sir sniper im one of those who value aesthetics very much in fact i let go of several very good speakers in the marketplace becasue its not black(you may check on my thread at the gallery and you will see everything i have is black thus I call my set up symphony in black)
just a couple of weeks someone called me after i posted in the LF section and offered me a walnut RS 1 Mint conditioned and wharfedale pacific series maple colored, i never let go of the offer as i heard several good reviews and feedbacks about this speakers
now i broke the symphony in black and never regretted it becasue i have never heard my HT and audio set up singing this beautifully. 
yup, i saw your thread on the gallery.
and yes, i saw how many times you passed up on some gears due to color.
it really is hard to change gears if you are maintaining the aesthetics of your set-up. but in the end, it will be your ears, and not your eyes, that would eventually decide.
it came as a surprise when i realized that i was still able to attain the aesthetics of my set-up. before the switch, the color of the body of my previous speakers matched with my a/v rack. now, all my speakers are black.
and my audio set-up sounds better.
