Your most disappointing purchase or audition?


I've had a few.

bought a Naim Nait 3. Loved it in the store. Returned it within a week- way forward at home

Brought home some CJ preamp to audition perhaps 22 years ago. Noisy as anything and a turn off transient destroyed a tweeter (though years later i bought a CJ 17LS2 which I thought was the finest preamp I ever heard in my home)

Auditioned a VPI table (HW19) in a store- the store just could not get the belt to stay on. Bought a Rega instead. This was in perhaps 1990.

Fortunately, I never really experienced buyers remorse say 6 months or more after settling on a piece of gear.

Finally, there have been too many speakers that got stellar write ups which I just didn't care for.
zavato

Showing 2 responses by in_shore

Most disappointing audio purchase,

TW AC Raven turntable , However shame on me for not taking that long drive to listen for myself , instead I relied on personal phone conversations with owners including reading through lengthy online owner testimonials.

For $17,000.00 the two motor TW could not even hold a steady speed durning play back and I understand from a former owner of the TW Back Night , a $40,000.00 flagship table, can not hold a constant speed during playback either,..
After 10 months with replacement of a "new and improved " motor controller including returning the motors for a full check up the table never
did improve to my liking and I might add my expectations for this new front end were not over the top and unreasonable .
Direct comparisons to other tables by switching arm and cartridge from the TW Raven proved there was nothing wrong with the Graham Phantom arm and Dynavector XV1 cartridge.
Maybe These new designers should understand past successful tables and motors first and not try to reinvent them.
Correct me if I'm wrong ,At one point in the history of Atmosphere didn't Ralph sell the business to which under the new management some key employees left under not so happy circumstances ?