Two defective pieces in a row - unreasonable to demand refund?
Ordered a McIntosh MA8900 from my dealer in December. First one had cosmetic damage out of the box so they swapped it out for a new one. The new one won't power on (just get the standby light). McIntosh said they would replace it again but I'm frankly done, just want my money back at this point. The dealer has a no refunds policy. Should I accept a 3rd new unit or insist on a refund?
The most likely problem is an improperly seated connector inside the unit. It’s very likely that your dealer can locate this and correct it for you. Of course that doesn’t really answer your question.
Do you have a relationship with this dealer? You might want to consider that as part of deciding what to do next.
But to answer your question: Yes, strictly speaking, I think you’re entitled to a refund. So far, you haven’t received what you paid for. That the dealer has a "no refund" policy doesn’t matter. He hasn’t delivered.
Bought 2 pairs of speakers and turntable from this dealer. This situation isn't the dealer's fault and I'd like to do business in the future. Don't know if demanding a refund will get me blacklisted from the store
Nothing else I'm interested in. In fact I bought speakers from the same store based on the match with this amp, so if I return the Mc I'm left with speakers I'll have to find a new match for. Not fun.
Calm down and accept the 3rd unit. It will be fine, and in no time, the whole bad experience will be forgotten. Sometimes, lightning does strike twice.
I'd give the dealer a chance to examine what might be wrong with the second unit. But I'd also be inclined to consider a third unit that - as @dweller sez - is checked first at the store.
I like Dweller's advice, but I too would be nervous about a third unit. What does it say about McIntosh quality control? Would I have to worry about it functioning every time I want to hear music. Have a heart to heart conversion with the dealer and don't feel forced to make an immediate decision.
Forget the first unit it was a cosmetic issue? I've NEVER seen a Mac with a factory packing and then have issues, it wasn't new. OR someone took it out of the box and didn't repack it right. That did happen to me.. a tube got loose, oh yea flipped the box, crushed a tube box (suppose to be in a wrap under the cage). The seller forgot a simple bag or to TAPE the tube boxes shut. The unit was never removed from the box. Then the seller took it out to show the NEW 15 year old unit tubes in and took pictures.. HE repacked it incorrectly, 1300.00 mistake. Glass scratched the tops of the transformers.
The second one might just be the power on and reset by holding the power button. That usually resets the newer Macs. More than one fuse? A wire came off or loose behind transport.. RARE!
I'd open it there, test it there, and REPACK it correctly there.
If there is any problems, tell the seller before hand.. ANY problems, best have your money ready.. OR give it back RIGHT NOW, and don't worry about a third one.. Let him take the effort to make it right, NOT YOU!!!
This aught to get at least a goodie or something..
The first unit was gouged to bare metal on the bottom, looked like someone missed the hole when screwing on the pallet. It was definitely new, McIntosh security tape on outer and inner box. Just took in the 2nd unit in to the dealer and they confirmed it's DOA, not even the service USB port was working. Took some time to calm down as suggested and ended up asking for a 3rd replacement. I like the idea about asking for a DA2 module, I feel it's fair compensation for all the hassle, we'll see what the dealer says.
It will work out OP. That is saying something though about Mac. This summer will be 50 years with Mac.. I've always loved them.. 25 pieces at my home. 20 are vintage. They hold there value well. IF you figure out a good Mac como, it is just like any other.. When they are right they are right.
Honestly though, put that "if it's dead again" jingle in his head though.. It wouldn't leave his store without a test drive.. No ifs ands or buts... Carma DUDE!!! If you smash your finger "Things come in threes" will be out of the way, at least. :-)
Might take your mind off the thoughts about kicking a toad or something...
I been waiting on a phono/tape pre sense November 19, 2020. and still have 2-3 months to go.. YUP...
Much depends if you paid by debit card, or credit Cardas where the card is from I tried to get a refund on a defective product ,after it was sent back and my bank wouldnot back me, horrible little crappy bank webster5 cent savings. If bought buy credit card then file a claim tell them you have no faith and waste of time . tell your dealer to hold off on sending anything . since they have the product back. The ball is in your court . if they ship it after you said no put a note on your door in big letters Return auto Sender then you will get your money back.
McIntosh fort sure is not the same ,No longer owned by audiophiles for years now.I sold Mc and parts quality is average at best , nice meters , but Waay over priced . Owned by a Korean company with just $$ profits in mind IMO.
I bought a new C49 and the remote was missing from the box. They sent me a remote and tried the unit and the headphone jacked hummed, so I returned the unit for a refund! Completely turned me off to McIntosh.
I'm with @millercarbon. Get out from under the Mac and get something reliable that performs better for less $$$. Lots of options in the marketplace, new and used.
Google ANY major company and you will get a litany of lawsuits and complaints filed against them. Including all audio brands.
This knee jerk reaction to jump all over McIntosh over something that has happened to EVERY BRAND on the planet says more about the nay-sayers than anything else.
And I'm with the person who said get the third unit. Cosmetic flaws are not manufacturing QC issue, but a transit issue. The DOA unit is legit, so let.them replace it.
If Mac sounds good to YOUR ears, go with it. Any brand you pick can have issues. That's what warranties are for.
Get a 3rd unit. This is totally unlike McIntosh. I've had an MA6100 I bought in 1976. It will still outperform anything that Japan can put out today in its class. It's been in constant use since the day I took it home. Do this day, IT'S NEVER BEEN SERVICED. I also have a Mac 7082 tuner, and mcd 7000 cd player. They have also never been serviced. I've been on the Binghamton company tour. It's unbelievable. STICK WITH MAC. I've been offered double what I paid for my 6100.but ill never sell it.
Really, it is not the dealers fault and probably not McIntosh's fault. I ship items all the time. Had my packing materials made by the company that does the Peloton exercise bikes. Once the shipping companies get a hold of them who knows what they do with them I have had transformers come off the center bolt and knock around inside causing all types of damage.
It would different if you told me that each unit broke after a week or so with the same issue.
Regardless of what the Mac haters are trying to shove down your throat, McIntosh is still a reputable company. McIntosh wouldn't still be recognized as one of the foremost purveyors of high end audio eqiupment if they had suddenly and mysteriously decided to sell their reputation to some fly by night company. Considering the fact that McIntosh QC checks every single finished unit they manufacture for both blemishes and proper operation before shipping, and since you didn't bother to name the vendor, the odds are most likely that you chose to buy your Mac from some shady dealer who offered a bargain basement price. and you fell for it. You learned the hard way that if the price is too good to be true, it most definitely is a scam.
The outer box of the 1st unit was pristine, no signs of mishandling. Nothing was loose in the inner box. Implausible to me that the damage could have happened in transit, it almost certainly slipped passed QC or occurred while it was being packed. I realize this could have happened to any mfg, but I've never seen a 1/2" gouge to bare metal on any other $$$$ gear I've unboxed. As for DOA gear, this is the first time I've experienced it. I think the production backlog at Mc might be to blame for QC rush jobs, that or I'm just having a streak of bad luck. I don't mind if they'd just take their sweet time putting together a unit for me that is spotless and works.
Bought from a reputable local dealer I've been working with for years. Brand new units with McIntosh security tape on inner and outer boxes, freight label addressed to the dealer with a Binghamton return address. I'm brand agnostic, so however troubling it may be if you're a Mc fan, the fact is I did get two bad units in a row, straight from Binghamton.
You ever wonder why you don't see McIntosh sold all over the internet? It's because they have a reputation to maintain. They won't let just any Mom And Pop outfit sell their product. They only use vendors who will back their guarantee 100%. McIntosh is a quality and reputation oriented company. They didn't stay in business for 75 years by screwing people, and they damn sure wouldn't sacrifice their reputation because of a pandemic, they would explain why they are taking longer to ship. If your package was damaged during transit, that's not on McIntosh. Tell us the name of the place you got your bargain basement items from, then maybe we have something to work with.
Still waiting for the name of the "reputable dealer". Do you really expect us to believe that McIntosh would authorize a dealer that had a "no return" policy?
There's no way it was damaged in transit, as I've said repeatedly. Believe it or don't. My dealer isn't just authorized, they are McIntosh "platinum" tier dealer. No reason for me to name them because I'm not having a problem with them, and even if I were, I wouldn't name or shame unless I was getting shafted, which I'm not. In both instances when I called Mc they said take it back to the dealer for a replacement. By the way, I haven't said a bad word about Mc either, just stated facts. Can't fault the customer service I've received so far, which was reassuring enough for me to go for the 3rd unit. Why would I do that if I had some kind of anti-Mc agenda?
If it were shipped to you ,your dealer is not local. Ship it back as soon as it is delivered ,file a claim with your credit card company if the dealers refuses to give your money back ,or tell them give you a $10% refund for all your trouble. If you except a 3 rd unit . I would just ship it. Back call credit card company with tracking , they should give you the credit back after you file a dispute all the time and effort wasted . It’s totally on McIntosh. there is no excuses .Coda for example soak test each product48 hours then do a final bias and inspection before it ships ,10 year warranty parts and labor, and the 1st year if any fault they will pay freight up and back,that is excellent service.
No refund policies are designed to discourage tire kickers, not to penalize a repeat customer with a legitimate issue/claim. Talk to your dealer and simply tell him you have lost confidence in the manufacture to provide a reliable product.
Aggravating, worrisome, but, I agree, let them get you a NEW (not fixed) unit, even if you have to wait.
Go in writing, if the 3rd unit has any problem, you want a full refund, not store credit.
I would send a copy of that, and the prior problems to McIntosh also, so it is on record.
My SS McIntosh, mc2250, made in 1986, is still ’perfect’ after 35 years, I sent it to McIntosh for factory once over, they replaced one led lamp, that’s it.
Usually their stuff is like boat anchors, the biggest problem I had was a torn meniscus from lifting it (80 lbs) from a bottom shelf in a cramped space.
my mx110z, made around 1967, 55 years old, plug and play, sounds fabulous. I cleaned all controls with contact cleaner, noise free, IOW, these things are normally very long lived. ..................................
When you think about it, they ought to give you a reduction in price for your trouble. Like a car dealership, the Manufacturer is the one who pays for warranty work, the dealer makes money on warranty work. The dealer could request a price reduction on your behalf. If me, I would get it ordered first, then before it arrives, ask them to ask McIntosh for a cost reduction.
Best of luck, hope it sounds great, and your memory fades quickly.
I bought speakers to match this unit (many hours of auditioning), so after my initial frustration subsided (I wrote my post just minutes after finding my 2nd unit was DOA in order to get unbiased advice) I decided it's less of a pain to just wait for a 3rd unit than start start from square one trying to find a good pairing. I do really love the way the speakers sounded when paired with this unit and that's the whole point it no?
@audioman58
Sorry, maybe I was unclear, the units were shipped to my dealer from Binghamton and I picked them up from the dealer.
It’s unfortunate that you received 2 bad units, but it happens. All my McIntosh units were purchased second hand from Audio Classics and after 50+ years of being on the audio merry go round, I am done. It sounds like the first unit after it was QC was improperly packed and the person who packs the unit probably missed the bottom spacer the screw goes through to bolt the amp to the plywood base. It can happen.
The second unit most likely has a ribbon cable from the front panel loose and needs re-seating. It happened on my C2500 preamp. I was going to ship it back until AC told me what to look for. It took me less than 5 minutes to remove the 6 top screws and reseat the cable. Saved me a trip back to Vestal, NY.
You were wise in getting a third unit. Doubtful the dealer will give you the DAC2 module as it is around $1500.00 or more. That would take all his profit away from the sale of the amp. It really isn’t their fault for the poorly packaged unit and non working unit. When you get the new amp, have the dealer unbox in front of you and have them hook it up to be sure it is ok. Once you know it is good, you will have a amp that will last a few lifetimes.
To the person who recommended you return the Mac and buy from Klaus at Odyssey, I need to chuckle. I owned Odyssey prior to Mac and there is absolutely no comparison. As good as the Odyssey equipment is, the Mac is light years better. Once you are up and running, let us know how it worked out. 3rd time should be the charm.
Shipping will always have an impact no matter how it is boxes up. When I was looking at a company to make our shipping boxes (same people who make the Peloton bike foam) he told me something very interesting - a box is made to ship from point a to point b and not to be used to return an item. The shock of dropping a box can cause damage that you cannot see. I shipped an item where the transformer actually came loose and did quite a lot of damage inside the unit. I reshipped a CEC CDP - the box arrived in perfect condition but the actual spindle inside the unit was dislodged and was jammed under the transport area. The remote had a dent by one of the tracking buttons with no other marks. Go Figure.
You are. Store policies aren't laws. If I don't receive what I paid for they can't just keep my money. Hence my question whether it would be unreasonable to demand a refund, meaning not simply request, but insist in lieu of filing a chargeback. As someone else mentioned, no return policies are generally meant to prevent tire kickers, not to shaft established clients. Exceptions to every rule etc. etc.
Take the 3'rd lets face it, it's most likely not either the manufacturer or dealers fault its most likely the shipping company's that it failed on delivery. I'm sure Mac tries every piece they build so most likely its a shipping issue. there's thousands of reliable mac's out there from decades of use. so I'd not worry about the two issues they are not related anyway. also they are responsive and taking care of your issue with out delay I'd say that also has merit.
You’re gonna have to order from someone. I would say third times a charm. I’ve been buying used Max for years and I’ve only had one problem with broken glass. I love their stuff and nothing holes or value as good as a Mcintosh. Give them a third chance see if they’ll upgrade you to even a better unit because that has such bad luck
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