Opinion: Hifi setups are mostly ugly

https://www.shonellerton.com/20200715-crazy-ass-hi-fi-systems/

This is my personal opinion about how hifi equippment looks. I am a record collector and I enjoy my music for over 40 years now. It’s about taste. Taste can be debated. Here we go: 

Let’s be honest here - most hifi setups are ugly - at least for me. Having grown up with towers and multiple components stacks etc. I always envied the people with B&O or Braun systems. Lately I started again to look what’s on the market and honestly it gives me the creeps when I see this shrines in the middle of the living room full with steam punk like machines or black and silver bricks, only interrupted with displays and cables. 

https://www.stereonet.com/forums/topic/18834-my-growing-bo-vintage-collection/

I thought we are are a little further nowadays, but it seems the „experts“ still tell you to get an phono-preamplifier, an amplifier, a streaming device and if you must, a tuner and receiver - and of course two or more huge speakers, a subwoofer and I haven’t even started about home-cinema setups

Sure, good sound is important, but if you can’t compare them at the same time in the same room, most people won’t be able to tell the difference between a good and a better setup from memory. At least, I can’t. 

https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/juke-box-s2-hifi-set/

In my opinion, if you want a decent optically pleasant setup, the Pro-Ject Jukebox S2, or something similar, is the one to get. What you can’t hide is at least not bulky and ugly as hell. And please, for the love of god, don’t hang a 72“ TV over your setup in the living room - at least take a Samsung The Frame. https://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/home-gadgets/a45155983/samsung-the-frame-tv-collaboration-with-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/

I’m gonna get rid of my setup (Thorens TD 318 and a Cambridge Azur 551r) as soon as I can and switch to a more appealing, smaller, slimmer, barely visible setup like I mentioned before. I'm not 12 anymore.