Most overrated audio manufacturers?

What about if the word Reference is something other than the first? Is it still BS, or is it credible?

I would have preferred a more focused question of which manufacturers over-promise and under-deliver, and cite at least two instances of this occuring.

Plasmatech your more focused question would make for an excellent thread!

"07-15-14: Plasmatech
I would have preferred a more focused question of which manufacturers over-promise and under-deliver, and cite at least two instances of this occuring."

Its an interresting question, but how do you define over-promise and under-deliver? If you're talking about sound quality, for example, its subjective. I don't see how you can define something like that unless you rate things on an individual basis.

That would be a good question, except for the fact that only a tiny percentage of the people here have enough experience with the super high-priced stuff to put forth cogent arguments. It's much more fun to just say why you believe the stuff you can't afford isn't as good as claimed. However, now that I think of it, I had an Esoteric X-05 CD/SACD player that I thought was abysmal. Just flat, no depth and absolutely not analog-sounding as the Stereophile review said it was. I've never heard anything higher up in the line, so I can't say the entire brand is overrated, but that box certainly was, IMO.