What has been your costliest mistake in this hobby?

I have burned two units while connecting a pre-amplifier output to the power amplifier input . Unfortunately the  pre was in standby mode but the amp was actually on. There was a short on the chassis of the amp. Of course with the best outcome none of them could have been damaged, or just one of them could have been damaged,  but in my case the worst scenario has happened. Be careful while connecting cables - assure  that everything is shut down before starting. 

I have a little more trust in reviewers like StereoNETS David Price who’s still regularly refers to classic vintage gear that he owns for comparison purposes.

First cd318 thanks for your interest in my post...

Second, i vouch for your impression and i concur...Reviewers who listen to mythical vintage are more believable and gives us tag and beacons... And a very good amplifier of 1978 like mine is good this year...

The evolution of electronic design has made progress,yes, in the last 60 years, tremendous one sometimes...But the electronic progress in design can in no way explain by itself the enormous disparate audio sound experience different for all of us with comparable products on the same rung of the 3 scales ladder of Quality/ Price....

Other conditions more impactful for the audible experience than only electronic generic design, is the always particular complex embeddings of these designs, in an audio system, in a room, in a house , mechanically, electrically and acoustically...

Many reviewers dont want to kill their product marketing and adding to the price paid the necessary advice and methods linked to a rightful embeddings of their product, these embeddings which alone by themselves can make any electronical device to reach his peak...




The customer:
--Do you said the amplifier i want to pay 10,000 dollars dont sound at his peak connected to the system right out of the box ?

The vendor:
--Yes, you must embed it... It takes some materials, some thinking and working and much time...

The customer:
-- I want a perfect ready made product, your own is not it seems, sorry... The reviewer wrote that it was perfect the first day, only connected to his audio system without necessitating any complex workings at all tough...

The Vendor:
-- Yes but his house , his room, his other audio elements are different than yours.... And the vibrations/resonance problems must be controlled by you and you must treat your house and room electrical grid for controlling the noise floor and the acoustic passive treatment and even active controls is mandatory to listen to this amplifier at his peak S.Q. rightly embed with the other parts of the system also acoustically mechanically and electrically...

The Customer:
-- i only want to listen to music....Audiophiles like you are complete fools sorry....
For me it is simple, i always buy the perfect product, if not, i upgrade it....My favorite reviewer did it and i will did it my way....



« If you want an audiophile experience, you must pay big money, only big money can give you that, everything else is an illusion»- a reviewer to Groucho Marx in an Audio Fiesta showroom or in an audio thread....

:)

@cd318
Thanks for sharing your somewhat similar experience. Yes, we tend to do what we feel is right at the time. Sometimes regrets follow but, as you wisely pointed out, life is all about making priorities (whether we are aware of it or not).  In my case with impulsively giving a bunch of good records away, I long ago decided that the lucky kid that got them probably enjoyed them at least as much as I would have AND had a great story to share with his buds.  So, as they say...it’s all good!

But I do still wonder sometimes when I hear a particular song...  ;-)

Bought a pair of Vandersteen Treo's, 7 yrs old, and paid 75% of the original MSRP. When I sold them only a year later I lost $900. I didn't research the price, and compared only to the cost of a new pair of Treo CTs. By the time I found a buyer, all the resales had dried up, and the dealer wanted $3k more for an improved tweeter (Treo CTs). I bought a pair of Monitor Auto Gold 300s 5G and never looked back. I discovered what BASS sounded like again.

My costliest mistake was going down the VPI rabbit hole. Based on reviews and specs, the VPI Classic (with the SoundSmith cartridge specifically designed for it) was my dream analog rig but it became a money pit and a source of endless frustration.  After a year of back-and-forth with VPI, SoundSmith, two local shops, and a setup specialist all attempting to dial out problems, I just gave up. Even at its best, the once-simple act of putting on a record and blissing out became convoluted to the point that I simply listened to my records less often. In the end, I was able to sell it for close-enough to what I paid and replace it with a beautiful sounding—and looking—new table (PearAudio Blue) that was simpler, smaller, less prone to falling out of adjustment, less prone to skipping, and generally a joy to use. The simple pleasure of putting on a record and losing myself in it returned instantly. An added bonus was that my family, who were afraid to touch the VPI, have no problem with the new 'table and have been listening to more records as well.