Has anyone else auditioned something that really was terrible?

There are very few awful components and speakers. When considering the price, most products offer very nice performance, that is, among the HiFi products. Mid and Low Fi, it's a total crap shoot. 

A total POS that deserved to die was the Advent SoundSpace Control. I drove over it with my car. Have pics to prove it!  :) 

I visited a very hi end dealer a few years ago to audition the much hyped Focal Sopra 2s. They were connected to an Aestetix setup. The sound was very schrill and lacked smooth transitions from mid to highs. I asked that we switch to his VAC setup. Small difference but not much. I remember being very disappointed after all the great reviews I had read.

Yeah, I almost included the Sopra line in my post. They are well marketed, so I have a heard them a number of times. The Utopia line is perfectly fine sounding, so I am open to changing my conclusion about the Sopras if I encounter them again.

Kren0006:   I am in that category now with my family.  They looked at my Parasound amp, pre-amp and Martin Logan towers and were obviously puzzled that I would spend such money, when they already thought my old system was good.  I’m too old to be having another mid-life crisis, so I think they are attributing it to a semi-psychotic break resulting from the departure of my love mate.  (Might play a part)  😁

mtdining:  I’m surprised to see that you were not impressed by the KEF LS50s.  Steve Gutenberg and some other reviewers have raved about them, stating that they are their own reference speakers and, when combined with quality subs, would likely satisfy most discerning listeners.

Oh yeah:  Any early CD player.

Someone noted that he was surprised by the fact one of us did not like a KEF LS50 speakers.  After all, reviewer Steve Gutenberg uses them as a reference.  In a YouTube video. Nelson Pass shows his reference speakers, stating that they are not his best speakers, but are the best he has to show the differences between electronics.  Steve G did not say they are great.  He said that with the right sub, someone might be happy with them.  That is not a great endorsement.