What was your most disappointing purchase for your audio system?

Nuance · « **on:** 5 Apr 2010, 11:18 pm »

So we already have a thread about what the most "profound" audio tweak/purchase was, so how about the opposite? What was your biggest "letdown" purchase in regards to your audio system? Or, another way to put it would be: which of your purchases was way over-hyped?

Before you guys/gals answer, please don't take offense to those who might find a product you happen to own (and like) to be useless in their system. It doesn't mean said product is crap. Thank you.

Mine first was a couple of diffraction pads that were suppose to increase clarity (mostly in the high frequencies) while also smoothing the sound. These were tested on a pair of Canton Ergo 900 series speakers that I used to own, and they didn't really do anything. I then tested them on a pair of Rocket 850 Sig's and SongTower RT's, but yielded the same results.

Oh well.

My next letdown (tied for first...couldn't choose), a Panamax Power conditioner. Yes, I was talked into buying one of these a couple years back by a Magnolia employee. I was expecting a drastic change...which never came. Double

*Scotty* · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Apr 2010, 11:49 pm »

Mine would have to the purchase of a B&K Pro5 preamp, followed closely by Solen Heptalitz coils. The B&K Pro5 was a complete POS.
The Solens were just a never was.
Scotty

Niteshade · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 12:32 am »

I have never been disappointed with anything electronic in my system.

What ticks me off is music issues:

Poor recordings REALLY bother me! I don't like shouty LP's, over compressed songs, etc.. in general, recordings which I could have done better with an old boombox & Type I cassette.

Electronics: No issues, ever! That isn't too good to be true- I just know what I want and get it and don't expect a $100.00 something or other to operate like a $1,000 something or other. Sometimes I am very pleasantly surprised, but have never been disappointed.

eclein · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 12:37 am »

A certain manufacturers center channel speaker who I will not name, it was supposed to be the best out there, I shoulda stopped him at out there!

*Scotty* · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 12:42 am »

If we open the door to disappointing music I'm with Blair, BAD records and CDs have been the biggest letdowns I have encountered in the pursuit of this hobby.
Scotty

droht · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 12:51 am »

Most disappointing purchase was a pair of Spendor S3/5 speakers. Technically they just made sense to me before I heard them; I was sure they would be the thing to keep me off the speaker-buying treadmill. They were OK, just nothing exciting. They moved on pretty quickly.

Bigger disappointment was hearing B&W 602 S3s. I was new to all this, and somehow got stuck in the B&W threads on AVS. I found a semi-local dealer, took off work, and was ready to go buy some amazing speakers. They were in a well-treated room, hooked to McIntosh electronics, and just sounded awful to my ears. I'm sure I was expecting too much. I've always wanted to sample the higher end of the B&W line, to try and get that sound out of my ears, but I have not ventured back.

Photon46 · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 12:55 am »

Biggest disappointment for me was buying a Belles 150A Hot Rod amplifier to use with my speakers at the time, Magnepan 1.6qr's. While it may have been a fine amp with some speakers, it sure didn't work well with Maggies.

mcullinan · « **Reply #7 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:12 am »

My most dissappointing upgrade was the Nuforce 9 SE v3 from the v2s. I was a big fan of Nuforce for over 2 years, upgraded to the latest version & spent 3 months trying to convince myself they were great. Maybe for someone else, but to me v2 was superior. Oh well... Sold them.

Nuance · « **Reply #8 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:17 am »

Quote from: *Scotty* on 6 Apr 2010, 12:42 am

If we open the door to disappointing music I'm with Blair, BAD records and CDs have been the biggest letdowns I have encountered in the pursuit of this hobby.
Scotty

Lets exclude music then. Keep it to tweaks and equipment.

diofan56 · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:27 am »

Klipsch speakers. All highs, not much mids, and no lows. Needless to say I don't have them any more.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:28 am »

My biggest disappointment was the much hyped Electro Research EK-1. Back in 1980, $4000 for what is essentially a phono cartridge was a good chunk of change. I thought either I’m a clueless idiot and don’t know what great sound is, or I got scammed. As it turned out, I didn’t know how to set the thing up. After that was accomplished by someone who knew what they were doing, it turned out to be the absolute best single sounding component I ever purchased.

So how many people are there who feel disappointed with a purchase either because of an error they made in the set up / integration… or are too ignorant to recognize a real improvement on account of poor judgment?

srb · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:28 am »

My most disappointing purchase was a pair of professionally built speakers incorporating the CSS FR125 full-range 4" drivers. I was excited to be able to finally try crossoverless full-rangers.

Not only were they the most inefficient speakers I had ever used (compared to other speakers I had owned, I would estimate 82 - 83 dB), they sounded totally muffled, as if they had a pillow wrapped around them.

In my due diligence, I tried them with three different amplifiers, three different rooms, and in near, medium and far field listening setups to no avail.

Steve

bummrush · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:30 am »

Dig. amps with out a doubt

JohnR · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:43 am »

I had quite a few when I got back into hifi about 10-11 years ago. I guess you learn after a while to ignore the "ratings" and look under the surface. And to experiment. Sites like this one help a lot (IMO

)

satfrat · « **Reply #14 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:53 am »

Unfortunately due to AudioCircles "dirty laundry policy", I can not post my most (continuing for years now) dissapointing purchase. Just my continuing monitary loss from this wellknown company is a prime example of why this is a potential timebomb of a topic. With all the unfortunate situations that do occur in this world of online audio purchasing, this topic needs to be tiptoed on.

Cheers,
Robin
Cheers,
Robin

timind · « **Reply #15 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:56 am »

I had to think a while as there have been a few. The MOST disappointing though was a pair of Meadowlark Audio Kestrel 2s. I had (and still do have) a pair of the original Kestrel Hot Rods so I thought the newer version would be better. As hard as I tried I could never get the K2s to come alive. After a couple of months I put the original Kestrels back in place and said ah hah. Loved the look of the K2s but they had to go.
Hopefully, as Meadowlark is out of business, it's ok to air this.

JohnR · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 01:59 am »

Quote from: timind on 6 Apr 2010, 01:56 am

Hopefully, as Meadowlark is out of business, it's ok to air this.

I'd advise doing your best to ignore anything satfrat says about AC policies etc. He always twists them in strange ways and insists on making a fuss about it.

jsaliga · « **Reply #17 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 02:07 am »

I was pretty disappointed in the ZYX Airy3 MC phono cartridge I tried. It sounded pretty lifeless to me.

--Jerome

Mariusz · « **Reply #18 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 02:32 am »

I would have to say all of those over priced cables, tweaks, power products in general make me sick...... except for maybe a few that actually performed well and didn't cost me arm and a leg.

Granite Audio preamp/phono.
I knew it was a nice preamp ( heard it many times before) but for some reasons, I couldn't get it to sound just right in my system.

Not disappointed but cautious - everything analogue.
Especially, phonostages and carts.

mjosef · « **Reply #19 on:** 6 Apr 2010, 02:47 am »

Come on Robin, you can name names...the OP asked...
Recently? I would say the Alan Maher breaker stones...after hearing all the hype about them, yeah, balls breaker alright...broke my sound. Luckily I was out only a Benjamin...
Moral of that lesson? Listen not to the village fools, hear for yourself...borrow beg steal or deal...