I purchased a Titan i for the second arm on my tt. It's a dealer demo cartridge described as "best condition".
This one arrived yesterday:
http://i41.tinypic.com/1z39o3l.jpg
Did anyone of you ever had a damage like this on transport? The cartridge was very well packed in original box with stylus guard. Btw. it was impossible to find the broken stylus in the box.
Dietrich, I see your post above on 12/27 where you suggest that Marco-Heradot find himself an attorney and that his problem looks like an "intentional fraud.". Could you please explain more, also do you and Axinia have experience with how these "intentional frauds" occur?
I see where you have experience with these "phone/Internet" and email misdeeds.
Maybe it has something to with your recent negative feedback..,Audiogon members, IMO be very careful when dealing with this one, this Dertonarm, aka Deitrich, Daniel, D., Kasugi on eBay, and Axinia Schaefer.
Axinia Schaefer is Dertonarm's wife, she owns their company because, as Dertonarm tells me, he is not allowed to own a VAT-based business in Germany...go figure.
IMO and experience, be very careful with this clever Dertonarm.
READ his recent negative feedback today and forewarned.
Thanks for sharing, glad to hear the dealer stepped up. Hard to know exactly where to place the blame but he obviously felt customer satisfaction was a priority.
Dear all, started this thread just to get a technical answer whether this could be a transport damage and not for dealer bashing.
The dealer offered me to today to send back the system and I will receive a full refund. Really good service although he also not knows what could cause this damage.
What did the dealer say when you called him to discuss your damaged cartridge this week? We are all waiting for a positive resolution! Did he blame you? This why I always take pictures of every step of the way when packaging anything I sell on audiogon. It has been a reassurance to buyers and also is excellent proof of safe, complete packaging if I ever need to submit a damage claim with a shipper. A great safety tip for all audiogon members!
Dear Heradot, to comment on your initial question right away: -if it was locally purchased and no customs involved, then it is IMPOSSIBLE that this damage occurred during shipment. That is unless the Titan i cartridge was "installed" in it's originally package and packed by a person with an IQ below room temperature in celsius. As mentioned before, - the amount of dirt on the wasabi paper protecting the generator tells already most of the story. In any case - this is the sole responsibility of the "seller". But given the available evidence so far, you may have a tough time getting your money back. If you don't get a straight offer to return for full refund, I would strongly recommend contacting your lawyer right away to handle the case. Especially so as the deal was locally and via phone/internet. This looks very much like an intentional fraud. Cheers, D.
It's the responsibility of the seller and carrier to get the package to you in usable condition.
Audiofiel is absolutely, unequivocally correct. Check the Audiogon terms of service. If you don't get an immediate response from the seller, contact Audiogon and they will help you out. However, Audiofiel, shame on you for dredging up an 8 year old incident and web page. And yes, I have had some dealings w MSS/Joey and no it wasn't a perfect transaction. I understand that it shows that he might be a bit on the unsavory side. But remember that that report is not only irrelevant to his business practices, but only presents the police department's account of an arrest; there are often two or more sides to every story.
Actually twice. One time was when a cartridge came direct from Asia and the distributor didn't check it before shipping. The cartridge arrived with guard on and no cantilever. Obviously customs broke it and then just put the guard back on :(
Second time was with another cartridge where it was shipped from the distributor to a dealer (who was to listen to it over the weekend and then send it on to me) and then to me. This time arrived w/o guard on, cantilever broken and not in box. I surmised dealer broke it and then stuffed it in box to collect insurance. Thing is, the only way cantilever can disappear is if SOMEONE opened the box between the dealer and you.
One addition thing: that cartridge has had a lot of hours of playing under its belt based upon the dirtiness of the bottom of the transducer. That black color happens over a couple of years of playing. Hope the seller insured the cartridge!
..to be fair to the seller, scratches on the Classic, and on the stabilizing weight, are just visual problems. If indeed you paid less than you would if you bought a sealed package from the factory, than I think you have little to complain about. You bought those components primarily for their sonic virtues, and if the Classic is running right, you should be happy with the "deal" that was made. On the other hand, the unusable cartridge (not that it was dirty) is another matter.
Philb7777 --- Yepppp... That's the one... With so many correspondents I made with them, I released that the only thing I could expect is to keep the Classic 1 and cross my finger not to find out more surprise.
My point is that, it would be much easy for me to settle and solve this transaction if I were in the US...but being at oversea, they might know very well that most customers would select to make up their mind rather than mess up with Customs, FedEx, and etc...
This is very much unfair and, for me, fade off my strong intention to come back into the hobby I love this time
Luckily the VPI HR-X clamp came to be brand-new :)
Btw, I wish for the best luck to the OP on this cart. I hope he will find proper solution with his dealer.
And also I wish all of you guys a Merry X.Mas (a bit late), and a wonderful New Year....
Reading most of your threads and thoughts have inspired me so much.
To move the discussion in the right direction: System was purchased by a local dealer who got it from the official local distributor. No customs were involved in our deal.
Started the discussion just to get a technical advice whether such a damage can occur on shipping.
Sounds like an MSS HiFi story. They have had quite a bit of bad press on the internet lately. I'm sure they are telling the truth - they probably bought much of Andy Singer's floor product before he closed down for a while. They tend to buy out demo and unsold product that dealer's can't move.
I was lucky with the transaction I had with them several years ago. It was a very good one. Not so sure I would do it again with them now though.
Oh btw... They also packed my tt in a wrong serial box, the platter box was also mis-matched with the tt and tt's box.
Now just make up my mind and swear just strict to only Brand New In Box only.
Ps. I have still not opened the SDS box... Now just too boring to see the SDS (I bought new for this from them) will turn out to be one another tragedy like all its cousin.
Audiophile society consist of so many good and kind folks...maybe this is just the only black-sheep out there in the market.
Last month, I bought a used VPI Classic 1 from a NY dealer (my location is oversea). From what they advised, the tt was in very good/near mint condition with just few scratches at the base.
Once the FedEx package arrived to my place, I opened the box and checked for the condition, below were what I found;
1. No scratches anywhere at the base...BUT... 2. The aluminum base had severe scratches (looked like it used to fall to the floor) 3. The cup of JMW10.5i tonearm also had medium scratches 4. The Periphery Clamp had medium scratches all around
....
What to say? I told the seller about that, they just told me these were normal condition but not damage to the sound !!??? They also said my Classic 1 was the Demo from Sound of Singers
....
I stopped and packed my components for almost 10 years. Just now that I thought to get all back into live. I thought a new tt would be nice for my system's 2nd life. Then new welcome-back-tragedy took place.
....
For case like mine, I paid FedEx shipping for USD300. Paid Import Duty for USd350. I just don't want to send tt back as the NY dealer dod not show any intention to my correspondents.
....
They are the one with slogan "The World's Busiest High-End Audio Store"
....
Sad now and think I shouldn't get myself into such thing by deciding to come back to Audio hobby
....
Btw, my vintage cheap components consists of Ayre V3, Audible Illusion M3, VPI HW 19JR w/ Sumiko BPS (this tt is intended for low quality LPs), and the new damage VIP Classic 1 w/SDS & Sumiko EVO III will be for my audiophile LPs
....
I wish my location is in the US
....
End story... I wish you all a Merry X'Mas and Happy New Year. I have secretly follow to all your threads for a long time and that is one of my reason to get back restoring my old system,
Way back when, I bought a Lyra Clavis as a dealer demo. When I picked up the package, there was something rolling around in the box. I called the dealer and rolled the box so he could hear what I was before it was opened. The stylus gaurd had come loose in shipping and removed the cantilever from the cartridge. The dealer provided another cartridge to me at no cost. BTW, the cantilever wasn't anywhere to be found.
In your case, if the stylus gaurd was in place, I don't see how the cantilever could be missing.
If the stylus guard was on, and the packing secure the guy that put it in the box broke it. ...or you are dealing with a dishonest guy. There is no way to break a stylus with the guard intact.
Something is not right. I'd give the seller the opportunity to make it right, but I don't think that there is any way that this is shipping damage.
If the stylus guard was on, and the packing secure the guy that put it in the box broke it. ...or you are dealing with a dishonest guy. There is no way to break a stylus with the guard intact.
I think that the stylus was snapped off when the sytlus guard was put back on. Like Hifimaniac mentioned, the guard has to be aligned just right or you can damage the stylus. Good luck.
I am sure the dealer will swear the stylus was there when it was packed but if the stylus guard was put on correctly, it would be fine. I had that cartridge and I can say from experience extra care must be taken to slide the guard on correctly and the guard must be lined up perfectly or the stylus will be knocked off. Also, Lyra cannot retip it; you must trade it for a new one for a $3500 charge, I believe.
See what the dealer says when he re-opens this week. Maybe he will work with you. I have never heard of that happening and it is strange that the canteliver/stylus is not in the box. Makes me think it happened (unknowingly of course) on the packing end. What a shame on any cartridge but a Titan just makes it that much worse.
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