How come receivers from overseas look so much better...

[Weister42]

Even this old Kenwood receiver looks sooo much better than the gray ones we get...

http://hk.page.auctions.yahoo.com/hk...2?aucview=0x13

Or how about this Luxman amp....

http://hk.page.auctions.yahoo.com/hk...0?aucview=0x13

Our Onyko receivers are all black - not this one

http://hk.page.auctions.yahoo.com/hk...7?aucview=0x13

I wish I can import some of these...

[markw]

Both of those links require me to download a chinese character set. Homey don't play those games. When I cancel out of the download, a blank page displays.

[Weister42]

I found those at the Yahoo! auction site in Hong Kong, so the display language is in Chinese but I can read it...picture is worth a million words though.

[Worf101]

Same same reasons women from overseas often look better... because they're different. I'm sure there's plenty of folks in Asia or Europe that would kill for a solid black systems but they aren't offered the choice and vice versa. I'd like a little variety in all aspects of my life the more exotic the better.

Da Worfster

[Resident Loser]

...all(or most) home components were lovely, substantial, brushed aluminum with real metal knobs...and switches that indicated their status simply by position...and real, functional reasons for their existence...Black components were in the realm of professional gear, usually rack-mounted...slowly they crept into home systems, rack systems became the norm and the manufacturers started to produce only black gear. It gave the impression of pro stuff, usually with none of the performance levels...faceplates became plastic, knobs and switches gave way to "touch" controls w/LEDs or icons on displays...then, with the advent of HT(the single most insidious bit of marketing and root cause for the deterioration and ultimate disappearance of reasonably priced, decent hi-fi gear IMHO)the die was cast!

You used to have a choice...now you get what they gives ya! To hear the mfrs. tell it, the choice is market driven...but then that old question rises up again, who really caused the market in the first place?...the same can be said for digital, exotic wiring and soon the loss of teevee as we now know it!

There are a few bits of non-black/gray gear...TEAC, Onkyo and Denon make them...they are however mini components...some HK pieces are non-typical...some of the higher end stuff is likewise...

I suppose as long as folks buy the stuff(since you have no choice), they will keep making it status quo...but again, you really have little choice...you can't order it as an option...b!tchin' to a salesman doesn't do squat...if enough people started to complain to the mfrs. it might help, but in general, the public are sheep who take what they are given...how else could you explain $6 cups of coffee and cars that look like the Pontiac Aztec or Honda Element...

jimHJJ(...I jus' calls 'em like I sees 'em...)

[kexodusc]

I'd love to see more cool gold colored gear, but that boring retro-silver Sony and the boys are pushing has got to go!!!
I suspect it's a cost driven thing...less colors, less costs...there's bigger fish to fry than color though.

As for HT being the deterioration of decent gear...couldn't disagree more...for once mass production has actually lowered prices of quality gear and lead to reasonable improvements...There are good, cheap $200-300 speakers today that can easily keep up with some $1000 to $2000 speakers from 10 or 20 years ago. (sure there's some that belong on boomboxes too) But you can thank HT for that.