I know many audiophiles (especially the DIY crowd) are always looking for ways to trim the fat from products; maximum performance for the lowest cost... However I wonder how many of us would be willing to pay a premium for better looking gear.... For example:

Nuforce has just released the SGE (signature gold edition) of their uDAC-2 for $400



It "appears" to have the same specs as the regular uDAC-2 ($130):


The SGE is adorned with a genuine Swarovski crystal on the volume control and encapsulated in a lustrous 24K gold-plated chassis with stainless steel front and back panels.

http://www.avguide.com/article/nufor...old-plated-dac

I can't say I'd buy the SGE, but I don't see anything wrong with paying a premium for better cosmetics, especially for gear that is going to be prominently displayed in my living room...

I have noticed some brands offering more premium finishes (such as piano gloss for speakers) at higher prices than the regular finishes... In fact online companies like Axiom have always been a prime example as you can more than double the price of their speakers just by selecting real wood veneer finishes (and they are 100% honest in letting you know that there is no sonic advantage to the more expensive finish)...

So back to the question: Would you pay a premium for a nicer finish and if so, how much?

I have to admit that the SGE would look really nice on my desk at work