When I first got interested in audio, the looks of the gear and the sound is what caught my attention. When I was able to afford nice gear (brand name), my ear is still what drove my choice to purchase. Did I look at the specs, sure. Did they matter that much, not really. My ears and the looks of the gear is what drove the purchase. I appreciate Bob's ideas and designs, I like the looks, and the sound....well that's why I own them. Now, as I am older (61), the nostalgia adds a factor to the decision. As with tube amps, Bob's Black Magic 25 with KT120 tubes is the best sounding tube amp I have heard. I like the tube sound better than solid state and I have listened to solid state most of my life. And do I need to mention looks......grin. So, for me, since I can afford it, I would rather have a quality sounding piece of gear that looks great instead of something cheap. Price is not the driver for me, it's value that determines the dollars spent.