I think the point here is that a product like the 950 doesn't have to look butt-ugly to work right. The AT clone will perform exactly the same, but uses a slightly different finish on the faceplate and buttons, which couldn't possibly add that much more to the price. Most high-end preprocessors have been "beautified" by their manufacturers, which means that most have decided that high-end gear should also be relatively attractive. I keep my gear in an open rack for maximum ventilation, so everyone has to look at this stuff. But, if you have those tasteful paintings of dogs playing poker and pool and stuff on the wall of your AV room, maybe cosmetics aren't such a big concern.

That said, Outlaw could probably make even more money and please even more customers by at least offering a silver finish with complementary buttons on the faceplates of their gear and charging another $100 or so for it... A win-win situation for everyone.


[This message has been edited by dmeister (edited January 18, 2003).]