What’s a mistake you made by being impulsive?


I’m looking for cautionary tales to curb upgraditis.

After living with the same speakers and integrated for 20 years, I’ve now replaced everything in the last year. I even have a list of next steps that may or may not be necessary. Like I probably should finish mounting all my acoustic panels before getting a subwoofer. And do I really need a better pre if I only use one source and might eventually upgrade to a DAC with volume control? Did I mention I’m waiting for new speakers to ship? But SET amps sure are interesting and now I want one of those, too.

So when did you make a purchase and then immediately regret it because you decided to go a different direction?
cat_doorman
Another big mistake I very much regretted was buying a pair of Von Schweikert VR33 speakers of course without ever hearing them. They were marketed as a $15,000 pair of speakers for only $3750 sold factory direct and covered with a black sock. When I read Greg Weavers review, I decided to buy them. There was a 9 month wait for a new pair but I was too impatient to wait.


I bought a pair here, used for $3500. The guy wouldn’t budge on the price and I really wanted them. With shipping, it cost me more than a new pair. I was so disappointed when I opened the boxes, they looked so underwhelming! The sound was very thin with no mid bass weight at all. The speakers were “ugly looking” (my wife’s words) and again, the sound was anemic.


After futzing with them for 3 months, I spoke with Albert Von Schweikert and he gave me a lot of set up tips but nothing changed. Then, I stopped listening to them for over a year and mainly listened to my office system, upstairs. Eventually, I sold them for a tremendous loss and bought a pair of new GE Triton Ones which I replaced 3 years later with the Triton Reference in July 2017. These are my end game speakers.


My main reason for purchasing the Von Schweikert speakers was because of Greg Weavers review. At the time I didn’t realize he was a big VS fanboy, having praised the 5 different models of their speakers he reviewed and also having bought their Model 55 speakers. I actually wrote him a letter complaining about the speakers but he never answered.


I’m so ashamed😇
My biggest mistakes were my first dedicated speakers, three way Fishers with 12" woofers, followed by a Crown IC150 preamp for my new Stacked Advents and Phase Linear amp.