analogi the new unison mporter is also a great tech he can fix any unison piece
How Is Pathos Audio Service After The Sale In The US?
I'm searching for a new hybrid integrated amp. One that is on my radar is a new Classic One Mk III. Another is a McIntosh MA252. There are local McIntosh dealers. There are no Pathos dealers. So I'd probably end up ordering one from Upscale Audio if I were to get a Classic One.
Sound, of course, is the number one priority. I'm going to audition the MA252 with my speakers. But I am curious about the Classic One. I may end up preferring it to the MA252 (as some in this forum have said they do).
But I'm concerned about after-sales service. It's obvious that getting service on a McIntosh shouldn't be an issue (even though I'm a little leery of how long the OLED panel will last, and getting service on that in the future, if need be). But Pathos??
I'm coming from a Unison Research Unico that recently died. A really good tech spent 12 hours on it and couldn't figure out how to revive it. And what matters worse was the breaking down of support from Unison Research in Italy. The original owner and designer of the brand died last year, and since the son took over, communication to the US importer hasn't been good, so the importer dropped the brand.
If I were to get a Pathos Classic One and decide to keep it, I'm wondering how good service will be, with the need to ship it back to Upscale Audio (The importer had been Musical Surroundings for a while, and now it's Upscale Audio). I'd hate to have a problem with the unit, and then have an issue with support.
Can anyone share their experience(s) with after-sales support in the US.
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If one has reliability, one doesn't need service. Ever since I got out of the business, I buy used. I have owned Threshold, Forte, CODA, Cary Audio, Audio Research, Pathos, Krell, Monarchy, VPI, Cairn, Cambridge Audio, Pass Labs and never needed service on anything. The MKIII I have now was out of warranty when I bought it. |
Hi I'm the owner of Upscale Audio. We've been in business for 26 years now, and I have two full-time techs with a combined 35 years of experience. I took on Pathos as the official importer because I have ALWAYS loved the brand. I understand your frustration with your Unison. I sold them as a retailer ad it was horrible. Nice people, but I was trying to get parts because the importer was not responsive so I tried to fax a letter (this was before e-mail) over and over with no success only to find out they turned it off when they left the factory at 5. Who does that???? Pathos is a real company with their own metal shop, wood shop, paint shop, and everything is done in-house. PCBs and capacitors are Italian. Not just that...they are the nicest, most humble, gracious people I've ever met. Their prices are all too low for what you get. (there is a price increase Jan 1 or 15, I forget which) Good luck in your search however you proceed. If you need help reach out to my staff. Kevin Deal
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dill, things go wrong, they age. I was researching the original Pathos Logo integrated and a few owners had volume controls that stopped working. They needed repair. Service centers are there for a reason.
In the meantime, I have been in touch with a few people at UA over the last couple of weeks as well as somebody at Pathos. No one mentioned a price increase. This is the first I have heard of it. But if so, I'll need to act. But the 1st and the 15th are significantly different at this point. |
"dill, things go wrong, they age. I was researching the original Pathos Logo integrated and a few owners had volume controls that stopped working. They needed repair. Service centers are there for a reason. " I understand, just relaying my experiences. I think Kevin & company would take good care of you should you go that route. |
The price increase is Jan 1. They have not had a general price increase for many years, so they are not even keeping up with inflation. When we took over Pathos in North America, we lowered the price on many models, including the Classic One MKIII. I sell things at the lowest price possible, and its one price. No fake discounts. |
Have you thought of buying a Cary, I know they are not hybrid but sound sweet and I bet they will even give you a great trade in for your dead amp. Another option would be the BAT VK-55SE, it is a sweet amp and they have incredibly good support. If you are concerned about reliability and service goes to the point of buying local to the USA, assuming you are in the USA, because with things as they are you know that they do not have to get shipped from overseas which can take months. |
Unfortunately, the Classic One unit wasn't around in the showroom, so no one could make a current comparison for me. But Joel, a sales guy, asked around and all seemed to agree that the Classic Remix was better sonically in every way over the Classic One. I'm sure it's not a huge difference, but based on that, I went for the Remix. |
The rich that could care less sent almost everything to China .Now you can drive along the "rust belt" which is from every city from upstate NY to Chicago And the great industrial heart, a thousand miles of the heart of the USA is dead. And will never rise again nor will it's people and nobody cares .
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@jim5559 are you bemoaning that the US steel industry has changed radically? Or is it that US manufacturing in general wasn't immune to pricing or quality pressures? |
NONE of Above , I grew up in a city where 71 % of ALL workers were in Industry; today 8% are . The population then was 249.OOO. 30K alone at GE . Today its 129,00O. US manufacturing had ZERO pressures , thy were rolling in money unions or not. The elite were one thing and that alone , GREED with NO care for USA or it;s people . What you said is a total lie that was told you . In Christian theology GREED is the ultimate road to Ultimate Evil . Proven . Truth not bemoaning , Unless you think that 9 people having more money than 50% of all Americans is wonderful ,. |
@jim5559 One might make the argument that just BECAUSE certain US manufacturers felt ZERO pressures didn't mean that it wouldn't have been better off if it had? What year(s) are you referring to when everything was right with the world? What products are you referring to? |
@jim5559 I concur that we are both probably good guys with differing views. I was just trying to ask that you state the case for your conclusion. I will go first if that helps.
I grew up in an agrarian rural community. Family farms and associated operations were our bread and butter. I wanted nothing more than to follow in the footsteps. Parents advised against it, got to college and do something different. Graduated, started a company and sold it ten years later. The irony: the places where the jobs were when I was getting out of school were some of the same places I imagine you were lamenting their fate…Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, even Buffalo. Those very cities led the way when industrialization displaced so many from agrigulture 125 or so years ago. I didn’t whine about it, I just adapted…you roll with the punches and change with the times. Its been that way since recorded history and will be that way long after we are all gone.
Should we fault a company like Timken for building a state of the art bearing factory in China? I don’t believe so but you may feel differently. That’s cool. The fact remains that much of the raw goods to make a world class bearing are in that part of the world, some of their largest customers are base in that part of the world and the cost to ship a bearing from the USA to them would exceed the cost to make it.
Why is it a big deal for the OP to buy an Italian product? Would you be upset if an Italian bought an American made product?
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Timken's 3 plants in China only build product for domestic consumption in China. Their are Anti Dumping Laws in the US and Timken as the only US based manufacturer of TRB's is paid a percentage of the tariff's paid paid by NTN, NSK, SKF, National, FM Drive, STEMCO as they all import China Bearings to the US. Timken has plants in the USA (8), Plants in India, China, France, Romania, and all Timken Steel (sister company) has all of their steel plants in the USA. Timken is a 135 year old AMERICAN company. Want to know more about Timken? Sure would like to know who pulled Timken out of the air @ghasley
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Indeed, William “Tim” Timken…(the father) we met in Indian Wells, CA…they have a winter home there. Please re-read my post. Your posture seems to indicate that I was being critical of Timken when, in fact, my posture was that great companies like Timken, those that continue to thrive, (rather than “rust” like many others) change with the times. Ambassador Timken is a gentleman’s gentleman and a fine American as are his children who now lead the company. |
ya, even tho i am a New Departure Hyatt bearing guy, it seems you two are on the same page…that was my read… Carry on, creative destruction ain’t a battle to win on the internet.. I actually like both of ya….more or less… Happy New year @jerryg123 @ghasley Jim |
