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Stereo regret - Anyone purchase new hifi gear and immediately been dissatisfied?


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I would have given it atleast a week with the new gear.

 

I have integrated a new component into my system a few times that at first listen I thought sounded rubbish, a tweak here and a tweak there and sometimes with no tweaking at all, I've experienced an unexpected aha moment where it just sounded right, even when the last time i listened it sounded crap.

 

you are so used to hearing things a certain way but it doesn't mean it's the best you've heard. There may be things your new system is doing better than your old but you can't hear that because you are convinced it sounds worse and it's cost you money which also clouds your judgement, which is understandable btw.

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9 hours ago, Hi-Fi Whipped said:

 

 

you are so used to hearing things a certain way but it doesn't mean it's the best you've heard. There may be things your new system is doing better than your old but you can't hear that because you are convinced it sounds worse and it's cost you money which also clouds your judgement, which is understandable btw.

Yeah that's probably it. I probably also have too high expectations of gear because of reviews. 

 

Any I'll set up thegear again and give it more of a chance to break in. 

 

Thanks guys 

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Most times when a system is cleaner with a new addition it’s thought of as being worse at first. That comes down to less color in a system, and one nice evening some time after purchase, it clicks……………………?

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9 hours ago, JoshG said:

Have you tried to move them around your room? are your old speakers rear ported vs the front ports of the Elac's?
what are you lacking from what you heard in the store? A good burn in would help, however maybe there are other factors, what are the other components in the system?

BTW - I've been through something similar, however i worked on it and improved it.

My old ones are front ported as well. I've got a decent amount of space from wall. About half a metre. On stand mount about ear height. A full 2 metres apart. And my room is quite full so there's not really any reflections.

 

It's not that they sound bad in my room. They sound really good. Its the fact they do not sound better or worse than my old speakers. Makes me question what did I spend $1250 on....

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Sime V2 said:

Most times when a system is cleaner with a new addition it’s thought of as being worse at first. That comes down to less color in a system, and one nice evening some time after purchase, it clicks……………………?

I would say there's more colour. I'm going from active speakers to having seperate amp.

But I'll give it another try cheers mate. 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, yurinator said:

My old ones are front ported as well. I've got a decent amount of space from wall. About half a metre. On stand mount about ear height. A full 2 metres apart. And my room is quite full so there's not really any reflections.

 

It's not that they sound bad in my room. They sound really good. Its the fact they do not sound better or worse than my old speakers. Makes me question what did I spend $1250 on....

 

 

Yeah fair enough, give them time i think, let the amp and speakers settle in. IMO i doubt you've given them enough of a listen and a chance to show you there worth. It might take a while however let them burn in then play your 4 fav tracks between the speakers see what you can hear or not hear, listen if the imaging is better, the soundstage, the separation etc. 
If you're not happy still then perhaps they're not for you. Sell out and try something new.

I started with a little system, sounded good, just was too bright for my liking (KEF Q300/ Yam AS501) - i moved stuff around, adjusted the room it improved but not amazingly,  luckily the 501 has loudness control so i could i work around it. Anyway, half the fun is trying new combos, i just wouldn't buy the items new.
PS: I've settled on my 70-80's Yam stack - B2 Power amp, C2a Pre, CD3, NS200ms -- it's the best, but i still have the 501 and KEF's!

Goodluck

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Run in time for an amp, IMO, is less than a few hours. Speakers on the other hand, are an electromechanical device, and WILL need running in. The run in time will vary greatly with the music you listen to, low volume chamber music won't work the drivers like loud thrash metal will. Another thing to consider with respect to the difference in highs between the two speakers is the aim of the high frequency drivers in reference to your ears in your seating position. High frequency drivers seem to have a smaller sweet spot, make sure they're aimed well, both vertical and horizontal planes are important. 

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I sped up the "run-in" process by connecting speakers to a receiver playing a local dance music station. Bass cranked right up, volume lowish, wired out of phase, face to face with a blanket over them. Ran 24/7 for a few days.

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If the amp is the issue then why not try to organise a gtg for in a couple of weeks time which will give you time to run in the speakers and invite local SNA members to bring around their amps that would sell either new or secondhand for what ever budget to can stretch to and see what turns up.

Nothing to lose and possibly you will at the least have a great day meeting other hifi nuts and getting to hear some other decent amps with your speakers.

 

Anyway just a thought.

 

cheers Terry

Edited by TerryO
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25 years ago I borrowed a Meridian CD transport from Encel stereo and expected really magical things from it given the reputation it had at the time. I had to put down a deposit for it to take it home and return it the next day. I thought it was good and held onto it but during the day at work I came to my senses and realised I'd tried to convince myself that it sounded better than it actually did.  A day later I gave in and returned it when I actually more critically compared it and didn't really think that much of it compared to the cheaper Esoteric transport. I had to sacrifice the deposit though they did give me credit for the deposit in case I bought anything else from Encel. Encel closed some time in the next two decades and I never got to use the $200 but at least I didn't end up with a transport I didn't really like.

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Back in the 1970's I was keen to upgrade from the integrated amp/BSR auto-changer turntable.  My older cousin had an amazing hifi, and he had put a lot of research before he bought it (many years later I realised that it wasn't amazing, but entry-level).  Anyway, a hifi store in the city was selling very cheaply the now superseded amplifier that was in my cousin's system (JVC VN-300).  Although money was extremely tight for me, I extended myself and bought the amp. 

 

Carrying the box out of the store I looked into their window, and saw the next model amp also being sold at runout price, for only a few dollars more.  Instant buyer's remorse, but I also knew that I couldn't afford the extra few dollars.  However, the amp that I bought was built like a tank, and I got many years enjoyment from it.  Then it got passed to a friend, who ran it until a few years ago, and apparently it still worked like a tank (with the exception of the balance control).

 

So despite buyer's remorse, did not regret getting the amp.

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Anyone purchase new hifi gear and immediately been dissatisfied? 
 
I bought new speakers (elac debut 2.0 b6.2)  that were highly rated for the price and decent amp (emotiva a-150) to go with it. I auditioned in store and they sounded great but when I put next to my old speakers they just didn't seem worth all the money I spent. My current speakers (event project studio 6. are powered studio monitors that are over 10 years old that I purchased second hand and upgraded the tweeters.
 
Now I'm annoyed with having to sell the new gear I bought at a loss. Just because I had watched too many speaker reviews and wanted to purchase new speakers when I didn't need too.
 
I now appreciate my current speakers and realise how good they sound.
No one has mentioned speaker cables or interconnects. Speaker cables should be at least 16awg or 1.3mm ofc. Use solid or minimal stands to enhance the bass response or fine stranded tin plated to enhance treble response which is my preference. Get interconnects that are good but conservatively priced like redgum. Use a good preamp, with valves if you can. Then break in the speakers loud without clipping. Then this will be your benchmark. If still not satisfied then the amp is not up to the task. You just can't skimp on kilograms with an amp.
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4 minutes ago, cableguy said:

The a150 is only 7kg, it just won't let the speakers sing. The amp needs to weight at least 10kg or better yet 15kg

Really?

Weight of an amp doesn’t determine how well it will make speakers “sing”

 

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As I understand it I think the nub of the OP's complaint is that he was expecting a quantum jump in sound performance over and above his existing speakers that he was/is pretty happy with. The ELAC's were neither better or worse and so no added return for the dollars he has spent.

 

My question to the OP is whether he wants more of the same sound he already had, but somewhat enhanced, or is he looking for a different sound altogether?

 

My small and modestly priced collection of speakers are all differently voiced from one another but the overall tone is a shared mid-range capability that I like, because that is what I deem the most important asset in my music listening.  The differences IMO give my speakers a personal longevity because I rotate them into my system when I feel like a change without the added feeling of being let down. If I had the space and the money, I would not have got rid of one pair of speakers I have ever had, but I don't have the luxury of either space or money.

 

This whole hobby is built on regret.

 

 

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1 minute ago, allthumbs said:

As I understand it I think the nub of the OP's complaint is that he was expecting a quantum jump in sound performance over and above his existing speakers that he was/is pretty happy with. The ELAC's were neither better or worse and so no added return for the dollars he has spent.

 

My question to the OP is whether he wants more of the same sound he already had, but somewhat enhanced, or is he looking for a different sound altogether?

 

My small and modestly priced collection of speakers are all differently voiced from one another but the overall tone is a shared mid-range capability that I like, because that is what I deem the most important asset in my music listening.  The differences IMO give my speakers a personal longevity because I rotate them into my system when I feel like a change without the added feeling of being let down. If I had the space and the money, I would not have got rid of one pair of speakers I have ever had, but I don't have the luxury of either space or money.

 

This whole hobby is built on regret.

 

 

This is on point. 

 

I did give my new speakers more chance and tried with different music. I do like them very much. But exactly what you said. The return on the dollars spent is not there. As I did underate the speakers I had already as they were "old". 

 

Thanks for your comments. I don't feel as bad anymore. 

 

 

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I would have given it atleast a week with the new gear.
 
I have integrated a new component into my system a few times that at first listen I thought sounded rubbish, a tweak here and a tweak there and sometimes with no tweaking at all, I've experienced an unexpected aha moment where it just sounded right, even when the last time i listened it sounded crap.
 
you are so used to hearing things a certain way but it doesn't mean it's the best you've heard. There may be things your new system is doing better than your old but you can't hear that because you are convinced it sounds worse and it's cost you money which also clouds your judgement, which is understandable btw.
Don't agree it should "sparkle " from the get go. If not...dud. The burn in time is crap. When you get it home, if it is not sounding as good as what you had previously...it never will!!
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11 hours ago, needlerunner said:

. When you get it home, if it is not sounding as good as what you had previously...it never will!!

My current system now can sound crap on any given day. Those days I switch off and try again another day. 

My 8805 was horrid when I first got it, so much so I nearly got rid of it, today is a completely different story. 

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Really?
Weight of an amp doesn’t determine how well it will make speakers “sing”
 
Ok, here's the background: when I was a young lad my dad had a good technics amp with volt meters on the front, I thought it sounded awesome as I was 15yrs old. My mate built a monoblock amp and it weighed a ton, needless to say even though it was driving only a single speaker it already sounded like on a totally different level. Pounds for pound hands down the heavy weight won. Fast forward to my late teens and 20s every amp I ever bought was replaced with a heavier amp and each amp make the same pair of speakers sound remarkable better. Then came my late 20s when I had a mix more coin and I bought an amp and new speakers, I got home and hooked them up and immediately reboxed the amp went back to store and said it wasnt heavy enough, they exchanged if foe the next one up in the range which was a few kilo heavier, same thing, still didn't sound right so took it back and got the next one up which was another few kilo heavier and then the speakers came alive. Not just at high volumes but throughout the whole audio range. After all these years later I just did the same thing, replaced my current amp with one that was 5 kg heavier and the same speakers completely transformed. All geekdom aside, I can't remember a single spec from any of my amps, but I can tell you if the were light or heavy. Geekdom considered, given all things equal, same class of amp, similar design, if you change out the power transformer for a heavier one of the same type you will have more rms volts, current and power available which will provide better holding grunt to the voice coils and sharpen up the sound of the speakers remarkably. This equates to higher power for the same THD. So yeah if your speakers sound like ****, get a heavier amp. And let's face it a cute 50-70watt rms amp will never make a 87db 100watt pair of speakers sound good, you need 150watt to realise the potential of those speakers and that equates to kgs. I recommend boxing up the amp and asking for an exchange for the heaviest brick you can afford.
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6 hours ago, cableguy said:
On 22/05/2019 at 1:44 PM, Pops110 said:
Really?
Weight of an amp doesn’t determine how well it will make speakers “sing”
 

Ok, here's the background: when I was a young lad my dad had a good technics amp with volt meters on the front, I thought it sounded awesome as I was 15yrs old. My mate built a monoblock amp and it weighed a ton, needless to say even though it was driving only a single speaker it already sounded like on a totally different level. Pounds for pound hands down the heavy weight won. Fast forward to my late teens and 20s every amp I ever bought was replaced with a heavier amp and each amp make the same pair of speakers sound remarkable better. Then came my late 20s when I had a mix more coin and I bought an amp and new speakers, I got home and hooked them up and immediately reboxed the amp went back to store and said it wasnt heavy enough, they exchanged if foe the next one up in the range which was a few kilo heavier, same thing, still didn't sound right so took it back and got the next one up which was another few kilo heavier and then the speakers came alive. Not just at high volumes but throughout the whole audio range. After all these years later I just did the same thing, replaced my current amp with one that was 5 kg heavier and the same speakers completely transformed. All geekdom aside, I can't remember a single spec from any of my amps, but I can tell you if the were light or heavy. Geekdom considered, given all things equal, same class of amp, similar design, if you change out the power transformer for a heavier one of the same type you will have more rms volts, current and power available which will provide better holding grunt to the voice coils and sharpen up the sound of the speakers remarkably. This equates to higher power for the same THD. So yeah if your speakers sound like ****, get a heavier amp. And let's face it a cute 50-70watt rms amp will never make a 87db 100watt pair of speakers sound good, you need 150watt to realise the potential of those speakers and that equates to kgs. I recommend boxing up the amp and asking for an exchange for the heaviest brick you can afford.

https://www.devialet.com/en-eu/expert-210-pro-amplifier/ <6kg

 

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/VSX-LX303 >10kg

Edited by furtherpale
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20 hours ago, Pops110 said:

Really?

Weight of an amp doesn’t determine how well it will make speakers “sing”

It's not as silly as it sounds. An amplifier is only as good as its power supply and the bulk of the weight of an amplifier is from the power supply. The bigger and better the power supply, the heavier the amplifier. Of course there's a heck of a lot more to an amplifier than just its power supply, but it's an essential ingredient. It gets more complicated when power supplies are switch mode and therefore much lighter (predominantly used for class D amps) but for class A/AB amps there is an association.

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