Major mistakes made in assembling your audio rig


What types of mistakes (in your estimation)did you make in assembling your audio rig over the last 5 to 10 years??

For example,...."I should have spent more money";

"I leaned too heavily on reviews and/or the advice of others";

"I should have just stuck with separates and not downsized??"

"I just can't get the thing to sound the way I want despite much time and effort"

Based on any or all of the above.... Have you ever considered selling your system and starting over, or concluded, it takes too much time and money, and is a hassle.... so regrettably I quit
sunnyjim
Having a $1k phono cartridge within reach of a 2 year old.
More of a parenting mistake than an audio mistake, but it still hurt...a lot.
Not getting tube gear earlier! I would have saved a ton of cash if I didn't hold out!
1- Get speakers that work in your listening room and are not too big! Sadly, most floorstanding speakers need a lot of space around them to work well, and that's not possible in many rooms. Consider monitors with a subwoofer. This offers flexibility in dealing with the bass problems that plague many rooms. You can place the monitors where they sound best and move the sub where it performs best. And if that's not enough, you can adjust the sub's level and crossover frequency!

2- If you spin vinyl, get a good phono stage. The phono stages in even excellent integrateds are good but not great.