Ever made a HUGE audio mistake?

pardales · « **Reply #20 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 05:55 am »

Sorry for the long post

but this seemed like a good place to share these thoughts.

My biggest mistake is that it took me so long to figure out what kind of sound I enjoy in an audio system. Almost 15 years in this hobby and I had never run across single-driver speakers until a little over one year ago. Blew me away. In that 15 years this is only my second system that has remained static for over 1 year. The other stable system I had was 1992-1997 (Maggie 1.5QR, Muse 100, Vac Vintage Linestage, EAD 1000 Transport and DAC) -- I was a student most of that time and did not have the time, money, or interest in experimenting.

I know we change sometimes just because we are curious, or get a little bored, or we read a great review, yada yada yada, nervosa nervosa. I think, until you have really figured out the general "sound" you like in a speaker, making changes can be a bit of a crap shoot

. Sure, you might stumble on the sound you like, but I think your time would be better spent driving around to listen to as many speakers as you can. Probably cost less than the bits of money you lose buying, selling, shipping

. Once you figure out the general sound you like out of a speaker then you can make strategic changes to your system (if you want to that is) to carefully zero in further.

For example, while at the moment I am in no mood to change anything, I realize now that I like single-driver speakers

. I would really like to hear some others out there (Horn Shoppe, etc.) just to see what else this genre has to offer. I also know I like battery powered gear, so that narrows the field a bit as well for electronics. If I do experiment it will be within these genre's that I now know I really enjoy, and it will be in my room.

Best,

denjo · « **Reply #21 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 07:15 am »

I bought a 10th Anniversary Antony Michaelson Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated amplifier in 1993. It had the sweetest 25 watts of euphonic sound. Sold it 3 years later in search of audio nirvana but ironically it is this one amplifier that my memory returns again and again, looking for that euphonious sound!! Really regret selling it!

Rocket · « **Reply #22 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 10:25 am »

Hi,

Yes I've made a few mistakes along the way. I sold my trusty N.E.W. 20.1 and bought an N.E.W. dc-66 battery powered amplifier. I had it for about 2 years and the batteries were a total pain. I still have the amplifier but I don't use it anymore.

Regards

Rod

JLM · « **Reply #23 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 11:15 am »

In the early 80's I assembled a very nice system. It was ready for the coming digital age. It included Hafler pre and 100 wpc power amps as well as large 3-way speakers with transmission line loading (all of which I'd assembled/built from kits). But it was had way too much bass for the apartment and still too much when we moved a year later into a house. Soon after the move the in-laws brought over the piano and large organ and the system quickly got relegated to the semi-finished basement. Over 3,000 cu. ft. of space and still it had too much deep bass.

Eventually the Haflers were sold as I down-sized to a NAD receiver. Upon completion of a 20,000 cu. ft. chapel at our church I hauled my entire system there to try it out. Glorious! The little 20 wpc NAD and those speakers provided the best sound I've ever heard. I donated those speakers to the church and moved on.

Knowing what I know now, I would have tried DEQ and/or bi-amping to save those speakers, and of course kept the Hafler amp.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 12:36 pm »

I'm in the middle of 2 bad transactions right now. Over 5 grand tied up in hardware I don't even have in my possession.

doak · « **Reply #25 on:** 12 Dec 2007, 02:12 am »

Ya 1 luckee mofo

brj · « **Reply #26 on:** 12 Dec 2007, 02:36 am »

Quote from: arthurs

I sold my 24MXL to a buddy, and still wonder about my sanity on that one.

Yeah, well... I bet that joker... whoever he is... wishes he was getting more use out of it! Turns out he would have been better off storing it at your place for a while! It would have been fun to hear on what I suspect is one of your best audio purchases!

aod · « **Reply #27 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 06:22 am »

Hell Yes !

My biggest mistake was to be sweet talked into buying a pair of Genesis G200's.
The bass drivers thumped continuously after a few months,
the bass amp kept tripping my breakers, etc. Basically, it was a badly designed system.
Never again.

I finally settled on a very basic system that honestly, blows the Genesis out of the water.

More importantly, never be sweet talked or pressured into a sale. If you are pressured, best not to buy. Just leave it. Only buy when you feel it is right. I did not trust my instincts and paid dearly for it.

My Promitheus/JBL combo to me, is excellent.

Jag

Skynyrd · « **Reply #28 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 03:51 am »

Absolutely!

My VMPS RM40's for sure. I bought them because I really wanted them, not because they sounded great: so I deserve these.

Lesson learned.

I'll pass the 40's on this summer to some lucky audiophlake with foam walls!

skynyrd

tdangelo · « **Reply #29 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 03:55 am »

Quote from: Skynyrd on 14 Dec 2007, 03:51 am

Absolutely!

My VMPS RM40's for sure. I bought them because I really wanted them, not because they sounded great: so I deserve these.

Lesson learned.

been there with the 40's too

arthurs · « **Reply #30 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 04:20 am »

Quote from: brj on 12 Dec 2007, 02:36 am

Quote from: arthurs
I sold my 24MXL to a buddy, and still wonder about my sanity on that one.

Yeah, well... I bet that joker... whoever he is... wishes he was getting more use out of it! Turns out he would have been better off storing it at your place for a while! It would have been fun to hear on what I suspect is one of your best audio purchases!

Word....

TONEPUB · « **Reply #31 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 05:49 am »

You know that Vandersteen 5 is a much better speaker than a lot of people
give it credit...

They do so much really well, it's easy to move to something that you don't
like as much overall. Glad you still have your speakers....

Im with Lonewolf, get a small 2nd system to play with. It's like having a
sedan and a sports car, you can drive what you want when the mood
hits you!!

Enjoy...

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #32 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 05:55 am »

TONEPUB...

Quote

Im with Lonewolf, get a small 2nd system to play with. It's like having a
sedan and a sports car, you can drive what you want when the mood
hits you!!

Variety is the spice of life.....
and since there is no such thing as the perfect system....
add some variety....works for me...

Zero · « **Reply #33 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 06:45 am »

I'll third the notion of running at least two systems.

tdangelo · « **Reply #34 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 09:55 pm »

Quote from: Zero on 14 Dec 2007, 06:45 am

I'll third the notion of running at least two systems.

hmm... to much $$ for me. I'll just listen to my computer system when I want a change

I've decided to send my Audio Logic dac off to Tube Research Labs for modding. Hope I like the change.. I just ordered some teflon VCaps for my amps - gonna replace the input coupling caps. I now have all Fusion Audio cables - power and XLR in my system. Those made a very large improvent in sound quality. Next, I'm gonna STOP looking at Audiogon and just enjoy music

jackman · « **Reply #35 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 11:25 pm »

Yow! Great story, luckily it had a happy ending. I expected the guy to skip town with your check! Anyway, my cousin has Wisdom Adrenilins with Rowland amps and Krell amps on the woofers and they sound very good. Not sure if they are worth the money but he bought them new and the guy from Wisdom came to his house to set them up. Too rich for my blood and budget!

I had a similar bad experience. My first "real" speakers were Dahlquist DQ10's. I was familiar with the speakers and bought them from a guy in Chicago who had them advertised in the local paper. He had them packed up and did not have a system to play them on. I bought them for cash and when I got home found the woofers blown and the tweeters replaced with cheap ones that were not original. I tried to contact the guy but he stopped answering his phone and literally moved out of his house a couple weeks later with no forwarding address.

I took the speakers to a place called MDS (music dealer service) which I think has closed, and they happened to have a complete set of drivers for my speakers. They were a NOS set that was ordered for a client who never picked them up years before! They sold me the drivers for next to nothing and completely re-wired the xovers for next to nothing. It was a great ending to a scary story. My idiot brother wound up taking the speakers after I upgraded and proceeded to trash them but that's a different story.

Best of luck with your system!

J

GDeering · « **Reply #36 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 01:40 pm »

tdangelo & skynyrd

I'd appreciate hearing your opinions on your past RM 40s.

Gregg

95bcwh · « **Reply #37 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 02:56 pm »

Knowing your past, I think you'll have a very hard time taming your "upgraditis"...

Quote from: tdangelo on 14 Dec 2007, 09:55 pm

Next, I'm gonna STOP looking at Audiogon and just enjoy music

tdangelo · « **Reply #38 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 02:58 pm »

Quote from: GDeering on 17 Dec 2007, 01:40 pm

tdangelo & skynyrd

I'd appreciate hearing your opinions on your past RM 40s.

Gregg

Lets just say, they didn't work out for me

tdangelo · « **Reply #39 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 02:59 pm »

Quote from: 95bcwh on 17 Dec 2007, 02:56 pm

Knowing your past, I think you'll have a very hard time taming your "upgraditis"...

Quote from: tdangelo on 14 Dec 2007, 09:55 pm
Next, I'm gonna STOP looking at Audiogon and just enjoy music

hmm, I think I resemble that remark

I really am going to chill now. My system has never sounded better