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Stuff You Tried To Love

I know we talk a lot about confirmation bias- we buy something and then convince ourselves we like it. Or something like that. But did you ever buy something you wanted to love and just couldn’t make it work? For me, Esoteric X-05 SACD/CD player. Bought from a local who was upgrading to the X-03. Big, beautiful piece of gear, but I couldn’t get used to the sound after 6 months of trying. Sold it to another local- I insisted he listen before he bought and I believe he sold it soon after as well. Totem Forest and Hawk. I loved the whole concept. Slim, easy to live with. Couldn’t get them to work in my room. The Model Ones were much better. I had a couple of other pieces, but this is long enough. BTW, these were bought used without audition.

chayro
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,196 posts
 

😊

Anyone who does not get Bach "art of the fugue" a) lack a soul and b) does not deserve to even call themselves a music lover. Harsh but true!

 

 

Anyone who does not get "Kind of Blue" a) lacks a soul and b) does not deserve to even call themselves a music lover. Harsh but true!

😁😊😋😎

 

 

(But our musical biases, even the informed one cannot be imposed on others back, especially after a false alternative proposed as truth...)

The only exception for sure is Bach partitions😉... Any of them MUST be loved and merit to be put over anything ( i really think so by the way😜 ) ... Period... I am half joking here...

 

Bach is my forever favorite composer...And i am not alone in my gang of enlightened souls...

I apologize i could not resist...

After all Bach art of the fugue is over a jazz session so good it was and it is... I apologize to Miles and the others who anyway will be Ok with my opinion because they are first rate musicians ...

Sorry.... 😊

stuartk
3,017 posts
 

@artemus_5

I know one must be a jazz or female vocals guy in order to have an affirmed audiophile card but those genres just don’t move me.

Don’t pay attention to anyone who tells you what you are or are not based upon their subjective tastes. We all have our biases. 

kennyc
1,624 posts
 

We all have our biases.

+1 not loving a component may simply be a subjective preference vs the quality of the component. While Magico and YG resonates with me, Wilson never did although I tried several times at multiple dealers and audio shows.

artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,992 posts
 

@stuartk 

Thanks. I've never been one conform just to please others. Indeed others may not like what I like but it doesn't make them bad or inferior. Just different tastes.

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
501 posts
 

Phillips SACD 1000.  Back in 2001, it was all the rage.  Made the cover of Stereophile, lots of hyperbole.  It originally sold for $2k, but all of a sudden I saw prices at $400, so had to do it.  Well, turns out it suffered from a known flaw with the cd transport that Phillips couldn’t, or wouldn’t fix.  I mean, this was a gorgeous piece of gear: heavy, beautiful, minimalist.  But even before my transport gave out, I didn’t really hear it as the game-changer I was hoping for.  There were almost no SACDs around, and I had a pretty nice, modified Nakamichi changer.  I was able to get my money back, but it did involve a little conflict with the dealer.

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