The one that got away

About 35 years ago, I had a Mac in for repair, and the service guy was kind enough to loan me an Adcom in the meantime. I was surprised at just how "solid state" it really sounded. By that I mean harsh high frequencies and grainy mids. The bass was alright. Also very flat regarding depth.
At that time, they advertised heavily, and I was curious about what they were like, although I didn't expect they were as good as the ads said considering the price, so I wasn't really surprised. I have to say that since they have reappeared recently, I am a little surprised at the enthusiastic response. It seemed during the first go-round, after all of the hype settled down, people accepted them for what they were; reasonably powerful amps with OK sound at an affordable price. Maybe they'll fit into that niche again, but I would think that NAD and Rotel would give them a lot of trouble this time.

2 come to mind:

1. Early 2000's I had become obsessed with the MBL 101D speakers.
I'd heard them in various places and they were my ultimate speaker, but way more than I could ever afford.  Then, through an audio pal, I got word of someone selling a pristine pair for a ridiculously low price - about $12,000 at the time.  I could buy them directly from the seller before he put them on auction.

I'd never come close to spending that much on speakers so I hemmed and hawed a bit too long, and he put them on audiogon.  Literally just as I decided I would go for them.  But now that I'd lost that opportunity, I had to have them and now I had to bid for them.  I'd never bid before on anything so I quickly learned the protocall, how to bid successfully.  I did everything right, and reserved a "killer bid" for the very last moment.  It was clear as the last minutes closed in I was bidding against someone else.  So I waited...tick...tock...tick...tock...last 15 seconds (I think it was) I fired off my final bid, way leapfrogging the other guy.

Got a server error.

Bid didn't go through.

Other guy got them for lower than I bid.

That crushed me.  Never again would have such a chance to own my dream speakers.  I was so bummed out I actually contacted the guy who won the auction a bit later, just to see how the MBLs were working out for him.  Turns out it seems he was a rich guy who didn't sound that into high end audio but said the speakers "looked really cool" so he bought them and put them in his WORK OUT GYM to listen to music in the background!!!!

The injustice.  :-)

That one always haunts me.

Later on I happened upon a killer deal on a pair of the smaller MBL 121 monitors, bought those, and they scratched the MBL itch for me somewhat.  But the 101Ds still haunted me.

2.  A couple years ago I agonized over buying a pair of Thiel 2.7 speakers - the most beautiful speakers I've ever seen (pictures of) in an ebony finish that would go perfectly in my room.  Not having heard the 2.7s or the 3.7s, I was stuck as to which one to buy.  Maybe if I bought the 2.7s I'd just pine for the 3.7s.   So I bought the 3.7s.   They worked out very well sonically, but are quite large and not quite the right finish for my room.  So over the years I've kicked myself for not having tried those 2.7s first.

Happy ending is that I just managed to finally find the 2.7s in ebony, and have purchased them!

Dekay, If I were in your shoes, I'll be heartbroken too. That was a miss.