Hi-Fi that disappointed you!

Tubed gear. Try as I might I do not get the love shown for it here. I've lugged home new and vintage, restored and original on the basis that anything that looks that cool just has to sound wonderful:dunno:
 
Akai indeed... Couple of years back, I bought slightly used Akai ATT022U table, to replace my old Kenwood KD-1600 which had loads of electrical (and grounding) issues. It seemed to be in mint condition, it even had the original box!

Long story short, I came back home, set it up & was hoping to play some of my old records, and they all worked fine for couple of minutes before stylus would start skipping grooves & getting stuck. At first I assumed it was the stylus/cart, AT3600L or even bad alignment but upon closer examination I didn't see anything unusual. Then I took the entire thing apart, lubed the toneram base, platter bearings and checked for any AS issues, it all seemed OK. Then, just as I was about to give it up, I've decided to buy a replacement headshell & give it one more, last try. As it turned out, this sorted out the issue, and Akai was no longer skipping grooves.

HOWEVER, while I was messing around with skipping issue, I did notice something odd - the tonearm's base, bearings themselves were incredibly stiff, and it required a lot of force to move the tonearm. In fact, I've noticed that the CF cantilever of 3600L was leaning inwards, while literally dragging the entire tonearm inwards. You would think this is AS issue right, and that I've had it set too high...? But nope, it was just that stiff. In fact, I did the famous (and normally inefficient) CD/blank record test on Akai, with AS set to "0" and the tonearm would ALWAYS sit in place & wouldn't move left or right, because the skating force was not powerful enough to drag the arm in either direction!
 
I bought some Klipsch KG2’s new back in 1990. Got them home and liked them for a short time. Year after year I liked them less and I eventually blew a tweeter. It was a horn-like tweeter. Still have them in my basement taking up space in the storage area.

I discovered I don’t like horns. Wonder whatever made me buy them?
 
Bought a Onkyo HT in a box in 2004 - big disappointment but should have known better.
Other than that some gear purchases were just lateral moves no names to mention - again my fault.
 
Pioneer vsx-49txi flagship, 65lbs, copper and pretty stuff all over. Supposed to be "the" amp in my mind for years... Not really.. it sounds better than the rest of my amplifiers but not as good as a 65lb flagship should..
 
Marantz 2230 update: Well, sometimes you need to call in a professional. Catrafter rebuilt my phono board, kindly explaining and correcting my errors (if you put that big blue cap in backwards your 2230 will not thank you for it), then including a hand-written (now framed & hanging over the mantle) schematic about how to re-install it. The 2230 lives again! Sadly, it must now leave my list of frustrating equipment (what will I do with my free time now?).
 
Definitely my Marantz 2230 it's been chasing a dragon trying to get it properly working. I don't really want to put more into it and frankly I don't really know of any good techs in Dallas. I've pretty much thrown in the towel on it for now. Eventually I'll replace it with a nice tube receiver that's been properly serviced. It's shame it's a really nice sounding receiver when it's actually working.
I hear you! It's been a lot of blood, sweat and tears with 2230s--you think you have it fixed (what could go wrong now? I've recapped just about everything!), then a channel starts cutting out and you get that tired feeling in your bones.
 
I'd have to go with Cornwalls on this one. I searched and searched for the right pair finally driving 12 hours round trip to pick them up. Every time I cranked them up, the woofers broke up on me. They just couldn't handle the coals.
 
I'd have to go with Cornwalls on this one. I searched and searched for the right pair finally driving 12 hours round trip to pick them up. Every time I cranked them up, the woofers broke up on me. They just couldn't handle the coals.

You are the first person I ever heard make this complaint (and I sold Klipsch for two dealers). What in the world were you using to drive them? How could you stay in the room? :D
 
Those newer, cheap Pioneer speakers...SP-BP-22 or whatever the model is. I just did not care for them at all. Not that they were offensive. They just sounded flat and dull to me, compared with every other speaker I've owned. Well, other than the Wharfedale Diamond 9.6. Also too flat/dark/dull for my tastes. I don't mind things a touch laid back (think British speakers like KEF and Quad), but those were too much in that direction.

Vintage tube gear - LOVE the sound, haven't had one yet that works for long, if at all (even "restored" pieces) - maybe some day!

Lower-priced DAC's - sounded okay but I didn't hear much/any difference vs the output of a computer, CD player, etc. Not until I opened the pocketbook and bought a $4-5k DAC (well, it WAS $5k, including power supply...I didn't pay that) did I say WOW...yeah, DAC's DO make a difference!
 
Marantz 2230 update: Well, sometimes you need to call in a professional. Catrafter rebuilt my phono board, kindly explaining and correcting my errors (if you put that big blue cap in backwards your 2230 will not thank you for it), then including a hand-written (now framed & hanging over the mantle) schematic about how to re-install it. The 2230 lives again! Sadly, it must now leave my list of frustrating equipment (what will I do with my free time now?).

Between the three pieces of hi-fi that disappointed you, the gear was never at fault. Hmmmm
 
Between the three pieces of hi-fi that disappointed you, the gear was never at fault. Hmmmm
Oh, believe me, I own up to it, and I quote myself: "Now before you get all hot and bothered on me, this is a sad tale of bad luck, not a bad receiver. The 2230 is an outstanding receiver." I was clear about that. This thread is as much about bad luck, inexperience, too-high expectations, etc. as it is about gear that disappointed. There is, perhaps, no "disappointing gear," just consumers whose expectations did not match the design of the product. I loved my Zenith clock radio for many years until one of my mother's boyfriends left a Heathkit tube amp and speaker (yes, just one speaker!) in our apartment. Then the Zenith didn't sound so great anymore. And obviously, like anything on the Internet, consider the source. I am an unwashed amateur, not a professor of music nor a seasoned technician, so my opinions and experiences are just that--no more.
 
This thread is as much about bad luck, inexperience, too-high expectations, etc. as it is about gear that disappointed.
If you put it that way, then i am disappointed in my sansui 9090db that died and my THREE hafler dh200/220 amps that i got on ebay that have issues.

This thread doesn't make a lot of sense if its about good gear that has problems. This thread makes perfect sense if its about gear working as the engineers intended yet the results were poor.
 
If you put it that way, then i am disappointed in my sansui 9090db that died and my THREE hafler dh200/220 amps that i got on ebay that have issues.

This thread doesn't make a lot of sense if its about good gear that has problems. This thread makes perfect sense if its about gear working as the engineers intended yet the results were poor.

A thread that makes sense? What an innovator you are!

I'd be banned, shunned, and have to join a new site among pretentious snobs somewhere.

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