HOW can components be so expensive, and yet customer service is so bad.

@deep_333 My Klipschorns were never an intended purchase, a family member knew someone practically giving them away due to a pending divorce, my intentions were to flip them. Since I heard potential in them decided to keep as diy experiment. My mods were based and purchased from small scale manufacturers such as Crites, Volti, Jantzen, Duelund. The only thing stock left is bass cabinets.

As for large faceless corporations, see far too many audio companies being bought up by investors who don't give a damn about high end audio, just means to an end, that end being profitability. And to call small scale manufacturers garage builders is complete disregard for their expertise. Many small scale manufacturers/designers extremely talented, they make conscious choices to keep their concerns small so they can retain control over all aspects of their baby/business.

I have had good experiences with smaller boutique type sellers and prefer to support them.  They are easier to contact and often are the owner/builder and willing to bend your ear…brands I like are Supratek, Aric Audio, Don Sachs, Mojo Audio, Decware, Vera-Fi, Fritz, Ohm, Raven. All of which I have personally talked or emailed for questions not repairs.  The one issue I had was I bought a used Raven Blackhawk Amp which had a hum at start up that was getting louder with use.  I contacted Raven and after talking with the owners they had me send it to their Tech which he replaced tube sockets and resisters and sent it back to me at no cost.  It only cost me shipping to the Tech.  It’s been dead silent ever since.  Great customer service experience.

You are completely in the right and justified to be disappointed and frustrated.

I believe that the mark of a truly high-end manufacturer and line of products is not only about their product engineering and performance but how they handle customer service and how quickly they respond to issues, their service/repair times, etc  

My experience with for example Audio Research, Cambridge Audio, and Audio Advice (as a retailer) is that they all respond extremely quickly.

At the other end of the scale you have companies such as Krell who, for understandable but yet ... reasons, are impossible to get a hold of.

And this was an issue long before their owner unfortunately and unexpectedly passed away. 

Because these companies came about after a time where great customer service was the norm. Life as your grandfather used to know it isn’t that way anymore. 

Amazing service and communication: Aric Audio, CODA, Buchardt Audio, Joseph Audio, Volti, Pure Audio Project, Denafrips (even after Vinshine), DH Labs, RAMM Audio, VH Audio, Synergistic Research/Scott Walker, First Watt, Don Sachs & Lynn Olson (Raven preamp and Blackbird amps), Atmosphere, GIK Acoustics, GR-Research. I've not purchased from all of them, but they were all helpful and I felt honest