[Shizelbs]

I almost never audition. $1300 is the most I've spend, sight unheard. It was for a Rotel amplifier, and I am very happy with it.

 

[gz76]

I always audition. I'm not going to drop coin on anything without knowing it first. People can recommend something all they like, but that doesn't guarantee that it'll be a perfect fit for me.

I've bought a ******** of gear over the years, and the only thing I ever bought without auditioning cost me just over $3k. It was a fairly safe bet tho, as I was familiar with other hardware made by the same manufacturer and could always get my money back if I wasn't truly satisfied. Wouldn't have done it under any other conditions. Like above tho, it was a purchase made on previous auditions, not recommendations.

 

[Fitz]

I buy almost everything without auditioning first, as I've found my favourite phones solely by buying them on impulse based on gut instinct. The most expensive thing I've purchased without auditioning was the W5000, which I think I paid around $750 for. I don't own it anymore, but definitely don't regret getting it.

 

[GlorytheWiz825]

$600 USD for Mapletree Ear+ amp.

Regrets? Absolutely not.

 

[Icarium]

~30k and I regret nothing that I've bought which is pretty much everything without auditioning. Only have had to sell two things so far (Another thing on the auction block for item #3) but I'd keep it all if I could.

 

[MCC]

I never auditioned anything in my sig. There's a Grado dealer nearby but that's all for headphones.

Edit: American had some wireless Senns sitting on a table in the speaker room last time I was there.

 

[omegaman]

Never auditioned anything and so far, I have loved everything. Arcam amp on the way to match my CD player still unheard but I doubt I will regret it.

Sometimes I wish I would regret it and then have to sell it on, I just end up keeping everything

Just remembered I bought a DLHomedock used it for about an hour. Its been in the drawer ever since. Thats probably my only regret.

 

[Rise To The Top]

$350 - E500
$350 - HD650
$280 - HD600

edit: No Regrets on all of them.

 

[mulveling]

$4510 shipped on a set of Tannoy Dimension speakers (TD10 pair & TDC center) that will arriving soon this week. Really hope that one goes into at least the "great buys" category

$2900 on my SOTA TT rig - one of the best purchase decisions I've made, don't regret it one bit.

$2200 on Linbrook Signature Monitors; I really regret that as I sold them the next week for a loss.

Then we have the Sunfire Signature 600 amp for $2000 - Another regret, never liked it that much and eventually sold it.

$1850 BAT VK-5i premp - eh, it was nice but not nice enough for my money, IMO. Eventually sold it.

$1500 Ultrasone Edition 9 - Another meh - in the end they weren't my style of musical presentation but at least I didn't lose money on 'em.

$1350 for the first pair of L3000 - another one of the best purchase decisions I've made. They're rendered me much more musical enjoyment than even the steep price-tag would indicate.

 

[The Pieman]

About $1200 on an upgraded WOO WA2 I haven't even received yet! The next one I suspect will be about $1k on some AT ATH-W5000's.

 

[yobs]

Well... until I purchase a house... i'd say all my head-fi gear

 

[krmathis]

I buy most of my gear without auditioning, caused by one or more of these reasons:
* No local Head-Fi meetings to audition gear.
* The gear is not available in local stores (vintage, BTO, no dealer for the brand, ...).

No regrets so far, to any of my deals.

 

[gjustice]

Some DT880s because there was no place to buy them locally.

 

[onyu]

stax lambda nova signature + srm-t1s on ebay for 600€
don't regret it

 

[SR-71Panorama]

$2800 after shipping for a used Taylor XXX-MC E, which is one of their 30th Anniversary Guitars. No regrets.

Guitars, unlike gadgets, retain their value when you get past 2000 dollars. It will be worth more in about 10-15 years. Reason: opportunity cost. It has gold trim, abalone, etc. The bigger a company gets, the higher the opportunity cost for such tedious things.