2. amps-preamps
  3. 1406779326

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
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,
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,454 posts
 
I will qualify that my longest Magico audition was for Minis that went for about an hour or so. Again this was behind >$100,000 worth of tube gear and SOTA DCS source. So how bad could this sound? It sounded very good. FWIW, other similar "quality" setups I heard at the same dealer were well off the mark and I know for a fact not everything in that case was in good working order. That's not acceptable for a dealer that pitches the best stuff to those who can afford it. It also just so happens that well known NYC dealer went under a few years back.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
unoear
141 posts
 
Melbguy1

You made an astute observation about Syntax...on one hand, he is a nice guy, friendly, and giving of his opinions; on the other hand, he works as a business, marketing front, for a Bavarian of dubious history.

Melbguy1, you are right; Syntax, he is a marketing guy. However, what is wrong with marketing guys, they are all over this forum :).

Cheers!
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
Such threads are always a bit "cruel" because there will be always someone who loves exactly this product which is a disappointment for the next. But it is always about a product, nothing more. When someone takes "this" critic/disappointment as a personal slap in the face, well, I feel sorry of course. On the other side, I have no problem with Wilson speakers....but when someone wants to know what kind of speakers in that Magico price range are "better" for me --> Verity Audio Speakers. But as usual: Each his own :-)
melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
Syntax, don't take my comments personally. I've heard the Q5's, yes they eat watts like a couple of Apogee Scintilla's on heat, but fed with a lot of warm, rich, clean power and they can really sing. They are very transparent to source, so rubbish in, rubbish out applies. I'm not saying they are perfect. I actually prefer my S5's in many respects, but I thought your comments were a little uncharitable. If they were directed at the Q5's sensitivity, i'd would not and agree with you though..
More to discover