Hello. I have a Wadia 861se which was a little quirky when it came to track selection[way back when],but it did not do what yours does... [I watched your u-tube video].
When I had GNSC upgrade my 861se, Steve cleaned the transport rails and that fixed the slight problem with the track selection issues,however small they were. Steve mentioned that just a little gumming up on the rails could effect performance. Maybe it could just use a good rail cleaning...
Hope this helps some. |
Here is an update.
I sent the unit in because it had an issue playing hi-res files (A USB module was fitted which used to work great- failed after 2 years ) the CD transport worked flawlessly.
I sent it in to Audio Research Corporation, and they fixed the hi-res board.
Service said that the laser would have to be replaced on the CD player.
I told them that it was fine when I sent it. Nonetheless they replaced the laser and charged me for it- $125.
When I got the unit back it wad dead on arrival- unable to find any track on ANY CD. So I sent back to Audio Research and was without it for several weeks.
When they got the unit they told me the laser they replaced was fine, but there was a loose wire and that was the problem. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHNG WRONG with the ORIGINAL LASER. They replaced the original laser for no reason but didn't solve the true issue which was an intermittent loose wire.
They then fixed the loose wire, and sent the unit back to me. I asked about being refunded for the laser since it was replaced unnecessarily- they completely ignored that request.
When I got unit back it did play (and took a long time to find the TOC) but it didn't play every CD, it had a hard time finding tracks on certain CDs, some of my CDs will not play at all. Since then I went to the 2014 consumer electronic show - CES Vegas , I am a system room tuner for the audio showsI was given a CD with some well recorded music on itthat same CD was played on countless other CD players at the show without issues. It doesn't have a single scratches or defects.
When I got home I played that CD on my Wadia 860x and it played fine, but it still had trouble playing some of my other CDs. So I ended up sending the CD player back to Audio Research for the third time.
Audio research said there was nothing wrong with the Wadia 860x CD player and charged me $240, and returned the CD player to me.
NOW ...get this... NOW it won't direct access tracks 9,10,11,12,13,14 from that CD from CES 2014! The CD that used to play flawlessly .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M5aqaPYJBQ
So at this point, I think Audio Research has service issues. Which is a total shame, because the main reason people pay top dollar is for the long term serviceability of their products... it was a part of pride by the original owners.
I am pretty dismayed at this point that I paid $125 for a laser that doesn't work and another $240 when they said it has no fault. No one wants to feel cheated...but that is the feeling I have at this moment. I don't see how I could not feel this way. |
So now that Fine Sounds acquired Mcintosh, Sonus Farber, Wadia, and Audio Research...looks like I am sending off my favorite Wadia 860x with GNS Statement level upgrade in for a tune up. Wadia's address is not McIntosh's old address 2 Chambers St. in Binghamton, But calvin at ARC said to send the stuff there.
He quoted a 3 week backlog...not bad for summer actually. for both my Amp- getting a new transformer and the 860x getting a remote cleaned and an update.
BTW- not bad that a nearly 20 year old piece can get updates. The Update path for any 860 were.... upgrade to 860x 24/96 capability, upgrade (really a downgrade IMHO to 861) and then 861x. and later a USB port change from the glass optical. and finally a GNS statement level upgrade, by Steve Huntley which....even after what is a Millenium of time in the world of bits (20 years) has kept my unit current in sound with many state of the art digital players. Losing perhaps to Stahl Tek and MSB. Not a bad way to spend money at all...20 years of bliss. |
Good thing we have many choices available. Vote with your dollars! |
dr_john,
i can't speak to the way things were in 1996, but shoddy customer service was not my experience a couple of years ago. so for me, the recent experience (although i have had admittedly limited experience with wadia) was a new one. |
bizangol,
i think i did a bit of projecting of my own thinking here (which assumed that you would think that same way that i would). my thinking is, if i had a unit that didn't work, i don't think that i would like it very much. if i contacted the manufacturer and they didn't/couldn't do anything about it, then i probably would have liked the unit even less; and likely would have ditched the unit, as you did. |
Paperw8,
Did I say I didn't like it? I DID like the sound, the look, features, built-in headphone amp, even the brand name. Two things I didn't like: it clearly did not function as designed and the Wadia guy said so, and no response after two weeks to an acknowledged operational flaw. The DAC's relays clicked loudly and continuously whenever the transport was paused, clicked at the beginning of each song, and frequently cut off the first few notes. This wasn't a matter of liking but a matter of working. It just didn't work. The Rega I have now works perfectly in the same setup. |
They still haven't gotten that act together - I bought my 27/0 combo in 1996 and from reading these posts, nothing has changed in 15-16 years. Shoddy customer service is in their DNA. |
08-24-12: Bizango1
They should have handled their move better and had a plan to take care of their customers. I bought a 121 that didn't work properly in my system a couple weeks ago. Called and didn't get a response to a VM in 24 hrs. Since I read about their communication issues I called back and got a very nice and concerned cust serv rep on the phone who said he would run it by engineering and get back to me. It has been two weeks and I haven't heard back. That's too long in my book. No worries though, my online dealer has already swapped it out for the Rega that works perfectly. So I'm not really unhappy in the end. I've had no issues with their phone system or emails-they just didn't call back (yet). Maybe the note flew out the window on the highway to their new facility.
it seems to me that the fundamental issue is that you just didn't like the unit. if you don't like the produce *and* you perceive poor service - that's doubly bad. in my case, i actually like the cd player, and my previous customer service encounters had actually been pretty good. my sense is that the current problem is temporary; the biggest problem that i had was that i just didn't know what was going on which led me to wonder if the company was going under. |
I'm confident that all these issues will be resolved eventually but in the mean time better have patience. |
They should have handled their move better and had a plan to take care of their customers. I bought a 121 that didn't work properly in my system a couple weeks ago. Called and didn't get a response to a VM in 24 hrs. Since I read about their communication issues I called back and got a very nice and concerned cust serv rep on the phone who said he would run it by engineering and get back to me. It has been two weeks and I haven't heard back. That's too long in my book. No worries though, my online dealer has already swapped it out for the Rega that works perfectly. So I'm not really unhappy in the end. I've had no issues with their phone system or emails-they just didn't call back (yet). Maybe the note flew out the window on the highway to their new facility. |
as a update, when wadia was made aware of the problems with the service department (and apparently i have not been the only person who had been trying to contact them) they actually did something to address my comments. for example, if you call the service department now you get a message explaining that they are moving the service department and will be shut down until after labor day. yeah, that's a bummer if your unit is out of commission now, but at least now you know what is going on. besides, companies don't relocate every month, so you can think of the current situation as being of an extraordinary nature, so you can't judge wadia based on current conditions.
from my interactions with wadia (after i got past the automated messaging system) i get the sense that they will attempt to accommodate people to the extent that they are able. but i think that the takeaway here for wadia is that it is critically important to keep customers informed and to not leave customers on a lurch when extraordinary conditions exist. |
Rja,
Having faced something similar many years back, I can see why you are quick to throw Wadia under the bus; however, this isolated incident was neither intentional nor an oversight. This issue had more to do with the phone system than negligence.
I've been working with Wadia for 12 of the past 22+ years and I, professionally speaking, have never experienced a breakdown in communication or service.
I was a witness to this event as are others who read this thread. As a witness, to something clearly unintentional or accidental, there are usually two ways to handle it. Some people just want to lay on the horn and make matters worse for the poor guy that just broke down in front of them. Others offer to push the car to the shoulder and then allow use of their cell phone.
Respectfully,
Burt
|
There's no doubt in my mind that Wadia should have implemented a transition plan and posted it for customer's benefit.
To me, Wadia has been negligent and inconsiderate to their customers on this one and as I mentioned, they have done this before.
Something Wadia should consider, this behavior may have cost them potential customers. |
...and yet nothing was inherently or intrinsically wrong with the product's design or the company behind it.
I think that anyone reading this thread should understand that:
1. Those most familiar with Wadia emphatically support both the product and the company; and
2. Wadia absolutely cares about it's customers and acknowledged the problem which existed temporarily due to the move (post acquisition restructuring). They have since implemented several changes to prevent similar breakdowns from occurring.
Paperw8 and I did actually speak and I APOLOGIZED TO HIM for assuming that he hadn't e-mailed Wadia's service dept. and for assuming that there wasn't a temporary breakdown in the service process when, in fact, there was. But that problem has since been rectified.
|
My response this sting of events is why "HI End Audio" will not succeed in the long term. One thing is now for certain, I will never consider a WADIA product! |
Reading this thread was like watching Groundhog Day.
A member who needed service for his Wadia component but steadfastly refused to deviate from his established course despite repeated offers from a dealer. This person would rather die than do it some other way. You know that phrase about cutting off your nose to spite your face? That phrase was made to describe this guy.
Another member insisting over and over again that Wadia is incompetent. Ok, got it. We hear you. You know, once I went to the store and they were supposed to be closed at 6, but the guy closed early at 5:55.
A dealer who just can't help but be helpful. Gets a thank you at the end, but boy, he sure had to work for it. Oh, and it sounds like the guy still refused to call him. You know, he was totally right, some people would rather complain than actually move forward. |
This same thing happened when they moved from Wisconsin to Michigan. Things eventually settled down and seemed to work alright but as I recall there were quite a few complaints at the time. I'm sure this will get sorted out now that they've moved to Minneapolis.
That being said, it's still a major hassle if you get caught in the cusp. |
to make a long story short, i finally got through to someone at wadia. he was familiar with this thread (and had apparently been in contact with seattlehifi). he conferenced-in someone in service and we were able to make headway. the guy from service will contact me with information so that i can return the unit for service. hopefully i will be able to send it off later today.
apparently the problem is that wadia is in the middle of moving its facilities. the move is apparently scheduled for completion some time next month.
i would like to thank seattlehifi because your intercession got things moving. |
Facten,
Well said - customers shouldn't be left to guess or figure out who to call next. If the process has changed in any manner they should update thier information as quickly as possible. To my knowledge, the warranty repair process did not change from one entity to the next but I could be mistaken. |
Seattlehifi - we can agree to disagree about the points you made about the warranty, however, if their process has changed then they should have advised customers via their website and warranty card documentation - what's so difficult about giving customers the proper information and process to follow? That's my point about this - I don't really care which process they want followed - direct or via a dealer - they should be concientious enough and customer focused enough to advise people properly so that they can address their issues accordingly. |
Paperw8:
At 8:52am, this morning, Monday, I received a phone call from the General Manager at Wadia. He's provided me with his direct line that also rings through to his cell should he be outside the office when you call. HIS request of me, because he has no way to contact you privately, was that I send you a message via this thread and ask you to PLEASE call me or e-mail me and I will provide you with his name and number.
My email is info at seattlehifi dot com and my number is 253-737-7407
He would very much like to speak with you and is expecting your phone call today.
Respectfully,
Burt
Seattle Hi-Fi |
Probably time for a dealer time out.
IMO |
I have had but one position that I have repeatedly suggested - if your attempts to contact Wadia, for whatever reason, fail to meet your needs, then yes, you should CONSIDER calling a current Wadia dealer for assistance in getting you in contact with Wadia. However, when presented with a willing person to help you, without ever asking why/where/when regarding the unit, you were suddenly no longer interested in picking up the phone or e-mailing.
If you had an understanding as to the acquisition and affiliated companies then perhaps you might have contacted ARC or Sumiko instead of a dealer.
Yes, I agree that you should not have to do any of this but given the information, as you explained it to me, you kept calling Wadia over an over so why not try another number instead? Why not call me 2 days ago, before all of this back and forth?
You asked for assistance and I was the first on the scene with the tools you needed to solve the problem quickly and easily. And, I have informed Wadia of your experience as well. So, even without calling or e-mailing me, I was still able to assist you - WHICH is all I have been trying to do now for the past several days. |
I apologize that I keep referencing Sumiko instead of the parent company - Fine Sounds Group. Yes, I am aware of the timeline and players but what you don't know is that after the addition of Sumiko, and restructure, Wadia dealer's needs were fulfilledby the Sumiko division. |
Geez...you can lead a horse to water but...
Anyone reading this can see where I was coming from even though you keep taking my comments out of context. For example, did I say that Wadia's repair personnel attended this week's Hifi show? You ask why I would suggest involving a dealer and I explained why - in terms anyone would understand - we are here to help in anyway that we can and we could have provided you with the information to get your needs met.
I'm sorry that you really don't wish to be helped.
I will report back on how long it took wadia service to respond to my email. Stay tuned... |
yes i did send an email message to wadia last week. since you said that there was a big audio show last week maybe i shouldn't have expected a 24-hour reply (although i didn't think that the service department typically went to trade shows).
just to get you straight on the sequence of events, sumiko did not acquire wadia; fine audio SpA acquired wadia about 1-1/2 years and fine audio SpA acquired sumiko about 6 months later.
one final comments, while i appreciate you offer of assistance, one thing that i do not appreciate is your tendency to misrepresent my statements. i explained the protocol that i followed to get service and why i followed it. i also explained wadia has fairly high dealer turnover and the dealer from whom i bought my unit no longer represents wadia. adding to the annoyance is your mitt romney-esque tendency to take different positions on a given topic: on the one hand you assert that manufacturers would of course expect customers to contact dealers because that is why they set up dealer networks, and on the other hand say "well gee, if you need repair then of course the customer should go to the manufacturer since dealers aren't equipped to deal with repairs" (i note that this thread is about getting repair service on my wadia 381).
if you want to assist, i appreciate it but i think that you would do well to leave it at that and stop editorializing on my possible motives or actions. because in the latter case, you are not helpful. |
Roxy54,
Thank you - I appreciate it - I'm just trying to be of assistance. Nowadays, people are quick to criticize or lay blame but I always try to think about logical means to reach a positive result prior to posting on a public forum "that something strange is going on (like, maybe wadia is about to go under)."
Knee-jerk reactions seldom accomplish much. Plus, with the Internet - any posting is usally there forever and such remarks could damage a company...even one such as Wadia which has an excellent track record spanning many decades.
The postings to this thread are slow to publish but I don't think Paperw8 even e-mailed Wadia's service department directly (the email is provided on Wadia's service page of the Wadia website) which to me seems more logical. Especially when the phone route failed to meet his expectations.
So, I'm here to throw things out there for all to consider such as e-mailing wadia's service department, or contacting a dealer for an internal number, or not phoning on a Friday, or considering the new larger entity which may require an extra step or some extra time for a response. I don't think that my suggestions are insulting or outlandish in any way.
I'm not vigorously defending Wadia but the experiences of one person, whom has explored few options, does NOT indicate to me that Wadia has a widespread problem.
Sure, in a perfect world the service person could have answered the phone or, in my case, when I call Accuphase in Japan I would be greeted in English but sometimes things require an additional step. |
Seattlehifi,
I want to make clear to you as well that I thought you were very considerate in trying to assist Paperw8.
I had no criticism for you at all. My point was simply that any business, especially one of Wadia's stature (and price points) should not make basic mistakes like the ones that caused his negative experience. What goes on in the back room (mergers etc.) is not the customers problem.
You tried to do a good thing, but they were negligent. |
Paperw8, I have taken your suggestion to heart which is why I have e-mailed and faxed Wadia Customer Service, as a consumer would, based on the information provided at wadia dot com / service /
I will report back on the response time. It's now 10:20 PST on a Sunday (which is why I didn't call). My expectation, based on my experience with Wadia, is that I will hear back by end of day on Monday. Stay tuned...
Paperw8, as you obviously have access to a computer, did you ever attempt to e-mail wadia service directly?
service at wadia dot com
I didn't read anywhere that you had. When phoning didn't work did you explore this avenue as provided by Wadia?
Regardless, I will report back my own experience, as a dealer playing the part of a consumer, on actual response time from Wadia's service department. |
Facten,
I never said that there was anything wrong with the warranty cards or website info but that both were likely written by the previous entity. I never said that they should throw them out or that new ones needed to be issued.
Had I been in Paperw8's shoes, I would have called the wadia service # and if that did not achieve results my second call would have been to sumiko (assuming that you knew of the acquisition) or to an authorized wadia dealer to request a # that would get me through to someone. Why a dealer? Because they represent the product, have all of the contact info, and have signed agreements in place to assist current and future owners with the product.
Instead, he turned to the forum and the first response on the matter, from me (an authorized dealer), would have solved his problem. We (referring to authorized reputable dealers) exist to help...which I why I responded in the first place.
Sadly, we've been exchanging comments for several days and had Paperw8 contacted me, at the onset, he would certainly already have his RMA# and the unit could have been en route to Wadia. That would have been the end of it.
I had already fired off an e-mail to the head honcho at Wadia to investigate and identify if in fact a problem exists with the consumer warranty service process and, if so, to please correct.
One mans experience does not translate to a breadown of the system. So, rather than ASSUMING that Wadia has a problem, I asked them to look into it and in the meantime requested that Paperw8 call me so that I could assist him.
Within a few days I suspect Wadia will add their own comments to this thread - perhaps an apology to Paperw8 and a thank you to Seattle Hi-Fi. And, they will update us all on the consumer warranty service process. |
08-04-12: Seattlehifi
I will forward the link to this thread to the powers that be at Wadia as I would still like to see a resolution and because I believe Wadia, being the company that they are, would also wish to see Paperw8's issues handled professionally and expediently.
this would probably be a better way to go because there is a problem at wadia, and if making the higher-ups aware of the problem leads to improvement then everyone who needs service on a wadia product benefits. my thinking was that it would be better for you to post the information that you offered to share with me privately because anyone who attempted to contact wadia for service would almost certainly have a similar experience to my own. but i would appreciate if you would follow up and inform your contacts at wadia about this thread because what i am reporting is something that definitely needs to be addressed.
i have been attempting to contact wadia for weeks, so the audio show to which you referred is not the reason why i have been unable to contact anyone at wadia.
for your own information, i would suggest that you go to the wadia website and attempt to follow the service information posted there and you might better understand what my experience has been.
as to the warranty obligations, unless wadia declared bankruptcy before being acquired, the warranty obligations of wadia are now the warranty obligations of fine audio SpA so it doesn't matter that the warranty was written by the truewave llc (dba as wadia digital) entity. it may very well be the case that fine audio prefers the service model that you propose (where customers contact local dealers) but we as customers have to rely upon the information that is publicly distributed by the manufacturer.
|
Seattlehifi - I commend your willingness to help! What I am amazed at though is your continued defense of the un-defenseable. Wadia products have continued to be marketed via the same website; if your suggestion above is correct and it hasn't been updated over the last two years that speaks volumes about the lack of customer foresight and therefore service that the new owners have. Additionally, they continue to ship product with the same warranty information, my 171I is only a few months old. If the information continues to be incorrect one could ask why the dealer network hasn't pressed them to update it and shipping materials versus having frustrated and misinformed customers that they then have to deal with? Excepting for the direct slight you feel above, I think you're chidding the wrong people. |
However, I do represent the Mark Levinson line which fairly recently released the 500 "H" series products which were designed to be field serviceable (yes, that means repairs) by authorized dealers. ;) |
Read Burt's first response to your post again. He did not ask you one question about your experience. He offered an explanation and his contact information to set you back on the rails. Again, he did not ask about anything. Now you are suspicious of his offer?
Burt, I would walk away from this one and let him continue to handle it on his own. |
Okay, this reallly is the last thing I will say on this topic - Paperw8, I am quite familiar with the Wadia warranty service policy and no where does it state that I can't put you in touch with someone at Wadia so that your needs can be served or that by doing so it would void your warranty. |
Roxy54 & Paperw8-
Until you have read a manufacturer to dealer agreement you cannot claim that my position is unsupportable. It is quite supportable in fact.
Furthermore, most high end manufacturers prefer that the dealers serve as a buffer between themselves and the consumer. Most will even turn the consumer back over to their local dealer. Sure, this is not the case with repairs as most dealers can't take the time to test & repair on site nor do they stock the parts to each piece of gear that they represent and sell.
Really, who better than Wadia to work on Wadia? I never said I planned on repairing his unit or taking delivery of it - all I offered was to put him in touch with the powers that be. This is a service that any authorized dealer would do - it takes 2 minutes at most and everyone moves forward. My sole agenda was to assist as I had the information that he required. Finally, these are not public contacts and therefore I would not post them in the thread.
Paperw8 brought up krell and bryston as examples. So, if you needed, say, a replacement remote control or the optional bryston remote and you call Krell or Bryston directly - where will they direct you? Why?
I don't think that you have a strong foundation to argue against the fact that dealers exist to serve consumers and that manufacturers, who choose to operate with a dealer base, are set-up to serve their dealers and distributors.
It's mildly disturbing that I offered to put Paperw8 in touch with one of the higher-ups at Wadia so that he can get his unit repaired and voice his concerns about the breakdown in the consumer repair process but instead he has made me out to be some sort of villian and now Roxy54 thinks that dealers are not the front line between the product (consumer end) and the manufacturer. Um....okay guys....sure. You are both absolutely correct and I happily wave the white flag.
I do not wish either of you ill-will but I really have nothing more that I could say that I haven't already said.
I will forward the link to this thread to the powers that be at Wadia as I would still like to see a resolution and because I believe Wadia, being the company that they are, would also wish to see Paperw8's issues handled professionally and expediently. |
seattlehifi:
i noticed that you do not carry the krell product line. if you did, you would realize that when a customer wants service on a krell product, they contact krell. it's the same with bryston.
i appreciate that you want to provide good service to your customers and you extended an offer to help me, a non-customer, but you might want to make yourself a bit more familiar with the wadia service policies and what is actually stated on the wadia warranty. a warranty is legally binding, so a customer has to rely on what is stated on the warranty and not on the statements of dealers or other parties not named in the warranty, no matter how well intentioned those statements might be.
in your case, your hypersensitivity and somewhat over-the-top defensiveness of wadia make your offer suspicious. from my perspective, you could post the information that you have to offer and be of service to not just me but to anyone else who might need service from wadia. |
Seattlehifi,
What you state about the dealer being the front line is factually wrong, and unsupportable, especially if the unit was a private sale.
Facten gives a great response, and I totally agree with him.
Get it together Wadia! |
It seems we're going round and round and I don't think you understand what I am saying - though I have tried to explain myself numerous times.
The entity that exists today is NOT the entity that wrote the warranty cards nor is it the same entity that you were able to reach via phone 2 years ago. The website content is also likely from the older entity. On this we can all agree?
The new entity is part of a much larger entity and perhaps some of the small independent charm has been lost in that, for the time being, you cannot simply make a call and be connected to a human that will handle your service request.
I understand this and you understand this. So, are we again in agreement?
Now add to it that it is the peak of summer, you called on a Friday, and there is a national hifi show on in CA and you perhaps gain a bit more understanding regardng your expectations of this recently formed larger entity.
Knowing this, and not being able to change it anytime soon, and because you require service, I offered to put you in touch with a human at Wadia - As dealers we are armed with numerous contact information that a consumer is not likely to find or obtain. I maintain that consumers should go through authorized dealers if the manufacturer has chosen a dealer base to distribute it's products.
I would postulate that any dealer in Wadia's extensive dealer base would assist you with this but I happened to see your post and was quick to offer my assistance without any knowledge of the who/from where/when as I don't really need to know any of that.
I have no agenda other than to get you in touch with a person that can help you. Period. I don't own stock in Wadia nor do I need to defend the situation - it is what it is and I can be a part of the solution if you so desire. The ball has been in your court from my initial posting.
Feel free to contact me if you would like my assistance. If not, I wish you the best of luck. |
excuse me "jwmazur":
seattlehifi posted questions about why i didn't contact a dealer with my service issue. the point of my subsequent post was to answer the questions posed by seattlehifi. if you think that my comments constitute "bemoaning" then you don't have to read them.
aside from the fact that the wadia website says to contact wadia for service, as i explained, it did not occur to me to contact a dealer from who i did not buy the player for assistance in getting service. what you may not know is that there is a fair amount of turnover among wadia dealers in illinois, and it makes even less sense for me to contact a dealer for service on a product after he is no longer dealing in the product line.
i wrote the next post to explain that i did not fault seattlehifi for defending the reputation of wadia. since the guy is a dealer it made sense to me that he would do so and i thought that it was a nice gesture for him to make the offer. but if i am going to contact dealers from whom i did not a product, it makes more sense for me to call a current local dealer since they would presumably have the same information that i could get from seattlehifi. |
I have a Wadia 171i transport and the warranty section also speaks to warranty issues being handled between Wadia and the customer. So what any customer should expect from them is that they handle things on their end as they proscribe. |
excuse me "jwmazur":
seattlehifi posted questions about why i didn't contact a dealer with my service issue. the point of my subsequent post was to answer the questions posed by seattlehifi. if you think that my comments constitute "bemoaning" then you don't have to read them.
aside from the fact that the wadia website says to contact wadia for service, as i explained, it did not occur to me to contact a dealer from who i did not buy the player for assistance in getting service. what you may not know is that there is a fair amount of turnover among wadia dealers in illinois, and it makes even less sense for me to contact a dealer for service on a product after he is no longer dealing in the product line.
i wrote the next post to explain that i did not fault seattlehifi for defending the reputation of wadia. since the guy is a dealer it made sense to me that he would do so and i thought that it was a nice gesture for him to make the offer. but if i am going to contact dealers from whom i did not a product, it makes more sense for me to call a current local dealer since they would presumably have the same information that i could get from seattlehifi. |
No where on Wadia's website does it suggest that the customer is to contact the Wadia dealer network for repair support; rather it directs the customer to them. Additionally, when Paperw8 called them, if they in fact wanted him to contact his dealer then either the individual answering or the automated messaging should have advised him of such. Customers shouldn't have to try to figure out what the company wants you to do, it's the company's job to give you the information directly.
Below is verbatim from Wadia's website including its service mission statement
"Welcome to the Wadia Service Center. Use the navigational menu (upper left) to find answers to your questions and/or the forms you may need for service and support.
Answering your questions and understanding your needs is at the heart of our service mission.
Email service@wadia.com
Call 763-577-0593
Downloadable (PDF) Service Request Form
Wadia Service Policies
Wadia only performs factory authorized service and currently-available updates. Custom modifications will
not be performed.
Wadia will refuse to repair any product with modifications not approved by our company or deemed by our
technical staff to affect its safety or reliability. Please check with our service department before sending in
a modified unit for repair.
The customer sending in the unit pays round-trip shipping on all non-warranty service and updates, and is
solely responsible for payment of any charges. Second-party payment is not permitted. Information about a
service unit is only available to the customer sending it in, not to second parties.
Wadia does not convert products for use with a different A.C. line voltage.
For units more than 12 years old, or those which have been unused for a year or more, please contact Customer
Service for preliminary advice on possible additional charges that may apply to these special cases.
Certain repair parts are no longer available for these older models. To avoid the expense of needlessly shipping
a non-repairable unit, please be certain to call or email Customer Service beforehand." |
I thought it curious that after Seattle Hi-Fi's offer to help, Paperw8 went on bemoaning his experience. It could have all ended right there on a positive note. |
If you want results you have to use the systems that are already in place. Dealers are not the middlemen - they are the front lines. And repairs are not marked up in any way by a dealer so there should be absolutely no hesitation to contact a wadia dealer in your time zone and put them to work for you. Wadia dealers exist to serve the needs of existing and prospective wadia customers.
Even the largest and most profitable manufacturers, say for example the B&W group, don't allow direct contact between consumers and the corporate office. If a consumer chooses to handle their own service they can download a form from the company website (which requires a bit of navigating), complete the info, and email or fax back. At a later time, the consumer will receive an email or fax response with instructions.
No live support outside of the dealer network. This type of structure is quite commonplace and efficient for all parties involved. Many times dealers can troubleshoot or offer solutions / quick fixes which would save the customer time and tmoney. |
Sorry, I do not understand the logic in thinking that wadia is at fault because they have an established dealer base but then should also be set-up to handle consumer direct issues when they do not sell consumer direct. I think some people would just prefer to complain than solve the problem. When I contact Wadia I can contact my account manager, regional manager, or corporate officers.
However, even with the offer to supply those contact numbers paperw8 has yet to contact me.
No one is at fault here and I am simply offering assistance. I haven't seen anyone else jump in to help as of yet - am I wrong? |
Companies merge all the time and those that do it well ensure maintaining high levels of customer service are first and foremost; this should be especially true in an industry such as audio that is not a crucial staple rather it relies upon customers willing to spend disposable income. |
i don't fault seattlehifi for providing vigorous defense of wadia; after all, as a dealer of wadia products, he has a vested interest in protecting the integrity of the wadia brand name. it is not my objective to assail the reputation of wadia. |
the guy from whom i purchased my unit no longer represents wadia. even when he did, he had no service department anyway. and as i explained, in the past, i have had no difficulty contacting wadia (for example, i had previously contacted them to get a replacement part). that's why the current difficulties seemed so suspicious. the reason why i posted on audiogon is because i wanted to get a sense of whether other people have had the same problem with wadia. after all, a lot of these high end audio makers are shoe-string operations that are susceptible to cash flow crises. so when i had problems even getting someone from the sales department to answer a call, i started to wonder about what was going on at wadia.
frankly, it never occurred to me to contact some dealer from whom i didn't buy the unit because the warranty is written from wadia to me - as the warranty is written, i am the one who is responsible for getting the product to wadia. |
