Stuff You Tried To Love

Vanderstenn 2ce

I had them for about six months and tried everything. Different gear, all kinds of different placements, etc. They just did not sound right to me. Really wanted to keep them but in the end they had to go. Their new owner is enjoying them very much. .

For me it was a Cambridge Audio 840A integrated.  When I took my first real step into the audiophile world it was the other amplifier that I was considering.  I had already stretched my budget with speakers and wasn't planning to upgrade from my consumer level Onkyo receiver, but it sounded so bad that I couldn't live with it.  I wasn't completely ready to give up on home theater, so ended up with an Integer Receiver that I still have have enjoy around 15 years later.  I eventually picked up the 840A used with the plan of using its home theater bypass capability to separate out my stereo components.  The first issue was it. being incompatible with my Integra receiver which results in a lot of noise (not necessarily its fault).  If found a Cambridge Audio receiver for a great price so picked it up with the goal of making the total change and confirming if the 840A had an actual issue, but that combination simply didn't sound good to my ears.  I sold the CA receiver to a friend who's still using it and then played around with the 840A as a stereo component.  It always sounded digital and grainy to my ears.  It was the one that got away so to speak, but once captured it got sent away.  It was the gateway to my current Pathos Classic One MKiii integrated by way of trade-in, so it served its purpose.  Expectation bias and a sentimental desire to own it were both strong which is likely the only reason that I didn't move it along right away.

Hi Fi Rose 130, Lifeless in my system. Replaced it with an Aurender N20. Smiles returned.

ATC SCM19 v.2 speakers

Rave reviews abounded, but I was very disappointed.  Just lifeless (was using a Hegel H190 at the time).  I have had the opportunity to hear several other ATC speakers in the meantime and not once did I hear anything that I would be willing to live with.

Only my Spendor A3Rs sounded worse to my ears.

This is in the context of the 16 different pairs of spears that I have owned since the late-1980s.

I now own JM Reynaud Abscisse Jubiles, which I just love.

*pairs of speakers