Recent equipment you hated, thought overpriced

Audio oracle: I'm with you 100%. As far as Rolex-the last time they made a worthy timepiece-Jean-Claude-Killy was racing the tram at Chamonix!

Rolex are high-quality mass-produced watches and are priced like mass-produced watches. I believe their entry-level stainless is $6500 and you don't buy great watches for that amount of money. OTOH, they are often available pre-owned from Rolex dealers for half price or less, in which case, they are a somewhat sensible purchase, as they will last a lifetime.

08-25-12: Sabai
"I use Bybee and Shakti and some other quantum tweaks and they are all very effective.

Unless you use these items in your system your opinions are merely opinions. I prefer facts to opinions."

Clearly a textbook *opinion* lacking any shred of *factual* proof of effectiveness.

~

My vote would go to power conditioners and such products as well, as long as we are talking about an analog set up. They are not as harmful to a digital set up. I do run my gear through a surge protector to protect it, that's just common sense, but nothing beyond that.

Well i am a total fail for loving to use power conditioners.
I started years ago with a little Adcom ACE515 and never looked back. Got a Monster 5000, then a Monstr HTPS7000SS and a AVS2000. Then about 30 months ago went big time to a Furman REF20i (i got the $3,500 list object for $1,400 via Agon, and close enough to pick up too.
Then wanted a alternate AC range, so same way bought a PS Audio P-600 with optional board allows it to vary output AC sinewave from low of 60cycles up to 120 cycles. (i currently use it at 110hz A/C output for my digital stuff)
Also Agon $1,000 also local pickup.

Only the FurmanREF20i and the PS Audio are in my setup now. The Furman has EVERYTHING on it, including the amp. Just went to a Pangea AC9SE on the Furman, and to amp.
Tried another AC9SE elsewhere, but a little too much of a good thing.
I would NEVER go without a power conditioner.
The pluses are cleaner sound, greater transparency. The downsides are possible leaness if too much stuff used.
I push them to just before they start sounding lean or thin. I dislike fat chubby thick sound. Some call it warm. I call it mush.
I like the 'Japanese sound' Lean, tight, lots of clarity and dynamics Massed voices I can hear every individual voice.. That is what i want. Clean. slightly sweet.. Great.
My conditioners give it to me.
I have ALL pangea cords on IEC stuff.
So I am a big cord and conditioner lover.
Still, my total expenditurs on ALL non-component stuff is only about 15% total of equipment actual cost. 10% cables cords. 5% power conditioning in use. (taking half off conditioner cost as video shares the conditioners too)

These threads make me laugh. Over priced tweaks are just that, over priced. You might think they make your system better, but they don't. Once again, ever hear the old saying about a fool and his money being soon parted? Yes, i've tried/listened to them. If you believe they work, thats all that matters. For you, they work, I guess.... I am, and always will be in the show me the proof camp. I've yet to hear a quantum tweak I would spend a dime on.