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What was you most expensive accidental damage?

I have read many claims by members that they accidently damaged their multi-thousand dollar cartridge styli by improper handling. I have blown out a few low power handling speakers with high powered amps. Several members claim that their cats have clawed the speaker cones to shreds. Have you experianced any 1) blown amplifier output transistors by accidently shorting the speaker wires. 2) Extra loud turn on thumps blowing out speakers 3)Putting the wrong tube in tube socket destroying the tube 4) leaving tube equipment so longthat the capacitors melt. 5)Electrical fires from AC shorts?
mint604
hank
38 posts
 
Well...........I do have a story. Way back in the late 60s when I was in college my buddies and I would set up a couple of mics and tape record our group playing folk music. One day, at a family party my little cousin came into the room where we had just recorded a song and the mics were live. She put her lips against one of the mics and let out a loud scream. The results were two melted voice coils on my EMI speakers. When I sent them in for repair I got a call from a EMI engineer wanting to know how the hell that happened. He said he never seen a speaker voice coil so totally destroyed. It's funny now, but at the time there were no smiles on my face.
fedreams
107 posts
 
I had the veneer on my speakers crack due to a leak in the roof. To reveneer the speakers it will cost the same as replacing them. I am still working on the insurance settlement. They are eager to take your money but to get anything back is like squeezing 1000 watts out of an inexpensive SET amp.
chriskeating
189 posts
 
I remember stepping on a pair of KR 842's! This was about a $700 screw up!
trelja
3,223 posts
 
This is going to seem trivial, but I once (accidentally, on purpose) busted up a late 70s vintage Panasonic clock radio.

The Eagles had just lost a game to the Redskins on a field goal in the closing seconds of a game, and I just kept bashing the thing like crazy with my hand. Didn't figure the flourescent display was made of glass or that a metal housing surrounded it, but let's just say my hand was bleeding pretty good and the clock wasn't of much use by the time I got it all out of my system.

That was the best darned clock radio I ever owned. After approximately 20 years, it was still going strong. So far, "Made in China" does not compare with "Made in Japan". But, I've been lucky with my high end gear.

And, no, I don't have those anger issues any longer. At least, I think I don't...
quicke
35 posts
 
I have yet experienced such a loss, but I have had a guest/friend put their tall beverage on top of my Theta Dreadnaught. I popped out of my seat so fast, it looked like I sat on a needle!
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