Sgt. Ear Ache
Major Contributor
As far as electronics... no, I don't think there are any examples. For speakers the only thing I can think of is the ELAC DBR62, which some folks have said sounded "dull" to their ears.
I don't personally share that opinion, my DBR62s are probably the most satisfying audio purchase I've made in the last 10 years.
I would ask them if they've EQ'd the dbr's for their room (even though they are very well-behaved speakers, room correction still matters). Or, conversely, I would wonder what previous speakers they've owned and if they have a penchant for "brightness." All sorts of things can come into play when it comes to subjective impressions. That's why measurements are so useful...