Sorry, it’s not me, it’s you?

Yah, some people just can’t be critical to yourself. One day they published links with the pictures how their system components changed within last 16 years and now they tell us that they never made a mistake or not satisfied with their choice... lol

@jrapp  No.  Remember that IKE is infallible.

Several years ago I bought a turntable with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, it was my 1st TT since the 80'S.  I was very happy with the sound, my best records sounded way better than anything digital, and the others sounded pretty sweet as well.  All the audio sites were raving about the Ortofon Black and Bronze cartridges.  Not being a high end turntable I figured the Bronze would be a good upgrade and stopping point for this TT as it could only sound better???... wrong.  The Bronze sounded tinny, harsh, and irritating.  I tried various capacitance settings, cables, pre-amps, rake angles, etc, but was never happy with the sound. One day (possibly on this site), I read about someone with the same issues, he swapped his bronze stylus with his blue and was raving about how all the warmth came back to his albums.  I unboxed my Blue, swapped needles,  and haven't looked back since.   In fairness to the Bronze it may sound better on a higher end TT.  Sometimes and upgrade isn't always an upgrade. It was a $400 dollar lesson, If you like the sound stick with it.

I bought my first pair of speakers when I was in my 20's. I was a music lover, but inexperienced when it came to mid fi stereo equipment.

I went into a high end store in Palo Alto in the early 70's, and
as I recall, I listened to just a few speakers. The pair that got my attention were the Infinity 2000A Electrostatics in beautiful rosewood. The salesman played Tea For The Tillerman, Cat Steven's voice was clear and powerful, I was sold. Plus my wife loved the rosewood.

I was driving the Infinity's with a Sherwood receiver at about 80 Watts per channel, not the best match, but I was young and.......   

After about a year, I began to tire of the bright sound signature of the Infinity's and traded them in on a pair of SAE speakers, but that is another story.

I wouldn't say the Infinity's were a mistake per se, but a learning experience. 

https://stereonomono.blogspot.com/2011/04/infinity-2000-1971.html
        

Very true, ericsh, as a matter of fact, I presently have a pair of Infinitys that have a bright sound signature, and they probably sound great on the right gear.  But on the wrong gear they can be painful.

I've got several pairs of speakers, and bought the Infinitys used about a year ago just because they were big and cheap, Infinity Primus 362.  I've got 2 Adcom amps, on one they sound better than on the other.  The worse sound is fatiguing to my ears, and makes them ring if I turn it up for a while.  

BTW, the original speakers that I mentioned returning because of the poor results are discontinued Energy CF-70.  

And as to my room, no it is not treated for acoustics.  It's carpeted, with a fireplace on one side of my seated position and a bookcase on the other.  Ceiling is 7'6, room is 10'10" by 18.  But it has no rear wall, it opens into a larger room that is about another 18' by 15, with higher ceiling(weird basement).  I sit about 9 feet away from the speakers.