Furutech Acoustic panel room Diffuser?

I did not contact Elite since I bought the panels from the Canadian distributor, I've since moved to the U.S. It wouldn't be fair to drag Scot into this, but I have followed up directly with the distributor I bought the panels from in Canada, and Furutech directly.

An analogy that comes to mind is if I bought a Mercedes or Lexus and the leather seats looked like this after five years I know they would repair or replace them. At the price Furutech sells their stuff the comparison is valid. And yes, I'm pretty sure if the material was tightened up it would be fine, that's why I asked them for tips & tricks. No response. They suck.

Hack

Sorry if you have already tried this but if you are in the US have you had any luck contacting a Furutech distributor?

Elite Audio Video Distribution
Scot Markwell (323) 466-9694 x22 scot.markwell@eliteavdist.com

PO Box 93896 Los Angeles, CA 90093 USA

http://www.eliteavdist.com/

I spoke to Scot about some Furutech Power cords and he was helpful. Maybe he can assist you with your panels or find someone who could may be repair them for you?

The wall panels are a discontinued item and Furutech no longer carries stock, but it may be possible to repair the two panels. Unfortunately, as the product is no longer covered by Furutech’s one year manufacturer’s warranty, they would need to be returned to Tokyo at your expense and repair costs charged. Shipping costs for 1 set (2pcs) would be JPY59,450≒USD735 from Oregon USA to Tokyo and repair cost would be advised after the repair is complete. Please let me know if you would like to proceed

So what is it that you expect from them? Just curious.

An email exchange with Furutech…

Me: I bought a pair of RWL-1 tuning panels five years ago and have the original boxes/packing. Over time the silk material has wrinkled and sagged (I suppose gravity is doing it’s thing). Can you repair this cosmetic flaw somehow or replace the panels for me? They're unusable as is, I'd be happy to email you pictures.

Furutech:

I am sorry to hear of the problem you are experiencing with the room tuning panels. If possible, please email us and image of the sagging silk cover, so we can have a better understanding of the problem.

Me: Thanks for the quick reply, attached please find a picture..

Furutech:

I am afraid not much can be done about these wrinkles. It is a special silk, so applying water would only make it worse. However the effectiveness of the panel with not be diminished by the wrinkles in the silk.

Me: I agree with you, I wouldn’t try to use water or steam on them. The panels obviously add value in my sound, however looking the way they do now I cannot use them. Given the price of these panels, and Furutech’s reputation for first class products I thought you would repair them, or if that’s not possible, replace them. Please advise, and thank you.

Furutech:

The wall panels are a discontinued item and Furutech no longer carries stock, but it may be possible to repair the two panels. Unfortunately, as the product is no longer covered by Furutech’s one year manufacturer’s warranty, they would need to be returned to Tokyo at your expense and repair costs charged. Shipping costs for 1 set (2pcs) would be JPY59,450≒USD735 from Oregon USA to Tokyo and repair cost would be advised after the repair is complete. Please let me know if you would like to proceed

Me: That is certainly not what I expected from a premium manufacturer such as Furutech. The only practical solution at this point is to fix them myself; can you provide some instructions/guidance on how to go about repairing the panels?

No response from Furutech…

I have three of the the Furutech units. I paid about $400 each. The firm that made them for Furutech is Acoustic Revive and they market theirs for $1395 each, fit and finish is better with wood being used instead of plastic. The design is the same. Seems AR uses special silk worms for the fabric. These silkworms are fed a Tourmaline powder which, if you can believe is the tweak of the tweak, exotic and esoteric. Positive Feedback in Issue 42 did a review of the Acoustic units. The stated purpose of these units are to 'tune and diffuse' reflected sound. I use mine on the sides first reflective points and in front of the TV. The rest of my room is treated with echo busters. on all the walls. I am happy with the improvement in the sound the Furutech units have produced in my room. Lastly, the cost of tweaks. Acoustic Revive makes a receptacle base plate for $325. Yes just the plate, not the receptacle itself. What will audiophiles pay for next.

Have you tried them? In terms of the relative value it depends to some degree on how much you've spent on your equipment, it's not uncommon to spend $3k on a cartridge. I use a pair and find them invaluable, not to mention very attractive.

Always remember...if it ain't overpriced,it ain't audiophile approved!!!!!! Please excuse my butchery of the English language.