I know Wilson. And Johhny. And Bill. And Oscar. They sit on my shelves and stare back at me... like
and
and
.
No, just kidding.
I try to set up my system with SOUND as the first thing, FOR ME to listen to, but I do buy gear based partly on looks sometimes, and arrange it based partly on looks, too. Both sound and looks are important to me.
Impressing friends is much, much less important, for several reasons. First, it is not very common to invite friends over to one's home in Hong Kong (we mostly meet outside in clubs or restaurants), so not many people ever hear my system, anyway. While I enjoy sharing my finds with "friends" here on AK, that is not about impressing anyone, but just sharing the pleasure of the hobby with people who also have an appreciation for vintage gear, and who understand the "addiction". [Heck, how could a mere mortal even begin to be impressive on a board with several guys who have over 100 receivers and/or speakers, and systems like Masterlu's, and skills like EchoWars', etc...?]
I buy gear for ME, and not for anyone else. Occasionally, I buy something with my wife in mind, but she is not into audio the way I am, and doesn't collect (wishes I would collect less, in fact). I consider others' opinions of gear as a guide to picking components I'm more likely to like, since it is impossible to get and try out everything. Others' opinions also affect resale value, which I factor into purchase decisions, but none of this is a deciding factor. Ultimately, I buy what I think I will enjoy owning and listening to. (Probable) sound and looks both play a role. I will buy a plain-looking speaker that is known to sound wonderful, and I will buy a really funky/neat looking vintage oddity like a novelty receiver, even though it might not sound great. Most gear I want to meet both requirements: Great sound, and at least good looks. I would like to one day share my gear with others (like some of you get to do at the AK fests), but that is not an option nor an issue for now. I buy what I want to own and listen to.