Top three most over underrated eqpmt??

MOST OVER-RATED: (1) ADCOM ACE-515 Power Conditioner (Everyone I heard had hardly no affect on the system at best, at worst it added noise. Just a $230 power strip/surge protector.); (2) YAMAHA TX-950 TUNER (Has lots of features, but the sound is only fair at best, as well as reception for the price.); (3) SONOGRAPHE by Conrad Johnson SA-250 AMPLIFIER (Claim to fame: Solid State, but sounds like tubes ?? NO, Its just dull. Also bland pleasantness in the name of musicality.) -----MOST UNDER-RATED: (1) ONKYO INTEGRA TUNERS (With the exception of the T9090, they sell for next to nothing used ($40 to $75), but have the best sound and reception of almost anything under $500 I've ever tried.); (2) B&W P5 SPEAKERS (Now discontinued... You have to go all the way to the Nautilus 804 to get something better. These listed for only $1500 and sell used for only $700. They get matched with cheap electronics because of their price, and then sound lousy becase they are so pure and revealing. When connected to the electronic you would buy with the Nautilus 803/804 Speakers they sound like a million bucks. 1000% better than the CDM-7 at the same price point.) (3) AIWA CD CHANGER $79 (Makes a decent transport right out of the box.)

Top 3 most of overrate components: 1.)Any expensive line stage, either tube or solid state (but esp.solid state)... We don't NEED no stinkin' line stages! (See underrated components below). (2)Krell amps...I'm sure they can be stunning in the right system-I just haven't heard that system yet. (3.)Martin Logan speakers...despite their transparency, they just plain don't sound natural, somehow.
Once again, maybe in the right system, I just haven't heard that system.
Three most underrated components. (1.)FT Audio LW-1 passive preamp. This little wonder gets around the usual limitations of passive pre's, and smokes a lot of kilobuck line stages, for $500.00. (2.)Magnepan MMG's. Though already spoken pretty highly of, these things are an insanely great pr. of speakers for $500.00. No doubt they rule that price range. As a matter of fact, I've yet to hear a monkey coffin (box speaker) that I like better, in my room. Those who've had equivocal experiences with them probably had midfi HT receivers of them upstream-these things WILL reveal to you flaws in your source components. Plus they're demanding as to room placement, but well worth the work. (3.)Anything that says "Music Reference" on it. Designer Paul Modjeski is probably one of the brightest ones out there-his equipment makes music, doesn't cost a lot for what you get, and it doesn't break.

I don't have a lot to say have overrated components, but for me the most underrated are the Meitner PA-6i preamp and the Meitner MTR-101 monoblocs. I've heard a variety of hyper-expensive amps and preamps (Levinson, Krell, Rowland, Classe, etc.) that don't sound any better, just cost a lot more. I'd also add the Tannoy System 12 and 15 DMT studio monitors. Only sold in pro audio shops, but the best home speakers I've heard for anywhere near the money.

I only have 2. Krell & Wilson...both make my ears bleed.

Transparent, Purist, B&W 801