Uber expensive repair at United Radio

OP I can't believe people's responses to you, you've stated the facts and yet others just don't get it. I wish you good fortune and many happy years listening to your repaired amp.

@rsf507 +1

Thank you for your good words. I’m currently listening some music on my system and enjoying what I am listening to. I guess my grudge will be amortized over the next few years of musical enjoyment without any gear failure.

Ok guys, I presented my case and thank you for the discussions. I’m out and will not post any additional comments, since there is nothing new to discuss/debate. I have appreciated the majority of your comments. I just need to enjoy the music now!

$1,900 strikes me as very excessive. Full stop. 

I had an experience with Soundsmith several years back. They wanted $800 just to do “diagnostics” on my preamp that needed a repair, a fee which was not going to be applied to the repair itself if I went ahead with it, as is customary with many vendors. 

I already knew what the problem was: a soldered wire had come loose during my move from NYC to The Hudson Valley. I gave them that information, with the instructions that I simply wanted the wire resoldered. No matter: I still had to pay the $800 diagnostic fee. 

I went to the hardware store, bought a soldering iron, and did it myself. The unit worked fine afterwards.

I have uncommon gear, but the amps, the table are made in the northeast so when in need of repair, I can drive them to the people who actually built them, and the speakers were built in Oklahoma but there’s an authorized repair service in NJ.