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Are High End Audio Products Unreliable?

I don't know if it's just my bad luck but since I've gotten back into high end audio in the past year I have purchased several components that have developed problems that I have never experienced while owning mass produced Japanese components of the 70's and 80's.
First was my Well Tempered turntable. Granted , it was old, but the design is so simple that it should be pretty bomb proof. That one got a lot better once I got everything dialed in, but what a pain in the butt just to get it there.
Second was my Lehmann Black Cube phono preamp, which developed a bad channel. Then it was the Parasound JC-3 phono preamp that was bad out of the box, but was replaced with a new one (no issues since). Next, my Cambridge Azur 840C CD player developed issues loading CDs (no other issues but this is annoying). Then I bought a Furutech GT-40 DAC that had noise when playing computer files through the USB (replaced with a new unit which works great). Next, I bought a CARY SLI-80 amp that was physically damaged out of the box but worked fine at first, but after a couple of weeks developed an issue with the remote relay and required me to send it back for repair. I got a new unit from Upscale that is working great.
I'm not a total hamfist who is hard on equipment, I swear. I'm super careful with my stuff, I run everything through power conditioners, and know how to set up equipment. I must be unlucky. Or have others had similar experiences as mine?
128x128snackeyp

Showing 2 responses by ether

ether
63 posts
 
From my experience - YES..and that hurts alot... after all, the "best sounding" amp is no better than a $400 receiver if you don't get to listen to music becasue it is broken again.
I have had some pieces that worked flawlessly but also had my share of equipment that either didn't work right or had some weird problems. I do feel that if I am willing to spend $5k or $10k on speakers or amp or whatever - the desinger / manufacturer should recognize the fact that this is relatively large sum of money for an audio equipment and proper attention should be paid to the quality of the product.
Most of my cheapo electronics never failed, but even if they did - I didn't feel so bad about it.
HOWEVER, when a $5k amp is not working right - I will surely remember that for a very long time.
ether
63 posts
 
What bothers me most about many of the replies here is the acceptance of things as they are.
I admit, I am one of those "consumer activists" who will call companies and bitch about their products if something doesn't work right.... When my friends make fun of me for doing this...I just say; You will thank me later when the next revision shows up on the market with improvements.

And the higher the price for a given product the greater my expectations.
I don't understand why $1000 amp or receiver can be absolutely quiet, but it's OK for $6000 unit to have a hum coming from the transformers (a hypothetical example based on some frequent question posted here).
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