Buyer's remorse - your worst purchase?

I wanted to save a few bucks so I bought a "B" stock Jolida 502A from Audio Advisor for $600.00/$1000.00 It sounded pretty good but it looked like it had been dropped from a 50 foot window.The transformers were all bent and dented,the paint was chipped and scratched.I couldnt stand to look at it so I sent it back and bought a Dynaco ST-70 for $150.00 that TROUNCED the Jolida!

I can honestly say it has never happened to me and I have been at this high-end business for about 15 years or so. The key thing is don't buy impulsively. There really isn't much reason for getting burned in this day and age. You have access to a great amount of information, especially on a forum like this. If you read and listen carefully, you will develop a feel for the characteristics of products that appeal to your own tastes and your knowledge will grow. So far as cables and tweaks go, make sure you can send them back if they don't work well in your system.

I wonder how many MIT,Nordst purchasers will have the guts to come forward.

My first attempt to put together a decent system. I bought Joseph Audio RM22s based on the rave reviews. I had listened to many speakers and was getting a bit frustrated. When I hooked them up to my Krell integrated, I was horified. Thet were bright, lean and lacked any coherence. I almost gave up. I was able to trade them in for a pair of Aerial 6s. More money, but oh so much better. Don't buy based on reviews. Listen for yourself.

Let me first say that I just want to parallel the thoughts of Tubegroover. I have been buying stereo equipment for about 15 years. Have yet to buy a dud. Number one reason? I audition, audition, audition. And I KNOW what I like and what I don't. I just don't understand people who buy gear of the month. I especially don't undertand someone who pays $5000 - $10000 on a piece he's never heard(or ever heard anything from that company). They're playing with fire. If you don't LOVE it, why buy it? The thing that really gets me are the threads along the lines of(tongue in cheek), "I am in the market for new monoblock power amps. I have narrowed it down to either the Cary 2A3's or the Krell FPB-600's, any thoughts?" What the @#$%? Do you have any idea of what you're doing? I love when people ask for advice on two products that are as different as it gets. You know they're only in it for the ego trip. C'mon, invest some time in listening to what's out there(dealers are OK with this, if you buy once in a while), and formulating what you like. Listen to everything BUT the dealer(they often say what they are not trying to sell you is crap). Then when you are ready to buy, you know EXACTLY what you have. Look Ma, no turkeys! Good Luck!