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The 5 stages of making a bad audio purchase

This is tongue in cheek people, so let’s keep the replies light shall we?
The 5 Stages of Making a Bad Audio Purchase:

1. Denial: "My system, which before was of course totally awesome, is now totally awesomer! The sound stage isn’t just 3 dimensional any more, it is 4 dimensional. I can feel fingers sliding across guitar strings, drums are like my head is against the snare, and the bass goes 10hz lower ...."

2. Anger: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T BELIEVE MY SYSTEM WENT FROM AWESOME TO AWESOMER!!!. You obviously have a crap system, your ears are crap, you are just jealous."

3. Bargaining: "Hey, this gadget will make your already awesome system totally awesomer! 60% of MFR list is a great deal for it! That’s 40% off and you don’t even have to pay tax. I am only selling it because I am upgrading to the even awesomer version 2. My loss is your gain."

4. Depression: "I can’t believe I spent $5,000 on this thing ....."

5. Acceptance: "Sure, 75% off list is fair."
atdavid
stevehardy1
77 posts
 
first rule...
1) audition

second rule...
2) audition

pretty simple to avoid the 5 stages with one or two steps
helomech
1,520 posts
 
Get it home, plug it in, WHOA! amazing! Can hardly believe how great it is. The improvements are awesome. One goes online to blog the experience. And add posts to threads of fans of the product everywhere, both conforming one’s own purchase, but also urging others to buy this miracle of sound. Perhaps even engage in online battle for naysayers... damnable a holes.
Third step: Had it for a few weeks, Getting used to the sound. but just why am I not pleased??? Isn’t this the cat’s meow? What is bothering me? Time passes...
Fourth step: the irritation as listening to more music is growing. It was way better last week
These steps can be condensed down to one word: placebo. It's very common and the sooner one learns to carefully A/B their new purchase with their previous gear, preferably over multiple weeks, the more money that person will save during their time in this hobby. 
jrwaudio
332 posts
 
Step one My life has become unmanageable 
Step two I am powerless over audio gear 

I just bought another Dac and now I know when the drum stick hits the cymbal, if the drum stick is made of hickory or ash : )
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Good Lord!
Am I the only one here who can see the OP for exactly what It is??
🤔🤔🤔
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Could be. Likely, maybe even. Me, I see it as a joke. On who? That is the question.
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