Could-care-less Manufacturers and Authorized Dealers Bash

Contacted Jeff Rowland via emails. Got the 5th amendment treatment.

I couldn't care less != I could care less.

Google them. Both are valid...

MODWRIGHT: infinite patience helping me solve a problem with my MW-modded Sony HAP music server, including sending me power supplies. 

MAKER AUDIO: Received the amp not working, likely due to shipper mishandling. I sent it back and (even though it was bought as last year’s demo) he updated to latest specs at no cost and paid return shipping. 

AURALIC: Sent me new transformers at no cost, even though bought used. 

EXOGAL: sent me a new after-market power cable when the one I was using failed. 

AUDIENCE: Re-terminated all ends when I broke the cable near one end. 

WYWIRES: exchanged my two power cords that weren’t working for pair of interconnects, and then upgraded to next level when they inadvertently took too long to ship. 

TACT AUDIO: Spent many hours on phone helping/teaching me subtleties of using their products. Too bad they went under. 

GIK: Immediately sent replacement product when I complained the finish of something I’d received wasn’t up to snuff, and let me keep the original.

The not-so-good (surprisingly, mostly cable companies): NORDOST: A Glass Toslink stopped working due to no fault of mine and their response was that they had lots of problems with their Toslink cables so they stopped making them. They offered no compensation and wouldn’t fix it. 

BEL CANTO: Amp died one week out of warranty. Wouldn’t fix it--only offered to sell me a newer model at a discount. REVELATION AUDIO LABS: Took close to a year and filing complaints with state agencies to get product I’d paid for. MIT: An expensive digital cable stopped working and neither the company nor their well-known dealer offered to fix it.

nothing is bullet proof and or ‘lasts forever’. 

sometimes it just be’s complicated too!

support has to be amenable, immediate, and available with equitiable solutions for its products but mainly for those who have bought into that makers offerings not simply with their dollars but with their confidence. as well.

unfortunately thru the decades I’ve had a fair share of gear go down and the need for its maker’s  intervention. 

overall, I’ve had far more positive EXP with manufacturers than bad ones. some do indeed go beyond the ‘call of duty’ with their service after the sale, or via their support  departments.

makers like Krell, B&W, Phase Technologies, Sound anchor, Cardas, onkyo, Integra, PS Audio, running springs, Elrod, Voodoo Cables, and Dodd Audio (RIP) have all stepped up promptly to address what ever issue when ever one arose.

.

anthem for example was right on time with rendering assistance on one of their early Processors I had acquired on the used market.  naturaly it was on  me to pay shipping to them, but they paid it coming back to me.

they spent time on the phone and thru mails to remedy the cituation appropriately and timely. 

all the while I was treated witgh the upmost  respect, as if I were the one who bought it new.

B.A.T. prior to being sold was one of the more  accomodating outfit I ever dealt with. Steve and Victor, and at times even Jeff Poor  were quick to step up to the plate for nearly any issues concerning their products despite them being bought new or preowned. 

always, BAT  seemed readily invested into resolving what ever customer event that could crop up all the while conducting themselves professionally and with humility and empathy.

PS Audio has come thru for me more than once in supporting their passive PLCs, sending me new modules for their devices.

actually PSA protected me twice at least as their PLC prevented a direct lightening strike from destroying gear I had plugged into the product.

PSA replaced the dead insert  immediately at no charge. I don’t recall accurately but it may have been beyond the two year warranty coverage as well. dunno for sure.

Butler Audeio is another one that stands out with superior customer service    

upon arrival from a orig owner a pair of the five power channels were out. sending it to Colorado for service, Butler not only repaired the two amps, then tested it for two days, re biased it, and shipped it back to me but this time with a full five year factory warranty as if I had been the orig owner and not its second owner.

of greater note was all of this interactionn took place while   a sudden very serious  health issue had  arisen putting a close family membwer in the hospital under life threatening circumstances.

Shunyata’s Grant Samuels sent along a Shunyata PLC ‘outlet’ and a handful of PCs to introduce me to what and how much PCs aided or influenced the sound.

I’ve been convinced and ever grateful since that event as all by itself it reminds me to ‘keep an open mind’ and that ‘everything matters’.

years ago I had some difficulties getting Bel Canto to respond to some emails and phone calls concerning some technical and upgrade question that took about ten days  for a reply to arrive.  

I thought they had gone out of business but found out later it was simply the terrible weather up in MN which was pointed to as the culprit preventing them from responding..

who knew snow prevented emails and phone calls from being returned?

thor Audio created and produced by Paul Marks remains perhaps my biggest  head scratching moment. 

Thor Audio power was the first SET amps I recall experiencing. it was a Holy Grail moment and urged me to get those pieces ASAP. only the TPA 1000 MK II line stage was the bit that landed in my lap later on.

very well built. incredible sounding. Distinctive esthetic. knok on wood, mine’s still going strong.

Mr. marks was a huge disappointment and veritable disaster for some of the folks who needed or desired updates and or repairs as he simply chose to walk away from the venture entirely one day.

Paul  leftwithout remorse or explanation or the return of monies or equipment to some of his purchasers/owners who sought upgrades. similarly those who commissioned him for new pieces. ended up out in the cold.

I was lucky in that only a bit of operating insights were needed and Mr. marks obliged in a timely fashion. 

truly a sad and serious affair.

Sony? yeah. not so much.  LG? a bit better.

Flat tVs? Good luck. not just from these pages but thru friends locally, fixing TVs seems gone the way of the Do Do Bird. its replace if possible so often repairs are the uncommon event.

it also seems very important on warranties  one finds out who one is askign for what ever level of down the road support and to  who will actually accomplish repairs or replacements.

panasonic for ex., offered an extended service policy which allowed either refurbishing, repairing, or replacement.

That  50 inch plasma is still kicking.  .

replacement rather than repair does look like the trend.

a recent all in one Epson FAX/Copy/scanner/printer began acting up. Epson said throw it into a dumpster and sent out another one.

I wish they had done that with a  Ford F150 I once had.