Has anyone else auditioned something that really was terrible?


I decided to check out Rotel on current B&W 804's, since I figured these speakers would be most similar to my older 803"s.Even the sales person had to admit it was not something I would want to listen to for any length of time.Do people buy this for background music?For around $4000 for a CD and integrated amp, it was not impressive. to say the least. It actually sounded like my first preamp, a Crown IC something or other.
Someone gave me a 125 wpc Marantz surround receiver.  I plugged it in and listened for 5 minutes, then permanently re-boxed it to sell, if I ever get around to it. It is totally unlistemable.
Am I just spoiled?
danvignau
Went for a demo and they played their best system. CD with some sand amps and those weird Gallo speakers. They thought it was awesome. The music had the oddest single purple-grey color. I asked how much and they proudly told me in that smugness reserved for when they think you're trash. I had the satisfaction of telling them what I thought of the sound.
Another was a tube Concordant phono preamp. Bright and glaring like the sun. Dreadful.
@audioguy85....and therein lies the rub; one persons' delicate wine will strike another as lacquer thinner with tint.

Speakers can get dismissed as being driven by 'meh' gear....conversely, good equipment can only push flawed speakers to a certain point of disappointment.

Even when one has great stuff in a lousy space, it can execute a brilliant Fail.  The flip side of that might pass muster....until you get it home.

There's an enormous trail of items that shouldn't have left the drawing board...or screen, to be more 21st century about it.

...and then, there's US.  With no 2 ears alike, and I'm not even going to discuss the 'wetware' between them.

Yup, danvignua, you're right.  Spoiled rotten.
No reason to feel bad about it, though.
You're in the right space with the right crowd to admit it.

AA....Audioholics Anonymous....;)

(*L*  Now that y'all are having a serious case of 'cabin fever: virus version', stepping on some insteps ought to distract for awhile...)


@bob540  

Wish I could say that I've never done anything like that. But it happens. At least, metoo.