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Kit you regretted buying

Grado Platinum Statement - fabulous midrange but could never get it to track well. Maybe I'll try it some day in the SME IV I'm using now, but I doubt it will outperform the Lyra Dorian (other than that midband).

And the K9 in the 80's; what a dog!
 
A&R P77 Cartridge

I bought it to replace my dead Asaka when times were hard and there wasn't a Linn dealer for miles.

It went on an Ittock and was an absolutely dreadful match, but I couldn't afford to do anything about it for long time. Wasted huge amounts of time experimenting with the "awkward loading" . Eventually upgraded to an AT95E - yes really!
 
I've heard the Arcam DAB tuner sound incredible on radio 3 with a decent pre-recorded or live concert being broadcast and the next minute absolutely horrid (on radio6 for example).

I liked the primare A30, really clear and clean, but then I like Copland too and I'm sure the shared factory offers a tiny amount of cross polination...
 
1. TDL Studio 1 speakers: wobbly TL bass and sibilant metal dome tweeter.

Studio 1's with a decent amp (AVI Mono's) and their little stands sounded really good and the tweeter sounded crisp but not splattery. It was fairly easy to get the sound you describe though...

I sold quite a few pairs of Studio 1m's though with AVI and Audiolab amps (8000S rather than the 8000A) - very underrated IMO. The Spendor S6e is probably where they'd be nowadays.
 
rega planar 3/ rb300.. from a revolver tt/ linn basik: less involving, boring- why I kept it for so long before getting a proper tt god only knows.

naim credos.. dreadful, replaced with 25 yr old heybrook HB1's after 4 days- big relief!

naim nait 3.. how can 3 be distinctly average and a 2 fabulous?

naim nap 90.. distinctly average, again had it far too long before getting a proper one (nap 140).

Big fat Tannoys speakers.. ugly & lifeless.
 
Revolver R33's - Complete rubbish.

Some piss poor chinky valve rubbish that was getting some good write ups.

Bereford DAC - Bloated loose bass, yes it was obviously more bassy but shit bass.
 
1) soundstyle stand - one of the few that makes things worse than on the floor

2) musical fidelity headphone amp - dull, slow, uninvolving


vuk.
 
CA640P. I was foolish enough to believe what I was told. Oddly, this is the only piece of equipment which has made me feel like a fool.
 
I don't think I regret buying anything at all, at the worst I've learnt from the experience. I seldom loose financially as I exist almost entirely in the second hand market, in fact I'm up over the long term. There are plenty of things I regret selling though... records, guitars, synths, hi-fi...

Tony.
 
I don't think I regret buying anything at all, at the worst I've learnt from the experience. I seldom loose financially as I exist almost entirely in the second hand market, in fact I'm up over the long term.

Nobody likes a smart-arse.
 
A pair of enormous and expensive Holophone speakers, weighing something like 70 kg each, with a WAF close to zero and an utterly dreadful sound by todays standards. The worst thing is that I will move to a new flat soon - I am mentally almost prepared to leave them for the next tenant, even for free.

Having owned and listened to such objects was still kind of useful, because I learned many things in the process - first of all to think a little before buying something. And also that small speakers, which can be had for a fraction of the price of these monsters, can well sound much much better.
 
Revolver R33's - Complete rubbish.

Some piss poor chinky valve rubbish that was getting some good write ups.

Bereford DAC - Bloated loose bass, yes it was obviously more bassy but shit bass.

Which version of the Bersford Matt? I have the 6/3 and also thought the bass excessive. Just change analogue interconnects to Sound Pipes and it seems to have tamed it. In every other respect I love the Beresford but have to say its the only DAC I have owned so I'm not qualified to speak about comparables.
 
2nd hand hifi is too tempting, so sometimes you get something that fails to meet expectations.

NAS Spacedeck. Didn't like it very much
Harbeth Compact 7 -same story.
Avid Volvere. Gave up on the suspension, just not patient enough.

A Graaf Graafiti 5050 power amp I bought 2nd hand. I had heard it extensively before and even owned one in the past and loved the sound it made... but this one blew up on me and will now cost more to repair that its actually worth. Its in my garage if anyone wants a go at it.
 
Beard P35: soooo....sloooooow

Audiolab 8000DAC: too tame

Supra speaker cable: poor timing
 


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