It was a choice between a Hana Umami Red and a SoundSmith Sussurro Mk II ES. I chose the SoundSmith for all of the reasons cited above. Peter Lederman called me back (after having left a message about a technical question), which I found to be outstanding in its' own right. Anyone else at SoundSmith could have called me back with an answer, but it was Peter Lederman himself that returned the call. I was impressed. I am also impressed with the sonic qualities of the Sussurro Mk II cartridge. An added benefit is that I am supporting an American company as well as a truly class-act human being.
Talking about service!
My 20 month old Soundsmith Voice started miss-tracking. With the naked eye the stylus looked...odd. Viewed under magnification, the cantilever had twisted in it's fitting so that the stylus was pointed at the right channel. I mailed this picture to Soundsmith. Peter Ledermann wrote me back telling me to call him which I did. He told me to ship the cartridge back and leave a message on the box, "For Peter's Immediate Attention!" I got the repaired cartridge back IN FIVE DAYS and with no charge even though the cartridge was 8 months off warranty. Thank you Soundsmith!
Showing 3 responses by mammothguy54
@mijostyn Thank you for the information and good comment. Your contributions always attract my attention. |
I'll add another good story of quality service from one of our industry vendors. BAT (Balanced Audio Technology) is the vendor/brand I wish to mention. I have BAT products in my system. My amplifier was eliciting an odd sound, but only on occasion. I contacted BAT and discussed the issue. Because it was an intermittent problem, and only occurring a few times per month, we agreed to wait until it became more frequent so when tested on the bench, they could more quickly find the problem. BAT went out of their way to remain in contact with me (they called me before I even called them) for about 3 months. Ultimately, they concluded it was time to send the amp to them. Because it was a long and nagging issue they offered to pay for shipping, both ways. Warranty policy, as is typical in the industry, is for the customer to pay shipping to the vendor and the vendor pays for return shipping (this being during the warranty period). The problem was quickly detected as a failing part on the left main power board. The amp was repaired and return shipped the same week they received it. The attitude and service from BAT was a comforting experience. These are expensive components and the treatment by BAT toward their customers is exemplary of the highest quality of any company in this industry. For that matter, any industry of consumer products. Bravo to BAT. |