We can't judge a book by its cover any more than we can a piece of high end stereo equipment by its case. And yet we do, time and time again. It's just human nature. The outer appearance should define the inner workings but often misses the mark. Remember the old Corvair? It looked like a sporty car but in reality… One of the homeliest pieces of gear I ever owned was the Audio Research SP3 preamp. Plain Jane does not adequately call out its looks. And certainly, its mundane appearance in no way reflects its sound quality. For several decades it was the best preamplifier I had ever heard. And then there's the story of my original phono preamp prototype housed in a Roi Tan cigar box… As designers we do our best to mirror what's inside by the statement the outside makes, but rarely do we succeed. So, the next time you hear something good about a product only to be turned around by its looks, maybe take a moment. Turn off the auto-judgment emotion and give it a chance. Ugly ducklings sometimes become beautiful swans.