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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.
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melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
@Gpgr4blu, spoken like a true Wilson fanboi! Lol
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,201 posts
 
Magico must be very sensitive to what is upstream. I have heard various models on a couple occasions and sound was top notch, very natural, nothing objective at all one could object to, although no product will please everyone.

In both cases, there was probably digits worth of gear in front of them, so I would expect anything at that price to sound absolute top notch, which they did.

Its more a value thing for me with Magico. I have never done a shootout, but I do not think top notch sound need cost that much. Nice products though!! SOme better values used I see these days. I think it is a line I could live with if I had to.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Will let you know soon.
whart's avatar
whart
3,037 posts
 
Isn't there a difference between equipment that fails to perform, blows up, requires constant repair, etc. and gear that in someone's estimation, simply sounds 'bad' (or 'less good' than all the hype surrounding it?) I have a fair amount of respect for Syntax's opinion on many things audio (though he is outspoken) , but there seem to be many satisfied owners of Magico (Wilson or fill in the blank). So much of the outcome of these types of "sounds bad" assessments seems to result from listening bias, set up and associated gear.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hi Whart,
That's has and will always be the case. This is why so many choices are available in the "small" community of High End audio. I don't expect consensus on any brand or particular model. I know exactly what Syntax means with his comment but again, it just happens to be our personal impression. Mapman thinks the Magico is fine and I can totally understand and respect his opinion. Simply different individual taste.
Charles,
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