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Has Nordost forgotton who pays the bills?

Recently I was entertaining the thought of purchasing a pair of used Nordost Heimdall 2 rca Interconnects from a private owner online. Prior to purchasing the cables I did a bit of research on Audiogon to see if anyone had any issues with counterfeit cables. I found no real issues but did read that if contacted Nordost would authenticate the serial numbers on the cables to verify that they were the genuine article. Well, I did contact Nordost and much to my chagrin I was met with the following response from Nordost:

"Due to the overwhelming requests to validate serial numbers for cables being purchased on the used market we are no longer able to offer that service. Serial number verification requests can only be requested by authorized dealers/distributors for cables involved in trade in/up requests"

My curiosity got the best of me so I contacted my local dealer that I have been doing business with for years. I was told by the associate that "He did not have access to this information"  Long story short, I bought the cables and I do believe that they are genuine. But the larger issues is that it seems Nordost has gotten too big for its britches. Lets not forget that without consumer there would be no Nordost. The response from them seems so snobbish, not customer friendly or client centered.  Most audiophiles are aware that cables have the greatest mark up of any other audio product. Given that and the already overly inflated price for Nodost cables you would think the company would at least give the hint that they care for their customers. Used cables are truly a bargain and my be an introduction to the brand. I digress. My goal with this post is merely to inform folks that if you are considering used Nordost cables and are looking for then to authenticate your potential purchase, well forget about it. They ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO OFFER THAT SERVICE! 

Stay well, Stay safe, Stay home and listen to tunes.

 

darrell21256

Showing 3 responses by darrell21256

darrell21256 OP
17 posts
 
Stereo55,
It was a curiosity not a concern. I did buy used. Re read the post 
C A R E F U L L Y this time,
darrell21256 OP
17 posts
 
builder3,
I agree that when buying used that you are not a Nordost customer per se, your point is well taken. My issue is that by cutting back on a service they at one time offered, they miss the potential for the "used buyer" to become a "New " buyer purchasing new items from their local dealer. I have learned about several products on the used market that I was not aware  existed. Also don't misunderstand me, I own a lot of Nordost, some purchased used but most purchased new.  In total contrast, Ayre is A+++ when it comes to customer service, they continue to service and give advice on products that are well out of warranty or even used or they don't produce anymore.  They clearly understand the potential for an Ayre customer today and in the future. Thanks for the responses this has been interesting.
darrell21256 OP
17 posts
 
Mark1961,
Thank you for the sentiment, I actually never considered that point. You get what I am saying. Another thing for us to to consider is that we are all responding to a post on a website that sells primarily "USED" equipment. This should be food for thought for anyone that shops the pages of Audiogon. Let me be crystal clear, its's not about expectations or that the company owes me something, because they don't. I know that. It's also not about "snarky" remarks as builder3 suggests. Lets be honest, as much as we may  love Nordost cables, they are and can be expensive as heck! Does the term "Odin Supreme" mean anything. 50k for audio cables? Well that's another post all together. But seriously, thank you all for responding to my post it has been a blast. Just remember this post the next time you contact a private seller on Agon, perhaps you will hear a  little voice inside your head telling you to ask more of the seller to verify the authenticity of what they are selling. 
Until next time. 
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