What's the funniest or dumbest thing you did?


What is the funniest or dumbest HiFi related thing you have ever done?
The dumbest thing I did was to buy a used Nakamichi tape deck. When I could not get it to record consistantly I sent it out to be repaired. When I got it back I realized I was not using it right and it had been working the whole time. I know, I'm not real bright!
128x128nrchy
Suits: pls confirm that it was audiophile-approved sparkling water (is there such a thing as audiophile- approved water? audiophiles usually approve of vitaminous fluids)
Greg, Greg, come now .....! Even you approve only of AC and DOC. Suits is right though on one point: A cicilisation, drinking bottled mineral water instead of the above on ANY day, rainy or not, will certainly be doomed. No where the hell did I put my cork screw??
I haven't fried any equipment (yet). Does installing 16 speakers in a Ford Pinto count as dumb? -- had large midrange horns hanging from the ceiling and a set of 16 ohm boxed speakers in the back. Maybe the dumb thing there was slapping in a cassette tape of a 45 minute drum solo on a long road trip with my wife-to-be on our fourth date (I'm still hearing about that one). Hmmm. I too got rid of most of my LP's. That was dumb. I too fried myself, more than once, forgetting to let those darned capacitors discharge.

All in, I think the dumbest thing I did was waiting so long to get into this hobby. I took three years of electronics in high school and subscribed to audio magazines (Stereo Review and Audio -- talk about stupid!) for about 20 years before taking the plunge and setting my old JVC/AR combination aside. I really was convinced that most stuff sounded about the same and thought the folks who read Stereophile must be insane. $500 for a cable????? It wasn't until later that I actually just listened. I still wonder about those cable prices though.
I once bought a "Fons" turntable on closeout for $50. First I had endure all kinds of "Happy Days" related jokes from my audiophile friends. (Did it come with a leather jacket, Does it say "hey' when you turn it on, etc) Then once I turned it on I found the motor was shot and the speed was too slooooow.
The only redeeming value was the belt that came with fit the systemdek TT I owned at the time. This was a very expensive belt replacement.