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What's the most overrated or overpriced piece of equipment you own, have owned or come by?

This hobby of ours is extremely rewarding, but can also be very expensive. I don't mind paying the big bucks (if I can afford it) for better sound. But many companies out there take advantage of us poor bastards and sell us snake oil equipment at exorbitant prices. Well...This is your chance to share with other Audiogonners.

This is your chance to GET EVEN :-)
mozart4040
64 responses Add your response
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 

Bondmanp, Cables are an area where a little research and basic DIY skill, together with the use of first-rate materials and a modest investment of time, produces VG to excellent results at reasonable prices. My current loom is

PCs: shielded 8awg .999 silver or Furutech Alpha 3 bulk cable with Furutech ends.

Speaker cables: shielded and grounded, teflon and silk insulated .999 stacked silver foils with 1.5 lbs. of silver therein.

ICs: shielded, grounded Parts ConneXion Connex/DH Labs BL-Ag balanced silver bulk IC cable with teflon dielectric and Neutric ends. 100+ ft. @ $16/stereo ft.

At the current commodity price for fine silver, the entire investment is perhaps $4K. Over the years I’ve wasted perhaps 5 times that in commercial cables that depreciated, and demoed some in the $10K range that don’t compare to the better DIY.

I try to believe that all purchasing decisions in audio should be considered at the margin of the greatest improvement for the least investment. There has always been something better to buy than expensive cables.

bondmanp
1,465 posts
 
Thanks, dgarrestson - very informative.  Sadly, I have neither the skills or time for DIY.  Not to mention the inability to afford $4K worth of silver foil! 
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 

The $4K represents everything in the loom.  Materials for the speaker cables cost $750.

BTW, I'm not suggesting that cables are unimportant-- rather that this endeavor is accessible to the average DIYer with almost no knowledge of electronics.  Once understood you could hire a high school student or my sister-in-law to make cables... 

zavato's avatar
zavato
903 posts
 
The only item that I've purchased that ultimately proved a disappointment was a Thorens turntable in bought in the mid 80's. Motor issues and tonearm bearing issues were routine. Admittedly it was not a very pricey table, and I did have it for about 5 years. Sold it and bought a Rega Planar 3 which was problem free. 

I did did have a California Audio Labs CD player that needed several warranty repairs. Without jinxing anything I would say all my present gear has been quite problem free. For instance, I've had my turntable for 18 years now and it has never needed any repairs. 
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,033 posts
 
DarTZeel

nice finish, sound like Kenwood
vegasears
922 posts
 
Lots of nice post here, very interesting. I can really agree with Mitch4T. I started this game in mid 80’s with a much lower income. Over the years I’ve been disappointed with a lot of the so called Giant Killer products but that’s where we go when the funds a low. Once my disposal income reached a little higher level, I’ve been real happy with my buys. Of course, the education I have received along way helped.
bcgator's avatar
bcgator
354 posts
 
This one is easy...I bought one of the Carver "The Receiver" and I ended up counting the hours until that thing sold in the newspaper classifieds.  It literally sounded awful.   I don't think there was anything mechanically wrong with it, it just turned my Infinity speakers into echoing soup cans, and not due to an impedance or power-requirement mismatch. 

The shame is, I’m sure Carver makes lots of great gear (I assume?) but after that purchase I’ve never been able to go back to that brand.
bcowen
68 posts
 
The worst purchase I ever made was before I even had a system that could be considered high end. It was 1984 (or so) that I decided those newfangled CD players thingies had come down enough in price to warrant buying one.  I read every issue of the known bible (Stereo Review) I could find that talked about CD players, and finally decided on a $400 Onkyo player with the heavily marketed "Opto Coupling" between the digital and analog sections. Brought it home, hooked it up, and immediately went through a whole roll of Bounty sopping up the blood pouring from my ears.  I didn't know about things like break-in back then, but even that wouldn't have helped this player.  Took it back to the store and told them it was defective.  With no questions asked, they took it back and ordered a replacement.  When that arrived, I took it home only to experience the same unlistenable dreck.  The store had never really offered any money-back guarantees, but they were good enough to take back the 2nd player and give me store credit for the full purchase price. 

I didn't even look at another CD player for over 5 years....
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
A turntable that cost as much as a nice car but I rarely use.
mkwglyg
35 posts
 
My biggest disappointment is having bought the simaudio 740p preamp brand new after reading so many rave reviews on this unit. Usd9k
Sold it for half the price in just 3 months.
Compared to my aged aragon 28k, it sound veiled, lacked dynamics, muted highs and muddy bass.

I swear i would never touch this brand ever. I really wonder what the heck those reviewers are hearing.

bondmanp
1,465 posts
 
zavato:  Wow, you must have gotten a lemon of a Thorens.  I bought a TD-166MkII new in 1984 and it is still in regular use (slightly modded). 
dragunski
110 posts
 
I regretted buying the Dynaco 416 amp with the outboard C-100. I had heard it in someone else's system and I was enthralled with the immense power and the flashing LEDs. I got it home and immediately blew out 2 pairs of speakers. But it wasn't until I switched it out for a pair of Mark III monoblocks that I knew I had made a dreadful mistake. 

I also regretted buying the Magnepan 2Bs until I got them into the right room and learned how to position them. 

But generally I buy used and more than 5 years old, so I don't get much buyer's remorse. The only exception to that is cartridges and CD players, which are the only things I have bought new in the last 20 years. 

But I am considering a NAS drive...
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
779 posts
 
Odyssey Audio. By far the worst company and the worst products I have owned. The most positive thing I can say is this; After owning three pieces that had hum and buzz coming from the transformers and not getting in touch with the owner (no returned messages)  I finally reached him and returned the gear. It came back with the same problems. Mr K. lectured me on my power problems, even though countless pieces of gear never revealed this problem. So after years, not months, he agreed to buy it back at a huge loss to me. That is the good part.

I know there are fans, but I cannot see it from my vantage point.
bondmanp
1,465 posts
 
2psyop: Sorry you had such issues with Odyssey Audio. I purchased a Stratos HT3 from Klaus (actually a one-off with new circuit boards for the L/R channels and an old board for the center channel) with cap upgrade following a little negotiating at an audio show. I had a hum problem as well. I was able to get Klaus’ assistant on the phone, and he walked me through the process of removing a ground wire inside the amp that he suspected was the issue. It was indeed the issue, and since then, which is about 10 years now, the amp has been totally silent. I did have one capacitor fail early on. While Odyssey Audio gladly and quickly replace it under warranty, I was a little upset by the large shipping charges required to send the 64 lb. amp to Minnesota. But overall, my experience was far better than yours, I think. FWIW, I love the sound of the Stratos. As they say, YMMV.
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