1. Early 2000's I had become obsessed with the MBL 101D speakers. I'd heard them in various places and they were my ultimate speaker, but way more than I could ever afford. Then, through an audio pal, I got word of someone selling a pristine pair for a ridiculously low price - about $12,000 at the time. I could buy them directly from the seller before he put them on auction.
I'd never come close to spending that much on speakers so I hemmed and hawed a bit too long, and he put them on audiogon. Literally just as I decided I would go for them. But now that I'd lost that opportunity, I had to have them and now I had to bid for them. I'd never bid before on anything so I quickly learned the protocall, how to bid successfully. I did everything right, and reserved a "killer bid" for the very last moment. It was clear as the last minutes closed in I was bidding against someone else. So I waited...tick...tock...tick...tock...last 15 seconds (I think it was) I fired off my final bid, way leapfrogging the other guy.
Got a server error.
Bid didn't go through.
Other guy got them for lower than I bid.
That crushed me. Never again would have such a chance to own my dream speakers. I was so bummed out I actually contacted the guy who won the auction a bit later, just to see how the MBLs were working out for him. Turns out it seems he was a rich guy who didn't sound that into high end audio but said the speakers "looked really cool" so he bought them and put them in his WORK OUT GYM to listen to music in the background!!!!
The injustice. :-)
That one always haunts me.
Later on I happened upon a killer deal on a pair of the smaller MBL 121 monitors, bought those, and they scratched the MBL itch for me somewhat. But the 101Ds still haunted me.
2. A couple years ago I agonized over buying a pair of Thiel 2.7 speakers - the most beautiful speakers I've ever seen (pictures of) in an ebony finish that would go perfectly in my room. Not having heard the 2.7s or the 3.7s, I was stuck as to which one to buy. Maybe if I bought the 2.7s I'd just pine for the 3.7s. So I bought the 3.7s. They worked out very well sonically, but are quite large and not quite the right finish for my room. So over the years I've kicked myself for not having tried those 2.7s first.
Happy ending is that I just managed to finally find the 2.7s in ebony, and have purchased them!
About 35 years ago, I had a Mac in for repair, and the service guy was kind enough to loan me an Adcom in the meantime. I was surprised at just how "solid state" it really sounded. By that I mean harsh high frequencies and grainy mids. The bass was alright. Also very flat regarding depth. At that time, they advertised heavily, and I was curious about what they were like, although I didn't expect they were as good as the ads said considering the price, so I wasn't really surprised. I have to say that since they have reappeared recently, I am a little surprised at the enthusiastic response. It seemed during the first go-round, after all of the hype settled down, people accepted them for what they were; reasonably powerful amps with OK sound at an affordable price. Maybe they'll fit into that niche again, but I would think that NAD and Rotel would give them a lot of trouble this time.
A fully upgraded Linn Lp12 turntable for under $10,000, but I look at things differently than most. If it's not there when I look later, it means it wasn't for me.
This question brings back painful memories. "The one that got away" in my case was one of the early Adcom 200 wpc amps (forget the model #). I purchased in ~1986 and liked it well enough. Then had it modified by some then well-regarded mod outfit, and it went way up in sound quality overall, especially the bass. Soon thereafter I bought a used pair of Vandersteen 4's (w/integral dual 12" subs), and put the Adcom to use powering those subs (w/all tube amps on mids/treble). The sound was truly spectacular. The bass shook small objects throughout the 1st floor.
Then I read that one of the Perreaux 200 wpc SS amps was the "bass king." I bought one, used--and here's the extremely foolish part--sold my Adcom to a friend for ~$350 w/o ever listening to Perreaux 1st. Bad mistake. I connected the Perreaux to the sub section of those speakers, turned it on--and it never sounded as good as the Adcom had, either in absolute low frequencies, or overall bass impact.
He's a good friend and still used my old Adcom amp in his home theater set-up. I see it in his living room now & then--and wince!
Wow, Love the cars thrown into the mix. For me it was a very solid and fully sorted 72 911S for a meager $15.5, from a very dedicated Porsche guy who had one too many. I dissed it when I stalled pulling up hill at a stop light and the guy behind me was disturbed .... the car was set up for the track and I was a bit nervous I suppose. Ended up with a 74 GTV instead . Not a bad choice for fun but I would have had a $100K car now.
About 7 years ago a gentleman had listed a Denon DCD-3520 in excellent condition on the Tampa C-list for $45.00. We spoke several times and agreed to meet halfway between Orlando and Tampa the next day. He called me the next morning and told me his son sold it to one of his friends. He apologized profusely for not telling his son it was sold. Luckily I found one for $200.00 in Atlanta about two weeks later. Still a good deal.
Over the years, several women gave gotten away, but only 1 audio piece comes to memory that got away.
About 10-12 years ago, I was bidding on a custom pair of SE 6V6 tube amps from Canada. I never bought anything from Canada so I asked a ton of questions. It was the coolest looking pair of monoblocks I'd ever seen and no one was bidding on them. Having been in this hobby about 30 years and watching auctions and used pricing, I usually have a pretty good sixth sense about what things will sell for. I put a final bid in at $200 at the end of the auction which was much higher than the previous bidding. It sold in the last second for $204.
I had such a crush on those amps evidenced by the fact that I'm still thinking about them all these years later.
If its meant to be, it will be meant to be and if it's too good to be true, than it usually is.....
Too many to mention in stereo gear, but i'll always regret that I did not have 500 bucks in the 1970's as I scouted through a junkyard for a water pump for my ford. 1957 ,cream colored, Jaguar 4 door sedan. Cool looking , bug eyed headlights, and hardly much rust to attend to. Junk yard owner says it needs a transmission., and I can have it for 500 bucks. Lucky I had 50 bucks extra at that time. Said a mustang transmission will work in it. Would have been a great project.
...on the other hand, I missed out on the potential of a lot of conversations with uniformed gentlemen and women asking me WTF I thought I was doing....*G*
Just last night I was typing a question to the seller of a sonictransporter I7 when the ad expired, it was a very good deal - on Audiogon you snooze you lose! My trouble is I like to research everything if I'm not completely familiar, even if I know from years of using audiogon that it's a good deal. Come to think of it, that strategy has probably saved me thousands of dollars...
G'day zavato and company:) A. Couple months ago a guy in Canada was selling an mc602... for a couple grand less than it could have been listed for. We agreed on a transaction. I would be there in ten days. Reassured him almost daily. He sold it out from under me... probably sold his soul for more money... loser. B. Agreed on an mc300 purchase with a guy in NY. A fair price for both parties. Pretty much average market value. He took the amp off ebay. Then someone posted the same amp on ebay with a short auction time. Two bidders got into a mine is bigger than yours contest and overbid the item by at least $1600. I'm wondering if the guy I'm locked in with sees this and will he do something stupid. I decide he seemed like a smart guy and knows better than to queer the deal... ya'd think. Several hours later I get an email with a link to the fluke sale (winner did not pay for the item) and a demand to make him a bettet offer. Being a prideful honorable someone of integrity who is not afraid to speak up I not so respectfully sent a return email telling the jerk to go phuck himself:)
I would stick with the first version of the 300B story. It was working. You decided to F up a perfectly good story. But that's ok- the SME story is good too
I once missed out on a thrift shop SME 3012 tonearm by a matter of seconds.
Another phile was in the store and grabbed it before I could make my way over.
It was on a JVC deck mounted in a long base plinth (probably came from a local radio station or perhaps A&M Records which had been donating huge volumes of LP’s @ the time).
The first version of this “story” goes that I did buy them, but as my amps use 2A3’s I decided to hammer them into little bits and add them to the concrete I was mixing for the back patio - to make is sparkly -w- black specks.
In the second “version” I again purchase tubes only to whack the tops off with a hammer in order to super glue them (jagged side up) to the top of the wall surrounding my compound - to keep the Paparazzi out.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
