A 1 meter Mogami XLR cable I bought from Guitar Center...I've used Mogami instrument and mic cables for years with success, and have a Neglex from my Akito tonearm that sounds great, but this run from my preamp to amp (XLR input on the amp but not balanced) sounded harsh and unnaceptable...not worthy of a break-in period...tawdry, untoward, blasphemous, insulting, off-putting, and surprising. Replaced it with an AQ Diamondback and all is well. The end.
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.
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.