whats the biggest mistake you made?

Getting sucked into the whole Naim Audio spiral was a big mistake for me. Luckily, I bought wisely and didn't lose money. However, my wife said that she's never seen me so agitated and upset at the state of my system. I'm glad I got out while I still had my sanity (and bank account) intact - I was about to drop seven figures on the 252 preamp!

Audio Research and Totem have shown me that incredible sound quality doesn't have to cost a mint. It's not cheap, but that's all relative :)

Biggest audiophile mistake was not buying thousands of Lp records more than I did in my youth. A quick second was not buying a good friends Aesthetix Callisto Signature for dirt cheap (relatively speaking) before he begrudgingly put it up on AudiogoN. Hmmmmmmmmm!

Two mistakes... (1)buying all my gear at retail prior to finding Audiogon, and (2)tried two different home theater systems at retail prices, only to realize you get bigger bang for your buck with simpler, high quality 2 channel system (no offense to home theater fans).

Islander - You live near me I think (Seattle), so you can come and check out
my testacle in person. It's pickled in vinegar and we keep it in the pantry
after our dog, Diesel, knocked the Ball jar off the shelf in the bedroom it had
been on, and almost got the damn thing after he ate through most of the
brine I'd been storing it in.

I dunno though, I've been looking for the same 98's I sold as they're the ones
with the synergy with my system. I can't tell you how many bottles I've
already tried. I hired a detective to find my stones in 02' and the trail ended
at a fish tank in an Ohio Thai joint just off the Interstate. The gumshoe tells
me he has it on good authority that they're holding up a plastic sunken
treasure chest (ironic, ain't it), but that they'd be hard to pick out from the
rest of the acquarium gravel. I told him, just get me the tank, I'll know my
stones when I see'em. He put in an offer on my behalf for the tank, but the
place was sold to new owners and now it's a Pizza joint an the fish tank's
gone without a trace.

Marco

Marco, it seems to me that I read somewhere (here on Agon?) that testicles stored in vinegar have a lesser specificity than those kept in salt brine. For my purposes, I would need to be assured that the tissue density was close to OEM. I realize I'm being picky (particularly when I haven't even seen that oyster yet) but I nearly got ripped off last year when a guy in Salt Lake tried to pass off a goat gonad on me. Well, I guess trust has to start somewhere...
As to the pebbles, one jar is the original gray granite, grade 3's which - if I'm not mistaken, were a short run. I've seen a jar on ebay that was described as the ogg, but I doubt it, as the seller was only asking $39 and he didn't include a photo. I have the original mfr's certificate of authenticity and, btw, these pebbles also create a warm glow in my listening room just after I light the incense and test my lungs. The second jar is the bluish black fake basalt variety that - briefly - replaced the ogg's. While these don't make for the same warmish glow they will not only tune your system but your car as well. I doubt that you'll find either of these '98 pebbles in ready availability so I urge you to contact me as soon as possible; precious bodily fluids are at stake!
Best from your Brother In Viscera.