What's the funniest or dumbest thing you did?


What is the funniest or dumbest HiFi related thing you have ever done?
The dumbest thing I did was to buy a used Nakamichi tape deck. When I could not get it to record consistantly I sent it out to be repaired. When I got it back I realized I was not using it right and it had been working the whole time. I know, I'm not real bright!
128x128nrchy
Well, its not really audio related, sorta i guess.

When i was in the military, i was troubleshooting a phone line at a commanders residence. I had my butt-set and was running down the terminal block with the aligator clips and had the set to my ear

POW, everything flashed white.

I recovered a few seconds later, with the taste of aluminum foil in my mouth, dazed and confused. I diddnt really know what happened and my head was spinning. Anyways, in a half daze, i grabbed my buttset and started down the terminal block again

POW, everything flashed white

I recovered several minuits later and staggered to my feet. Dunbar, who was on site troubleshooting with me walked in, diddnt seem to notice my disarrayed self, and said "IS this the block?" he pulled out his buttset and started running down the block. Before i could warn him, halfway through the block his arms spasmed, eyes rolled up in his head, knees buckled, and he collapsed in a heap. He regained conciousness a few minuits later

Turned out there is what is known as a CM8 circuit in the commanders houce. The control leads run over standard copper pair and terminate on a standard MX66 block. I cant remember the exact amount of juice running over these leads, but when you put the buttset up to it, the shock from one of the leads going up the buttset, into your mouth, out your ear, and back down the other clip.

The feeling resembles a seasoned boxer taking a blast at your head without gloves.

It was a total accident the first time. I just cant believe i hit it twice.... talk about stupid
I had been using an amp in stereo and got another one so I could run them monobridged but forgot to switch the one I'd been using to 'mono' and listened to it like that for about 3 freakin' days before I finally figured out what was not quite right with the sound.....duh!
Bought new speakers, biwired them and couldn't believe how bad they sounded. Friend of mine bought them (at the cost less shipping) removed the JUMPERS, and he is still enjoying them while i bought and sold several speakers since!
Another one! Sold my turntable on Audiogon. Went through great lenght to find and pack the sucker (Thorens 166 mkII). It was a good sale, the table was tweaked, AQ Mat, Ortofon MC ctg, new feet etc...good for several hundreds. On the way to UPS, i was to put the box in the trunk/hatchback of my Mustang. I got the phone call, my wife went out to call me. I cut the conversation short (tele-marketeer) and went back into the car. Turned the key, placed in reverse and ran over something....!!! You can guess the rest!
I had a CD Player with volume control but wanted to integrate it with other sources so needed switching and volume control. Built a passive box with remote controlled switching via top quality relays and a motorised volume pot, bypassing the volume for the CD player. I didn't put any security code on the remote and the sun managed to trick the volume to go up to full, while switched to a radio station, while I was out for some hours. My speakers were totally blown into next week - wires poking through the cones, all caps blown on the crossover - only the cabinets were recoverable. It must have been incredibly loud. And I thought I was saving myself money by not buying a top preamp - quite the reverse.