would have everything matt white and 'laboratory style'. If I ever bring out a high end range of kit that will be the finish on offer. The aim will be to make them look like props from Space 1999 so a bit of 'seventies computer detailing in there too.

[RobbieGong]

Black :cool:

[Barry]

The electronics are either black (Mark Levinson preamps, Linn/Naim and ML phonostages, Sony CD players and Nakamichi cassette players) or 'snot green' (sorry that should read "Quad bronze") for the Quad electronics (preamps, poweramps and tuners).

The turntables are all housed in teak finish wooden plinths, though the decks themselves are either grey with black arm boards (Thorens 124/II) or metallic hammer-finish grey (EMT 930).

The speakers are Quad 57s with copper/bronze coloured grills which fit with the decor of the living/listening room.

The only silver coloured items I have in my audio system are the pick up arms: SME 3009 and 3012, Keith Monks M9BA and Decca ffss Super, EMT 929; and the Nagra IV-S reel-to-reel machine.


Personally I would choose to avoid silver finish electronics as well as 'champagne gold' finishes. The latter is a bit of an imposition as it excludes Accuphase, early Marantz (the 10B tuner) and some Sony gear that interest me. :doh:


All a bit daft really as the the colour/appearence is simply cosmetic and has no bearing on the sound quality. Though I did read somewhere that Quad ESL 57s with black grills sounded different to those with the original bronze coloured grills! :scratch:


Curiously all my camera gear is matt silver chrome finish, though my next camera could well be black.

[awkwardbydesign]

Black, silver or other? Yes. :lol:

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/LDR%20pre/P1000298_zps13470a41.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/LDR%20pre/P1000298_zps13470a41.jpg.html)
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Consonance/29082013908_zps01a0da05.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/Consonance/29082013908_zps01a0da05.jpg.html)
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Jungson%20JA88D%2009/20141027_173344_zpsadkwdomo.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/Jungson%20JA88D%2009/20141027_173344_zpsadkwdomo.jpg.html)

[The Barbarian]

Why the old Quad '3' series looked so good in Kharki/Orange

[Mr Kipling]

I like black - or silver. VU meters look best on silver amps, to my mind.

Contrasts can make a big difference, I think. The Thorens TD I60 B MK II is a very smart item because of its black & brushed aluminium top plate. Same with the LP12 - and more so with a black plinth. Would never have anything champagne. Did have a Marantz tuner once though.

Can't beat 70s teak for speakers. Oh yes…

[archiesdad]

black with silver/grey legs,grey stands with pale wood speakers(beech?)' ok.

[Barry]

Why the old Quad '3' series looked so good in Kharki/Orange

Probably why the Quad Series 3 and Series 4 electronics all won Design Centre awards.

[jollyfix]

Green, black, silver and wood.

[struth]

Black, silver or other? Yes. :lol:

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/LDR%20pre/P1000298_zps13470a41.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/LDR%20pre/P1000298_zps13470a41.jpg.html)
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Consonance/29082013908_zps01a0da05.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/Consonance/29082013908_zps01a0da05.jpg.html)
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m604/awkwardbydesign/Jungson%20JA88D%2009/20141027_173344_zpsadkwdomo.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/awkwardbydesign/media/Jungson%20JA88D%2009/20141027_173344_zpsadkwdomo.jpg.html)

OOOH!!! a big beastie with VU's :stalks:

[awkwardbydesign]

OOOH!!! a big beastie with VU's :stalks:

A HEAVY beastie. 30kg! And the meters have no numbers on them at all, so just show if it is getting louder or quieter. And I can work that out for myself, thank you very much. :doh: It works well enough though, and stops the rack floating away.

[Idlewithnodrive]

All silver and wood here :)

[Canetoad]

Don't really care what colour it is. Most of my kit was bought 2nd hand and I wasn't going to pass up a bargain because it wasn't black or silver.

For speakers I always prefer timber finish to paint though. Having said that I wouldn't mind some timber in the electronic components. Timber cheeks look good and so do timber facias when done well. :)

[tiguan]

One day all will be wood. Now wood silver

[awkwardbydesign]

One day all will be wood. Now wood silver
Like this?
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/1520/2371887-angkor_wat.jpg

[MikeMusic]

Got to be black - as it sounds better :)

Unfortunately I had to compromise and my VIDA Phono Pre, Pass Pre and Chord Power Amp are sliver

The P10 looks great in all black. Makes me think of the obelisk in 2001

[YNWaN]

One day all will be wood. Now wood silver

That day has already been - it was circa 1975 :).

[icehockeyboy]

I love that champagne colour Marantz and some other Yank firms use, but, at 'er indoors suggestion. When the kit was on display (as opposed to being behind black glass doors now) it HAD to be black! :)

[tiguan]

That day has already been - it was circa 1975 :).

İ have already a Pioneer sx 850 which İ loved and a nordmende othello 1954 valve radio...
Wood is life... :)

[tiguan]

Like this?
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/1520/2371887-angkor_wat.jpg

Love it a vintage house.. :)

[Clive197]

I was told by SWMBO that I can have any colour I like so long as it was "BLACK" and anyway as MikeMusic says, it sounds better.

[MikeMusic]

In the words of the song.....

Black is black
:)

[Michael loves music]

I have all nad dark grey like susanna Reid its gorgeous

[walpurgis]

Got to be black - as it sounds better :)

Quite correct! :)

[Roy S]

Predominantly black with grey bits on the Krells

[jollyfix]

Liking your avatar pic Roy.

[Alan D]

Loving black here, both old and new. Meters and tuning scales as well :)

13474

[walpurgis]

Loving black here, both old and new. Meters and tuning scales as well :)

13474

Nice amp & tuner!

[Pete The Cat]

All black here. Unintentional really, looks so 1980s...

Pete

[Barry]

Nothing wrong with "snot green" and wood!

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/barrydhunt/Uher4400beingputthroughitspaces004.jpg

[RichB]

Black with red LEDs pls.

[Yomanze]

Doesn't really matter to me, but I prefer simple lines and simple casework. My rack has black, grey and silver gear, red and blue LEDs. Wouldn't match for aesthetic purposes as it would limit kit choices.

[Joe]

All black. Mostly green LEDs these days.

[southall-1998]

I like black kit. But can live with speakers that has cheery, rosewood or walnut finish.

Black ash welcome too :)

S.

[walpurgis]

I like black kit. But can live with speakers that has cheery, rosewood or walnut finish.

Black ash welcome too :)

S.

I think I may paint all my gear purple. Just to be a bit different! :)

[southall-1998]

I'll be biting my tongue, Geoff.

S.