Your most disappointing purchase or audition?


I've had a few.

bought a Naim Nait 3. Loved it in the store. Returned it within a week- way forward at home

Brought home some CJ preamp to audition perhaps 22 years ago. Noisy as anything and a turn off transient destroyed a tweeter (though years later i bought a CJ 17LS2 which I thought was the finest preamp I ever heard in my home)

Auditioned a VPI table (HW19) in a store- the store just could not get the belt to stay on. Bought a Rega instead. This was in perhaps 1990.

Fortunately, I never really experienced buyers remorse say 6 months or more after settling on a piece of gear.

Finally, there have been too many speakers that got stellar write ups which I just didn't care for.
128x128zavato
Yes Roxy, I too remember hearing the Kav Krell 300i integrated a few times at a dealer many years back. If I recall it wasn't too expensive, at least not for a Krell but it wasn't at all impressive, actually much worse than that but it did have a nice case and low profile, if looks are important. I'm sure a few unsuspecting purchasers got hoodwinked on that one.
Tubes108 - I sincerely apologize for my previous post supporting Ralph based upon his reputation and credibility. I shouldn't have gotten involved and discounted your experience with the amps in question. I'd like to know how the Tandberg repair shop can justify an 24+ year repair that is still not resolved. Good luck in resolving these issues and I hope that you can at least get some enjoyment out of listening to your other gear.
Hi Tubes108,
First of all I don't doubt your individual experience with the AtamaSphere components and said so in an earlier post. I was not questioning your credibility, only suggesting that complaints about those products are rare in regards to reliability/dependability.
I know you've own some very fine brands (and I listed some of them). I was curious if they had caused you similar grief, my intentions were nothing more than that. The Joule is another OTL you've owned and I simply mentioned it for comparison to the AtmaSphere.

You have every right and opportunity to cite your disappointing product experiences just the same as everyone else who's responded on this thread. I hope this clarifies my posts on this topic. Tubes108, witch hunts aren't for me.
Charles,
Tubes108,
I know that Ralph of Atmasphere enjoys a good reputation and is generous in these forums with advice etc, and he and his company are as able as any of us to make a mistake.
All that I would like to add is that I have felt from your first post on this thread that you were being truthful.
I thought your last long post was clear and concise, and answered all of the allegations that you really didn't have an obligation to respond to. I agree with you that you contributed your experience like anyone else, and did not deserve to be butchered for it.
These forums can be very brutal at times.
Hi Tubes

I certainly expected that you had some sort of problem and that it wasn't completely fabricated. I had no need to question your initial post nor did I but when the manufacturer of said product went on the record to say it never happened. It is the ONLY reason I responded as you seemed satisfied not to rebut it in your second post. You indicated that this happened when you were "young and naive", maybe decades ago? Or are you still young but less naive? In any case if it happened many moons back it may explain why Ralph doesn't recall it happening. Obviously SOMETHING happened and if you are offering your experiences with a product(s) that are being completely disputed by the offending party wouldn't you want to go on the record to clarify it to everyone reading? Your comments about his business agenda, well Al Marg summed up my sentiments concerning that although you see it differently, fine you're certainly entitled to that conclusion. This is where I detected a bit of "bitter", maybe not?

Yes, I am guilty as charged of being a 3rd party observer however I have no relationship with Atma-sphere in any capacity nor have I owned any of their products but I certainly know folks that own or have with few issues I'm personally aware of and certainly not the recurring problems you encountered with different Atma-sphere products. Yes, I do admire Ralph and value his contributions which more often than not touch on areas beyond endorsing his products in those most subtle ways all but the most astute would take notice. No offense to you intended if any was taken and thank you for your clarification.