If you could change one of your purchases

[itschris]

... would you? Is there anything you bought hastily without thinking it through... or bought something you thought you needed or wanted only to find out later that you really should have gotten something else?

I was thinking about this last night while listening to my system, pondering life with an aged piece of cheese and a 1997 Cab to nibble and sip on.

I thought, if there was one thing, any one thing, I might reconsider what would it be. The only thing that really came to mind was my purchase of the Pioneer Elite 94. Not because it's not a great piece of equipment, but I was thinking would a different choice made more sense in my setup... namely already having a seperate amp. I sometimes think, I should have forgone the Elite and gotten the Integra DTC 9.8 would have been the better choice. I'm thinking they're close in price and I think a lot of what I'm paying for in the 94 is the amp section which I really don't use and that all the money of the DTC is goiing to processing. Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't. I don't know. I'm very happy with what I have though and don't think I made a mistake, I just wonder if I would be happier with the integra. Looks-wise, I like it that it doesn't have that standard receiver look which to me is worth a lot on it's own, but the Elite is a classy looking piece of gear. I guess you could pro/con both to death.

 

[adk highlander]

I went through that same question and I did change from a 72txv to the 885 (same as 9.8) and I am very happy I made the switch. For me the processing difference was the number one factor. Due to the trees around my house I will have SD programming for a long time to come. (Only Sat available no cable) The balanced ouputs and all the other trigger controls helped me make my choice and I'm glad I did it.

Now if I were to rethink anything else it would be my display. I had to have 1080p and the westy was the only one out in my price range so I went with it. Now 18 months later I found there are some fairly major faults with the display but I am stuck with it. Westy won't send the firmware to me and I live in the middle of nowhere so the nearest service center is 4+ hours away.

Good thread Chris.

 

[Midcow2]

My Pioneer Elite VSX-45TX SUCKED!

... would you? Is there anything you bought hastily without thinking it through... or bought something you thought you needed or wanted only to find out later that you really should have gotten something else?

I was thinking about this last night while listening to my system, pondering life with an aged piece of cheese and a 1997 Cab to nibble and sip on.

I thought, if there was one thing, any one thing, I might reconsider what would it be. The only thing that really came to mind was my purchase of the Pioneer Elite 94. Not because it's not a great piece of equipment, but I was thinking would a different choice made more sense in my setup... namely already having a seperate amp. I sometimes think, I should have forgone the Elite and gotten the Integra DTC 9.8 would have been the better choice. I'm thinking they're close in price and I think a lot of what I'm paying for in the 94 is the amp section which I really don't use and that all the money of the DTC is goiing to processing. Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't. I don't know. I'm very happy with what I have though and don't think I made a mistake, I just wonder if I would be happier with the integra. Looks-wise, I like it that it doesn't have that standard receiver look which to me is worth a lot on it's own, but the Elite is a classy looking piece of gear. I guess you could pro/con both to death.

Interesting Chris, besides the Bose speakers ( actually the 901s were very nice when I got them in the early 70s; I still am missing and arm and a leg ) I the think I have been most diaappointed with was my Pioneer VSX-45TX Elite receiver. It never did perform like I thought it should. I had a problem with it powering off a medium-loud volumes and Pioneer tech support was worthless, told me Defintive Technology speakers were not support. And it recently it let me down yet again when the video switching went out on on of the component inputs. I also had a Pioneer Elite DVD 45-a player which also was nothing special. Having said all that I am thinking about buying a Pioneer KURO PRO-151FD next year; but I think that is an entirely different animal at least I hope so!

 

[majorloser]

I've got a few items that I've purchased in the past that I wouldn't buy again.

B&K Reference 30 pre/pro
B&K Reference 7270 amp
Yamaha DPX-1 projector
Optoma H78-DC3 projector
Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player

 

[adk highlander]

Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player

Oh yes I forgot about that one.

 

[jostenmeat]

Toughie

I don't have any major regrets, and I think that is the most important thing.

If I had to pick one single bad purchase ever, its the Monster HDMI cable from the local big box. I started all of this madness with an HTIB a couple of years ago, which now resides at my brother's place.

So, could it be the HTIB? Well, without that, I wouldn't have discovered the addiction of surround sound. I often like to dub the Onkyo HTIBs as the gateway drug! And by at least having that for over half a year, could I research the hell out of my future purchase. The research still hasn't stopped.

My sub: If I did it all over again, I might have an SVS PB 13 Ultra instead of my JL F113 if I knew it was going to be for HT only usage. The thing is the latter didn't exist yet, and I still didn't know if I was going to split music and HT systems. That would've been $500-800 in the pocket, depending on SVS shipping charges.

My pre/pro: is a receiver, refurbed Onkyo 805. I could probably be quite happy with the Yam 663, with some change in the pocket, but that also didn't exist yet. The Integra 9.8 sure existed, but I have a thousand dollars in the pocket, and the only added feature I would really enjoy is the Reon. Getting a stand alone dvd player would fit that bill.

My remote: should've got a URC to begin with. But, Harmony was impossible to resist in it's noobie-appeal. This appeal was misconceived big-time, IMO.

My bdp: Pana BD-30 that I get on accommodation (friends&family), but the PS3 did not yet have DTS-MA firmware available. Nah, this shouldn't even be listed, still had money in the pocket anyways.

Hmmm what else... nothing!?!?

 

[GlocksRock]

Probably my SVS sub... I should have saved up even more for the ultra instead of getting just a plus series Not that there is anything wrong at all with the Plus, it still kicks major rear end, it just leaves me with some upgraditis since I don't have their top of the line.

 

[Warpdrv]

Nice post Chris...

Most of your thoughts are exactly why I haven't been hasty in any of my purchases and took a long thorough time deciding which way to go with this or that... As far as the Pioneer, my first receiver I bought was the Elite 81 and I got a great deal on, so for my second system I bought the 91, which is every bit as good as the 81. Now the reason I bought both of those is because I needed HDMI switching but not scaling, because neither of my Plasma's are 1080p so I didn't want to waste any more money by buying something more expensive when I knew down the line I would be upgrading to a Pre/Pro, and nothing was really out there at the time, there was really only the 9.8 so I figured I would wait, and now they are starting to flood the market, but I will still be waiting, maybe a another year, I will upgrade to 1080p in both rooms and then I'll get new Preamps. I do have to say, that I am really happy with the performance of my Pioneers, they are a great for what I need right now, but are expendable to me down the line, but I saved a bunch of money when I got them as well as grief.

I try to be very conscientious when it comes to this stuff, and take my time to thoroughly think out a game plan where and when is it really important for me to get to the next level, so I avoid situations like this.

I don't like to be the test dummy for products and have no problems waiting for long term reviews of up and coming products...

 

[jamie2112]

I would have not bought a Mercedes Benz that ended up costing me more than I paid for the darn thing. It was a total impulse buy and Man, did I pay for that one..I will stick to Honda's...

 

[Warpdrv]

I would have not bought a Mercedes Benz that ended up costing me more than I paid for the darn thing. It was a total impulse buy and Man, did I pay for that one..I will stick to Honda's...

Should have asked me ahead of time, I would have told you to Run Like the Wind Forest !!!!!!

European Cars are like boats... A hole in the water you throw money into...

 

[jamie2112]

Should have asked me ahead of time, I would have told you to Run Like the Wind Forest !!!!!!

European Cars are like boats... A hole in the water you throw money into...

This was a few years ago but , Agreed 100%...

 

[randy98ss]

Before I found out about Audioholics.com, I used to buy monster cables, ARGH! I use to think they were the only game in town and had the best quality ( or so the salesman at tweeter said ). I must have close to 2,000 dollars in just cables. From these gargantuan cables that came in a da-gone briefcase for my mains and center, to these stupid hdmi cables that cost me 150 each. I could have bought the next size up tv for the difference in price.

So for me, I would love to take back all my cables and get my money back and invest it something productive, like something for my wife.....wait, thats not right. Yes...thats it...more speakers muhahaha!

 

[jamie2112]

Before I found out about Audioholics.com, I used to buy monster cables, ARGH! I use to think they were the only game in town and had the best quality ( or so the salesman at tweeter said ). I must have close to 2,000 dollars in just cables. From these gargantuan cables that came in a da-gone briefcase for my mains and center, to these stupid hdmi cables that cost me 150 each. I could have bought the next size up tv for the difference in price.

So for me, I would love to take back all my cables and get my money back and invest it something productive, like something for my wife.....wait, thats not right. Yes...thats it...more speakers muhahaha!

Sell them on ebay. There is a sucker born every second on ebay.

 

[Davidt1]

Toshiba A35 here. It's an obsolete product, but I knew that. What I really bugs me about this player are the little design flaws that don't get mentioned in the fan club reviews ( you know the ones that go something like....I am so happy with my new xxxx.....I highly recommend it...it's the most wonderful thing I ever bought) It doesn't show track number when playing a CD. There is no way to play a dvd without the remote control. You can only start a dvd pressing the 'OK' button on the remote control. There is no 'OK' button on the machine. I hate this thing.

 

[jostenmeat]

Toshiba A35 here. It's an obsolete product, but I knew that. What I really bugs me about this player are the little design flaws that don't get mentioned in the fan club reviews ( you know the ones that go something like....I am so happy with my new xxxx.....I highly recommend it...it's the most wonderful thing I ever bought) It doesn't show track number when playing a CD. There is no way to play a dvd without the remote control. You can only start a dvd pressing the 'OK' button on the remote control. There is no 'OK' button on the machine. I hate this thing.

Are you interested in selling it? I enjoy mine quite a bit. It takes significantly longer to load than my BD-30, and is a bit more prone to some issues, but I've enjoyed mine a lot. Anyways, the price would have to be very enticing, but seeing how you hate it...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Oh, man it's never ending!

That's why we all have this upgraditis dz.

So what do I have right now at this very instance that I wish I had not?

1) Fixed-Frame screen from Optoma. I'm sending this one back. If I went back in time, I would have just gotten a motorized tension screen from Focupix. But now I'll just wait for a motorized Optoma screen as a replacement. Waist of time.

2) I like my 3 Denon PMA-2000IVR amps, but from time to time I still eye 3 of those Marantz PM-11S1 amps.

It's never ending.

I think the only way to decrease the CHANCES of upgraditis is to save up the money and buy the absolute top-of-the-line flagship model. At times this will seem like a total waste of money, but if you don't you will have a very high risk of buyer's remorse.

 

[itschris]

I got to sit a bit more after coming home a little early today after reading some the responses. For me, it's not so much about upgradeitus... I tihnk I got nice enough stuff...but I wonder if I got the right stuff. For me, I was so concerned about this "new HDMI stuff" that everyone was talking about. I had been away from all of it for awhile and HDMI came while I was hiatus. Back when I was really into this stuff, your processor did the processing - period! Now, it's not at all uncommon for the source to do.. .and it some cases... do it better than the processor. I didn't quite understand that when I was shopping for my stuff. I didn't quite get the analog out/in option at thetime if the you had a good source doing the calcs. I may have even gone with a used Sunfire Home Theater Grand IV to match my amp. I never even looked at the Integra for some reason. I never new that pre/pro existed... I had only seen the receivers. I think it was a matter of going with what I knew... Elite and Def Tech.

Still.. I love my setup however.

With the TV, I really had no choice. I knew I wanted a 60+ incher so DLP was really the only option. There were only a few available and not anywhere close to the price point of the DLP. I sometimes feel like I'm missing out a bit on the cool factor... but I feel the choice is solid and when prices do come down a bit and larger sizes to become more common, the technology will be far superior hopefully to what it is today. Today's Kuro, will likely be tomorrow's entry level in the next few years.

Cables... yes... I have Monster M1000 interconnects between my amp and reciever, but hell... I got them 8-10 years ago when you could buy little else easily. You couldn't just hop on the internet and have 500 different cables to choose from... it just wasn't like that then (which as a sidebar makes me think how rapidly things have been changing)

Anyway... if I had to do it all over again... I think I would have likely gotten the Integra... maybe... I don't know. If I did, would I posted this thinking I should've gotten the Elite? Talk about chasing your tail!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

That reminds me of my most important rule in life, that I live by.

The 3 F rule....

Should have asked me ahead of time, I would have told you to Run Like the Wind Forest !!!!!!

European Cars are like boats... A hole in the water you throw money into...

 

[mike c]

i'm the poster child of impulsive buying. though i would like to think i give much thought to my purchases (before purchasing of course), i still end up with a lot of stuff i think i shouldn't have bought.

let's see, sub #2, crap subs #5 and #6, Rotel RMB1077, i'm sure there are a lot more.

 

[pzaur]

Only two purchases I would redo. Both caused by the wife:

1) First house. She didn't want to buy the floorplan we both liked because it was "too far from work." We now live very close to that "too far from work" neighborhood and spent way too much to add one additional bedroom. (Freakin' investors"

2) VW Passat. VW of America is awful. Told us to "F--- off" and leave them alone about their car which would never drive straight. 4 sets of tires in two years and no one wanted to be a used 4-cylinder. Piece of crap. Nice interior.

-pat