Tom6897, I appreciate your point of view, but it is unfortunately flawed. It is somewhat unfair to throw in refurbished equipment in the mix, or ''B'' stock. Now maybe the 50% off Sim is on those types of products. If you get a refurbished Pass Labs units at a great price, then all the better!
Sorry, but a zillion years of product reviews (and quite a few ''paid'' info-mercial reviews) sure has value, as many folks trust those for purchasing decisions. But it quickly becomes futile and zero-credibility if you had your own negative experience to counter-balance this.
I am talking negative experiences that not only were quite frustrating, but that has cost me money (a good sum of it).
And this happened TWICE to me. First time was on an i-5 integrated, where a static discharge sent my volume from min to max in a half second, blowing my expensive speakers.
After much haggling, and after admitting to a faulty circuit, they applied the old Kodak policy, you know, they replaced the $ 2.99 film but your memories where out the window. So, even though the trouble was manufacturer related, I of course had to pay for an expensive speaker repair.
Still, I gave Sim another shot, as I have always said I liked their killer looks, and besides, I am Canadian and this is a Canadian company.
But a demo integrated at a reputable (what a joke) dealer - let's suppose you buy a current-year demo car at your local car dealer. One with 5,000 miles on it. Meaning you ALMOST paid full price minus a small discount.
Then you find out car doesn't have 5,000 miles, but really 50,000 miles on it - and on top of this, it had been in 3 times already for servicing for a particular problem, and that problem still wasn't fixed?
You obviously phone the dealer - He wont take back the unit, or even pay for the repair - and sends you over to the manufacturer - who in turn protects his dealer and Ping-Pong you back to the him in a frustrating time-wasting endless argumental spiral.
I ended up saying to myself, ''the hell with this'' and just accepted the loss.
My one regret. Not coming out on the forums and blasting away at my disgust with both the manufacturer and his dealer.
Even today, I feel like just naming names, but I won't do it.
But don't ever, ever tell me Simaudio is ''in the same league'' as a manufacturer that stands behind their products.
If at least they would sound the price, but again, this is very subjective, they do not.
After giving Simaudio my hard-earned money on two occasions only to get shafted twice, I figured I've earned the right to put 'em on my ''never again'' list.
Sorry for venting this way, but it is the hard truth.
I can understand, however, how their design and sound can be attractive to many - just not to me - and OF COURSE I am now negatively biased. Just as those that are POSITIVELY biased and feel that talking against a product they purchased for themselves is like an insult and a slap in the face.
Such is the state of our passion-driven hobby.
But in the process, one must respect himself, right?
