What steps forward were actually steps backward?

Accuphase AC3 Phono Cartridge - bought on recommendations from the mags - "best imaging cartridge ever made" - sound familar. Cold as a well digger's ....! Decided to live with my Grace 'til it died.

Next in line was my Thiel CS3 "best imaging..." you get the point. But the good news - I got a very extensive and expensive education in how to get it the proper amp, how speaker set up the speakers, how to treat a room, etc. But like you might do with I mate, as I was trying to get it to work I discovered Quads, which caused the Thiel and I to get a divorce.

A fully loaded (except true balance) Placette Active Linestage. A fantastic pre-amp with excellent transparency, a decay that goes forever, and smooth/silky highs. But overall, it's lack of dynamics and it's weighted presentation toward the highs (in my system) simply was not to my preference.

But the Placette truly has so much going for it. In another's system, it may be just right.

-IMO

None yet. Though I am still young, on my third system, and have only been in the hobby for three years. So it is doubtless I will make some mistakes in the future! But so far all up my upgrades have been vast improvements. I've been mostly upgrading from lesser components to better ones. So all in all I've been most satisfied thus far!

I imagine a lot of the responses you are going to get are one of two things

1. Did a lateral 'upgrade' to a comparable item. Didn't like the change in sound.

2. Bought something based solely on someone else's opinion (magazine, internet review, internet buzz, dealer buzz, etc) without extensively auditioning in one's own system first. And was let down as a result.