HELP Electrocompaniet stole Christmas

STATUS QUO:
I was telephoned by Mike at Father's and Sons (the EC dealer I arranged on Christmas Eve to purchase the mod through, at $650), and had a lengthy, friendly chat.
First, my two contacts with Mike have been nothing but accomodating, friendly, and professional. He fears a market overreaction to this unfortunate incident, and hopes that his dealership is not blamed. I agree with him....
Zaikesman, thank you for your so-well-worded synopsis....
Mike further explained the reasons for the distributor's (Alan) general policy, yet his unease with the particular decision made in my case.
He wishes to see a means created to satisfy my desire for an upgraded EMC-1 MkII, and proposed several tentative scenarios, all in the spirit of being helpful:
1.He related that Alan (the distributor) would agree to perform the upgrade/mod on my particular player for TWICE the normal retail price ($1600), so as to recoup his lost distribution-profit....
We agreed that this option is highly undesirable, due to cost and the unpleasantness involved in having to deliver the unit back and forth again to Philadelphia...only to pay $1600 for what was agreed to be a $650 mod!!
2. Mike offered to sell me an add-on EC separate DAC (which includes the sought-after modded analog board, at a healthy discount ($1500 instead of $2000). In addition to this being costly, since I would end up with TWO DACs (!), the large size of this outboard component would be unacceptable to my wife. I have no room for it inside our cabinet. Also, I'd have get more SPM interconnects. Not such a bad idea, but then I'd feel compelled to resell the unneeded 24/192 DAC, which I'd rather not do. It was only the great looks of the EMC-1 that persuaded my wife to accept its prominent visibility in our best room. Having two of them totemed together is out of the question. Nice thought, though, Mike.
3. Mike offered to sell me a NEW EMC-1 MKii with UPgrade and take my gray-market one in trade to use as a demo unit.He said he'd get back to me with a final cost today, so I agreed not to add to this thread until I heard from him. I haven't heard from him, and felt compelled to rejoin this thread as it's apparent that my presence was requested....
Mike said the cost to me would have to exceed the UPgrade cost ($650), but he didn't know yet by how much.
4. I mentioned the possibility of buying the UPgrade parts kit myself, or asking Mike to install it if I sent him the boards...or even returning the lightweight boards to EC for exchange or modding. He said the mod was extensive enough so that the dealers don't want to do it, and that in Europe the intact EMC-1s are returned to Norway for this mod. Obviously, a transatlantic trip of a 50 lb box is cost-prohibitive, so EC set up a scenario where the distributor would install said mods in North America. Mike was pretty certain that EC would support Alan in NOT modding my player. In a previous conversation, Alan suggested that I just sell the player to someone else and buy a new one. Neither Mike nor I believe that this is a prudent option,nor do I believe that Alan REALLY meant to say that.
I feel that I should restate my love for this EMC-1 MkII CDP, as many of you know via my frequent posts and discussions thereof. I also DO understand manufacturer/distributor/dealer relations as I managed such a hornet's nest myself back in the 70s and 80s in a lab equipment manufacturing/sales scenario. My policy was always to put the product first. I certainly agree that warranties can be invalidated by abnormally sold product, but that ALL PAID SUPPORT be denied (as Alan told me) seems punitive...especially in my case where NO EFFORT was made by Alan to procure the serial number of the CDP in question before my long process of delivering the unit to his doorstep. But I don't mean to churn this sour cud up again....
I certainly am chagrined to read that EC products are regarded as "mid-fi" in their homeland. Maybe that's just goes with the turf in all home markets....
I've noticed that US products in the UK sell for $=L, or about a 60% markup. Conversely, a $3200-equivalent Norwegian CDP would sell for $4800 in the US. At $5500 Alan may be gilding the lily, but that's not for me to say, as I don't know his operating margins.... As a buyer/repairer/seller of used Subarus I believe that I should be reimbursed for ALL my time involved therein, and do so at about $50/hr....
(So let's see: I've lost about 6 hours in personal time driving back and forth to Alan's house twice, plus about $5 in tolls and about $15 in gas. So that's my $315 loss so far.)
The 3rd option above may be the only tenable option as I don't believe that Alan will provide the mod unless somehow forced to by EC. I don't see that happening, although I haven't contacted them yet, per suggestion by Mike to hold off to see if something locally could be worked out.
So, back to option 3 above: What should this option cost?
I would be trading a 1.5 yr old EMC-1 MkII in PERFECT condition, with NO apparent warranty I guess, for a NEW one with the $650 mod in place. I think EC's warranty is three years (I don't remember), but I suppose that an extended warranty like that costs about $299-350 at most at a dealer when you buy a big TV or other high-ticket consumer electronics, right? So that's $650 + $350 = $1000 at most, plus probably $35 or so for insured UPS? It'd be nice if EC would pick up that $300 or so of my expense as a goodwill gesture (equals the valueof the warranty?) but I don't expect that of anyone. OTOH, it can be said that I enjoyed a discount by buying a nearly-new used unit that originated in Denmark. I too, tried to email the Danish dealer listed on the EC site, but to no avail (yet).
As has already been said, it should be no skin off EC's nose where the CDP originated, and the consensus is that the distributor in each country should support the product...perhaps NOT in honoring warranties, but CERTAINLY in offering paid-for repairs, parts and upgrade mods.
So, when Mike (or any other EC dealer) offers me a trade of a NEW modded EMC-1 for mine, how much should I expect to pay?
I need to know how to act with utmost fairness to all; I do NOT want to hurt the market presence of EC nor its distribution network (I have UTMOST respect for EC's products, and know the pains of a distributor), nor unduly extend this unfortunate messy situation longer than necessary.
Paying $1000 to swap my player for a new one seems fair (although I'm still feeling the sting of losing 1/2 of Christmas Day to this affair). That would bring my total investment up to the level of a new one with a modest discount, and I hope would be fair to all. Mike would get a demo player at $1000 less, and I'd get my mod and a warranty, and we can all put this mess behind us. EC and its ditributor wouldn't be financially penalized (or even involved!).
I would then return to blabbing to all of you how good my EMC-1 CDP sounds, suggesting that many prospective buyers consider it, etc., as I have done profusely in the past year. I don't doubt that my past comments have persuaded some to purchase new EMC-1s.
If I'm forced to go without this mod either by nonexecution (EC and Alan's decisions) or a prohibitive trade-in offer (above $1000) then I will have the choices of continuing to enjoy my CDP as-is or selling it and swapping brands; both of these scenarios would preclude my ability to laud EC and its products to others. However, I'd really like to see a win-win situation prevail (as much as that's possible), and would ask all kind thread-participants to weigh such an outcome when considering whether to buy an outstanding EMC-1 in the future.
If I don't hear from Mike, EC, Alan, or another EC dealer soon I guess I'll call Mike to hear his goodwill offer, and be very grateful if he can accomodate me.
Thanks to all for your generous comments. To those remembering my spinal injury, I'm about to have my third epidural injection Monday, and hope that it in combination with acupuncture (maybe), would allow me to use less pain-relieving medicine. In the meantime, please excuse my non-linear posts. It's hard to concentrate right now....
Happy New Year to all, and please continue to help me out with suggestions for a fair conclusion that would meet my needs and not injure any reputations nor markets. I just can't do it by myself. Gratefully, Ernie.

Thanks, guys.
I need to repeat that I am in no way attempting to seek recourse through F&S. I repeated to Mike that I expect NOTHING of him, as his only link was to be a nice guy on Christmas Eve and offer to sell me the rights to a mod at a (claimed) small profit. He insisted on wanting to be creative about resolving this situation, for which I am extremely grateful. I suggested that he was under NO obligation to offer to buy my unit in exchange for cash and a new one, but he repeated twice that mine would be of perfect service as a permanent demo for him, and obviously cost him less (I'm suggesting $1000) than a new one. If he can do it for $1000 then I'll probably agree. If he can't then the next unknown chapter evolves. I told him that he needn't be a hero here, and he knows it. We NEVER talked about a money amount. He simply said he'ds get back to me by today, and perhaps has been too busy to. I'm really quite prepared to be patient about this, but as some have pointed out, eventually I'll probably not want to even own an EMC-1 if it becomes more painful to do so. For now I'm hanging in and appreciating your comments and suggestions.
I appreciate that EC offers an upgrade mod rather than a "new-and-improved" replacement model. The actual cost/value of the mod is unknown to me, but I eventually decided that it was worth $500-600 to me if I could trust dealers' comments on the sonic improvement. As I said above I'm willing to pay more if the only way to resolve this is to swap out entire units. But if it's going to cost me more than $1000 to "buy" an agreed-$650 upgrade I would feel too punished to proceed. It's not like I haven'y gone overboard in good faith already.
Ljgj: how can Heinz help? Does he know how to duplicate EC's cap 'n resistor mod prudently? Is there another path here? Sigh....

Good morning.
I haven't much time to comment now as 8-12" of the powdery white stuff is about to fall on my 8 Subarus and I have to get to work....
Zaikesman: again, thank you for your incredibly-insightful, cogent synopses............
LjGj: guess I should contact Heinz. Per the comment that the mod started in the US (!), perhaps HE'S the source??! That'd sure make life easier...except the RT shipping to Florida....On your second point: F&S could NOT have been expected to apply due diligence re checking serial numbers as this whole transaction was a swiftly-arranged one on Christmas Eve. If they had landed the EMC-1 back at there shop in Idaho they would probably have checked the serial number before risking sending it cross-country to PA for a mod that would have been blocked by Alan! I cannot blame Mike for ANY of this unfortunate incident. And, again, I do not expect him to be a hero here. HE is the one who suggested that he needs a demo unit, and that this may be an opportunity to buy a used one at a discount ($1000?) and save the day for me at the same time. I appreciate his creative thinking and generosity. I am NOT applying any pressure here. It's just that this is the only solution presented so far that seems reasonably quick and serves multiple benefits. He has NOT called me back yet. Perhaps that's because relations with EC and/or its distributor have intervened...or mabe he's just in bed with the flu. I have no idea what's transpiring............ I have NOT contacted EC, as Mike asked me to hold off until a local solution could be had. So I'm in limbo right now. Perhaps the easiest thing would be to ask EC to read this thread? It'd be the quickest and most thorough method as I'm a two-fingered typist, and you've all said this better than I could......
SoS: I can't comment on each of yours now, but I repeat that NONE of the events I portrayed are ANY different from the truth! I don't know how Alan's version could be ANY different. I want to be clear about this. It is NOT a case of varying portrayals of actual events. To recap: I asked by email in Oct for a mod around Christmas direct in PA so as to avoid shipping risk, and because I knew of no dealer in New England. Alan agreed to perform the mod, and asked me to contact him after his return from a business trip. I confirmed our intent in December, noting that I would pay cash. He agreed to a drop-off Christmas week, and that he would need 1-2 days to perform the mod. I arrived in NJ and called him Christmas Eve to set a drop-off meeting time, and that I was bringing $500-550 cash. He said all was OK except that he would NOT undercut the list price of $800, and would only perform the mod for the full price unless it was purchased through an EC dealer. I was a bit stunned (but fully understood his wanting to not undercut his dealers), and we agreed that since the only dealer I had EVER talked with about this in the distant past was Fathers & Sons, that I would try to contact Mike and immediately purchase the mod through him on Christmas Eve. I found Mike and he sold me the mod at $650, and contacted Alan to verify, wherein I would pay Alan directly, and F&S would be credited their small profit. I called Alan to verify. All was set. Alan said it was OK to drop it even on Christmas Day, so the following morning I drove 2 hours through a storm from central NJ to Phila. Alan and I opened the unit's box in the back of my Outback, wherein he stated for the first time that he would not work on it if it had no serial number, as there had been some recent gray-market units from New York with scratched-out numbers. I stated that mine indeed HAS a serial number from earlier in 2001, but that I was not the original owner. He then took the EMC-1 from my car and brought it into his house, and said he'd call me back in NJ in two days. I drove back in this hellish storm to my sister's farm, then called him in 48 hours to arrange a pick-up either that Friday or Saturday. He THEN announced that the serial number of the unit indicated a Danish sale, and that he had emailed me at my sister's that fact LATER Christmas Day (after I'd returned to NJ). He repeated that he would not touch the unit, nor supply spare parts nor mods, and that I would have to share in the victimization of the gray-market! I was stunned, and drove back on Saturday to pick it up, tail between legs. I softly told Alan that I thought that he's made a bad business decision in this case because he never asked me for a serial number in the past, and he apologized for that. I asked if I should try to contact the Danish dealer or EC to get the boards swapped for newer (modded) ones, but he said that EC would probably not do that either, and that I should just sell my EMC-1 and buy a new one. Other visitors arrived at his house coincidentally, so I parted quietly rather than extend an awkward moment.
There you have it, again! I don't believe I've omitted any fact of consequence that SoS may be alluding to that Alan related to him.
Thank you all for your support, analysis, and thoughts toward finding a win-win here. Gotta go find the snow shovel and take more Tramadol....
Ernie

Zaikes, you must be a professional mediator! Thanks again.
While you were typing I finally thought it prudent (at 6pm in Boston) to finally ask EC for help. As I have always been a champion of Per Abrahamson's design mindset and execution, and he still appears to be the managing director, I tried to email directly to him through the service dept link at EC's site (it's also the only one I could find, so I hope it gets to him reasonably soon).
So that there is NO confusion here or elsewhere, herein is an exact copy of my missive:
Dear Per,
Greetings! I am the proud owner of an EMC-1 MkII (mid 2001 production) but have had an unfortunate experience attempting to seek the latest modification. PLEASE READ the Audiogon.com thread entitled "HELP Electrocompaniet Stole Christmas" for all the details.
I bought a nearly-new unit here in the US, that now seems to have originated from a dealer in Denmark. I am NOT a good typist, so it's better if you just read the thread for all the details....
I have VERY OFTEN praised this CDP in the past 1.5 years, resulting in further sales of this excellent player. I still DO wish to keep my beloved EMC-1, but would like to buy the added parts mod at a fair price, and best if I don't have to risk the expense and damage from shipping a long distance....
Please help me in any way that you can, and perhaps become aware of the difficulties now apparent in the US distribution and support of this product. My intention was only to get advice on how to proceed, but it seems that a larger discussion ensues....
Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I hope to remain an EC champion!
Cheers.
Ernie Meunier
(my home address and telephone)

So that's it. Hope it helps. I also sent a short message to Heinz Preiss in hopes that he can possibly mod the boards if I dare remove the cover, extricate them, and send them down to Florida. I really don't want to send a 50lb package by mail to Florida, nevermind PA (that's what started this in the first place)....

I buy/service/sell used Subarus. I LOVE meeting people's needs. A great majority of the time I'm successful, for which I'm grateful. I attribute it to an excellent product, thorough repair execution, a lowish price, and being an excellent listener. I'm told I'm warm and fuzzy...yet I understand that we all can't be. That's sometimes why some of us operate best as efficient middlemen (like being a manufacturer's distributor. Lots of auto wholesalers tell me they'll NEVER go back to retail. Different personalities gravitate toward different functions. I understand that....

I've now started making DIY PCs for cheap, and understand what working for minimum wage is again, too! Forgot all about sufficient margins required to market a product. Ha! A prior career in laboratory equipment entailed wearing all the hats simultaneously of a manufacturer/QA director/distributor and service manager, and thus understand the difficulties inherent in these relationships.
I made mistakes, and often had to iron out disturbances involving dealers, a direct sales force AND a direct mail marketing campaign. You can imagine the conflicting priorities. Phew...glad that was back in the wild 'n wooly 70s and 80s....
So now I AM the customer, who was handled generously by a dealer, but not by his distributor. So yes, maybe the manufacturer has to weigh in to put out a little fire (and perhaps prevent a bigger one). Hence my request to you all for direction and support. I can't imagine what exactly to ask for, as it's now apparent that solving my problem might entail establishing policy for all similar situations extant. I hope there's a silver lining in this for ALL, and remain greatly appreciative of all efforts to reach one.
ERN
PS It's interesting to me that I have only listened to music on my system once upon my return...to verify no travel damage. Hope I'm no longer deterred by this mess. That would be tragic....

Zaikesman: 569 views. What's puzzling to me though is that the number of views of my system (The Sanctuary) has spiked too! Can't account for that, except collateral interest.
Ohnhwy61: again, I'm a REALLY slow typist, and wish that NO pertinent facts be deleted. I'm gathering that this is an important matter for EC and that they should have the benefit of our collective feedback in toto.

Unfortunate news:
I received this morning the following response from Heiz Preiss (the referred independent EC serviceperson and hoped-for US originator of this analog-parts-swap mod:
Hi Ernest,
big disappointment for you---I have had no contacts with Electrocompaniet since 1999, the company just broke off our relationship without explanation. Repeated attempts via Email on my part remain unanswered. I have no service info on any of the new stuff and frankly do not even know what you are talking about. My Electro service is now limited to the older amps and pre amps. Cd players came out after our relations were severed.
I'm sorry for the bad news.
Heinz......

As well, I just found out that MY email (above) to Per at EC has bounced back undelivered. Darn! Guess I'll try again. Does anyone know how to reach EC except by "elcomp@electrocompaniet.no"?
Also, I don't know how to direct to a "url". I'm just an analog guy I guess....
Perhaps someone else could emal them in parallel and direct them here, or to contact me...or their distributor, as they deem fit.
Thanks again.
Blizzard conditions here in New England, and I have theater tix tonight. Figures....

LATEST NEWS:

The intermediate dealer (Mike at F&S) called me last night.
I was hoping that his previous offer to swap out my CDP for a modded one would cost me about $1000 ($650 for the agreed-upon mod and a few hundred for the value of a warranty?). Such heroism wasn't expected, of course...just hoped for.
Unfortunately he said that "WE can offer you a new one for $2000 and your
unit." (I sensed that the collective "WE" was used following some discussion with the distributor, and that I was being given a corporate-approved offer. Just my conjecture, though.) Mike said that Alan (the distributor) would NOT mod my unit under any circumstances (this was a change from his previous offer to mod it for DOUBLE the normal retail price: $1600 vs the agreed-upon $650). Mike had said previously that having my unit as a permanent demo was of value to his dealership, but he now says that HE could not get it modded by EC either, so its value is lower to EVERYONE!
The RETAIL IN EUROPE and WHOLESALE IN US prices of these CDPs are nearly equal ($3200). So if I give him another $2000 he's essentially buying my "untouchable" for $1200 his cost. I noted this fact, and suggested that I certainly could hope to resell my 1.5 yr old EMC-1 MkII for more than $1200, thus reducing my "buy-up mod cost". Indeed even Alan had suggested that I simply sell mine and buy a new one (yes, he regretted saying that, and I hate to uncover this little sore point, because its importance is NOT to point blame nor focus on a profiteering motive but to only note that procrastination by passing the unit on is initially attractive, but upon rethinking, not the wisest option. The collective problem is much larger than that, as we've all come to note).

Mike and I discussed that the mod did indeed originate in the US, at TALON! Wow! So maybe the easiest course is just to ask them about the mod, its parts, instructions, service...whatever they could offer? So I emailed a plea to Talon last night for some advice/service/mod. Their quick and compassionate reply included: "We have made an agreement with Electrocompaniet that we would not perform any mods. The technology behind the mod was purchased by EC and is their property. I really hate to see this type of situation." DARN!

So EC really locked this up. They cut off an independent service person (Heiz Preiss in FL...see above) in '99, and restricted the simple analog modding technology of their CDP. I was really hoping I could just send Talon the board(s) to mod.
I'm getting really frustrated with my lack of options....

Forgot to mention that I phoned Mike (the kind EC dealer) back and asked him if the only option left to me was to sell my unit myself, and wondered if it was tenable to only expect about $1000 loss after buying a NEW one at a discount as a favor from him or another EC dealer. It seems that I would have to sell my unit for almost $3000 in order to have it still cost me only $1000 to get this $650 mod.
I just can't see selling my unmodded MkII for $3k when the new wholesale is just a couple of hundred above that. And what do I say if someone asks how they would get service/parts support in the future? I'd be just passing the buck to someone else, only to potentially resurface with another fiasco, as many of you have pointed out. Sigh....
It just occurred to me that if the retail in the EU is $3200 equivalent, then the wholesale is probably about 60% of that, or just under $2k. Add shipping, import duty and brokerage fees probably totals $2400, explaining the US dealer wholesale of $3200, and the subsequent retail of $5500. I am NOT going to comment on the fairness of the margins, nor the discrepancies among pricing structures and policies, but for elucidation. Distributor and dealer networks for luxury items ARE important...but it IS getting to be a more global market, as some of you have pointed out.
It'll be interesting to see where longterm evolution leaves us, but in the meantime there're fires to put out.

I laughingly suggested to Mike that perhaps my best option is to go to Europe on vacation next year (after my wife retires from teaching: 35 yrs in 5th grade...can you believe it?) and buy another EMC-1 in the UK or wherever, saving the 17% VAT, paying the 10%duty, and drag back a 50lb box for $3k, and then sell mine for a quite fair $2k and then be done with it, getting my $650 mod for $1000 and a ton of effort. We both joked that this would work, but only further extend the problem if I ever wanted service.

So I'm still REALLY stuck here:
My wife won't let me solve the problem by buying a discounted separate DAC/modded analogue stand-alone for $1500 because of aesthetics (AND it's still too expensive); EC won't mod my player AT ALL;
the intermediate dealer won't pay much more (if any) than $1200 for it (his net), costing me $2000; and if I want to solve my problem closer to $1000 I have to quietly submerge my unit back into the open market and look for a sympathetic dealer to sell me a new unit near cost.... C'mon!
None of these circuitous bandaids are simple, efficient, cost-effective, reparatory, farsighted nor resulting in movement toward solving the larger problem of EC and product support.
I would really like EC to step in here and offer to trade out my board(s) for modded one(s), mod my unit, trade it for a new modded one for $1000 (if they're selling wholesaling new ones for $2000 why won't they swap mine for $1000 to put this fire out?), or some other easy way to satisfy my needs. (Although I'm not an active benchtech, nor have wave-soldering tools, I'm sure that I could easily perform entire board replacement, thus preventing having to send a 50 pounder back and forth to Philly or across the pond if they want to just send me spare boards to swap out).

Mike is waiting for me to offer an amount intermediate of my $1000 offer and his $2000 buy-up offer to get this $650 mod.... This is just getting way too frustrating. I'm not even listening to music anymore. I'm now feeling like I'm being punished even more. I realize that it's simply old relapsed-Catholic-upbringing stuff fortunately, and that I'm just the unlucky victim of a brutally-enforced arcane corporate policy, but I sense that my hurt is somewhat turning toward anger, as I don't sense that there'll be a fair outcome here, either on the corporate level nor on an intermediate's anxiously sought offer generous enough to not seem punitive. I wasted almost an entire day of my time driving in a severe storm, and am still willing to pay 50% more than an agreed-upon price to buy a service from this company, well after they screwed up, and no-one's listening?!

Well, I DID rewrite and forward my plea to EC, and I guess they won't become aware of all this until tomorrow (Monday AM). At that time I'll be undergoing my 3rd spinal epidural steroid injection for this friggin herniated disc, so I'll be out of it for a couple of days. Even writing cogently with all this Tramadol and Neurontin I'm having to take is much effort.
I'll try to keep abreast of all your input and support in the meantime.
Thanks again, everyone. Gratefully, Ern

UPDATE:
I just got back from the spinal injection and feel wiped out, but thought I should put to rest the notion that there is ANY expectation on my part for a communal finacial pot-passing! I appreciate the expression of support intended, of course, and remain grateful.
As I said I have emailed EC to see if they can offer technical support, and of course read this thread so as to become apprised of the larger issues.
I must disagree with one poster re my responsibility to apply due diligence when purchasing a "nearly-new" item. Although I did expect to POSSIBLY be denied WARRANTY service as I would be the second owner (although this is illegal in Massachusetts), I didn't expect to have to ask if "I would be denied any and all paid services for this unit forever". There's a big difference. Heaven help any EC owners who decide to move to North America from overseas and bring their units (after determining that they're voltage-selectable) and thus thinking it would be worth carrying the load on a plane! Is everyone going to have to ship their units back to Norway for service/mods?...or "bribe" Alan by coughing up a lost $800-1k distribution profit? I'm sorry...I don't mean to fan the flames. I'm really exhausted, will await EC's reply (soon, I hope), and continue to thank you for your ideas and support. Ern

THANK YOU FOR REOPENING THIS THREAD!
Some of you may know that this thread was closed for awhile. I wrote to A'gon and started a subsequent "continuation-thread" entitled ELECTROCOMPANIET REDUX. They declined to post the new thread, and I guess reopened this one. Ok. Phew! The timing was most unfortunate because:

This morning I received a short email from a tech at EC/NORWAY informing me that he had read this thread, apologized for the mishap on Christmas, and would assemble the diodes and capacitors that comprise the mod and sell them to me, with schematics for installation, after he gets the parts' prices in a couple of days. Maybe it's better if I just quote his response, but I don'y know how to "cut and paste", so I'll be back later.

No mention was made of reviewing ECs support policies yet, but I'm glad that this first positive step is being taken.

I was SO THRILLED to get his email, and then went to tell you all and found the thread closed! What a slam-dunk.
Glad it's back, as I REALLY want to ensure that EC's reputation is NOT harmed by leaving this thread closed prematurely. EC may come through yet!

Thanks, A'gon, for seeing the light. Now why did you close it in the first place?

I'll post news after hearing back from the EC tech.

One of you was right: I WAS getting depressed by all this. And today for the first time I listened to my system, enjoying live feeds of Chopin's Preludes on my Dynalab. Maybe I'll approach those blue lights of my EMC-1 soon, too.
Thanks again. Ern

Swamp...but how are you going to do that? Ask for a serial number and then send it to BOTH a local distributor AND manufacturer and ask them if they'll support it in the US?
Pretty tiresome, and maybe necessary, but certainly not a model for desired consumer behavior in the 21st century global market, eh?