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What’s the biggest mismatch you’ve seen, heard, or done?

It happens. Whether from ignorance, expediency, transition, or plans interrupted isn’t important. Power, class, gain, size, impedance, cost, and so many other ways an audio system’s parts can differ from expectations. For years I had a CD player that cost more than my speakers and receiver combined because my intended upgrade path was put on extended pause. Right now I can’t decide on a preamp so I’m using one that cost only 1/10 of what my amp did. I see pictures of enormous speakers shoehorned into the corners of tiny rooms or someone using a flea watt amp on a power hungry speaker. I’m sure someone has used a cable that cost more than the components it connected. I’ve read about numerous impedance or gain matching issues. The objective is to entertain and educate rather than just mock (that’s going to happen a little no matter what, but try to be nice). So what’s your story?


cat_doorman
cheeg's avatar
cheeg
241 posts
 
@ebm
CJ preamp and SS amp.
Do you have any idea why they paired so poorly?  I’ve seen lots of other tube preamps paired well with SS amps, so that can’t be it.  Do you think it’s specific to CJ?  Their tube pre’s are usually very good.
musicaddict
370 posts
 
I had thought 'sonic mismatch' but see monetary ones as well.

Sonically, an old ARC LS-3 with a Threshold T200 power amp and Martin Logan SL3s. I forget what the T200 replaced but it was a lesson about auditioning first, especially at that high price (even back then). It was listenable for twenty minutes at best. Sold the T200 very quickly because it was a great amp, just not with ML speakers. An oops moment/decision.

Monetarily, a guess my lovely burl Raidho D2s paired up with less than $6k retail worth of source/power electronics/DSP/cabling. Oh, plus three good subs ($2200) for 25-35Hz reinforcement. To me, the sound is from heaven, the best I've had after forty ears despite owning any super $$ electronics. (Yes, if I had the money it could sound better still, but diminishing returns sure set in.)


erik_squires
15,937 posts
 
The biggest one was an entire trend/movement:

B&W 800 and Matrix series speakers with Audio Research electronics.
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa
4,867 posts
 
Years ago I went into Shelly's Audio in Van Nuys and they were using a pair of Maggie 3.something, powered by a pair of VTL Tiny Tot amps that produced 25 watts per channel. Gotta say, within their power range, the system sounded amazing. Then they switched the amps out for a pair of VTL Ichiban amps. Still amazing ... and a lot louder too. 

I'd love to try a pair of the Tiny Tots on my Legacy Signature IIIs ... 94db efficiency. 

Frank
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