Vivid Audio speakers, my experience

@stereo5 Then in your logic, nothing is returnable, because things can be swapped and the sellers are dumb enough to be not knowing.

Hope you never return things. 

@roxy54 Thanks. I have moved on from these speakers. What I experienced may not be representative of what the brand has to offer. I wrote the post to bring awareness when buying from overseas; be aware of shady dealers and pay attention to the track record of the brand’s customer service. 

@missioncoonery I have had great services from Mac even with a 30 yo vintage gears. I guess that shows how one person’s experience may not be representative. 

@blackbag20 Vivids are very transparent speakers. The main complaint I have is that they are a bit too forward sounding and can be bright/fatiguing at times. One of the speakers I got in replacement are from Raidhos, which are on the flip side of Vivid’s. Laid back, darker sounding, extremely smooth highs (well extended and detailed but not bright at all). Both are very spacious sounding speakers. But when you hear it from such tiny Raidho speakers, it was a shocking revelation. Their ribbon tweeter is something special and different from many generic ribbons. I’ll go on a limb and say the Ribbons produces the best high frequencies I have heard. If your ears are sensitive to high frequency graines, I would strongly encourage you to try it out.

@mm1tt77 Thank you for saying that. 

As a full disclosure, I received a response from the cofounder of Vivid, Philip Gottentag last night. He spent long words saying how Vivid would "bend over backwards" for its customers. Then he suggested that I could send the speakers to their facility in CT for repair. This is shocking because just a few months ago he said in writing that they do NOT have a facility or trained staff to do so. Over the months of communications with them, they have never once made such suggestions. I wrote back saying I was told that you did not have such capacities in the US. And he did not address that clear discrepancies during the couple of back and forths. I cannot even begin to speculate why.

Then he went on to say that he sides with their US rep in not letting me return the woofer if it does not work out. This, in my mind, is exactly opposite to his portrait of them "bending over backwards" for customers. Because in a world where you can return most commodities in its original conditions, the idea that they are the exceptions just don’t jive with their claimed customer service standards. Especially this requires so little efforts on their part and they are taking back the damaged drivers for repair and resale anyway.

So I thought enough was enough, without picking a fight I told them I am moving on.

So my plan is to letting go of the Vivid B-1 speakers to whom interested in taking on Vivid’s offer to send them to their facility for repair. If you are interested and in driving distance to Raleigh, North Carolina, you are welcome to reach out to me. I can let you know the approx costs.

@missioncoonery Hi, please PM me to discuss. Even though the mids and highs are dented, they sound fine. I think most likely the one driver that needs fixing is the woofer. 

@posbwp55 Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sorry this happened to you. But glad that I am not alone in feeling the way I did.  

@b_limo Thanks for the suggestion. I had the same idea after making the initial posting. But at this point, I am no longer interested in dealing with this. I would suggest this to whoever takes these speakers. 

@henry201 OK. Let’s reason in your logic. Then is it unreasonable to return an iPhone or any other electronics within the return period? Also, you need to consider this was the only option that was on the table. As for "when they are no longer new and perhaps damaged as well", again people are not stupid, if it was ever damaged in my hands, I would have been fully liable, just as I would if I return a damaged iPhone. How is this situation different? Am I supposed to pay a good sum of money to perform an expensive diagnosis when I was told there was no support any other way? BTW, Vivid takes back damaged drivers and repair and refurbish them possibly for resale anyway.

For people who think like you do, I hope you never have to return anything in your life. It’s also people like you, who encourages these manufacturers in audio industry to think they are "special" and not expected to perform to the same standard as other electronics makers.

BTW, I am giving away the speakers for free if you could arrange for pickup. Thanks, everyone. 

Anyway, I have told my story and I have moved on. I know there are not just ordinary consumers on this forum. People can make their own judgement. Will no longer respond in this thread. 

@henry201 You are wrong and you are twisting my words. Since when did I talking about returning the speakers. We are talking about the replacement woofer, which is treated as a new commodity, right? And just in my personal experience, I can name you a handful of manufacturers that do treat customers better. Again, not who you are or what your invested interest might be in, I am not responding to this kind of commentary anymore. And again, hope you never have to return anything.

Again, my point the replacement part is a commodity and is treated like so. You are not very bright, aren't you?