A Story about a Defective Signature Platinum
Last week I was listening to music at a healthy volume while sitting at my computer. I have an auto lifter (Little Fwend) and after the arm lifted I noticed a static noise with occasional popping coming out of the left channel about 40 dB down. At first I thought it was a bad tube but it disappeared when I turned the volume down. It is in front of the Preamp. None of the other sources had the noise. Swapping tonearm cables did not seem to change the sound but then I noticed that the sound was also in the right channel just farther down. Disconnecting the tonearm stopped the noise. I change over to an MC Diamond, no noise. Same with the Atlas, no noise. Swapped back to the MSL, noise is back.
The cartridge is exactly one year old but it rotates with two other cartridges and might have 75 hours on it. I called the dealer who told me to contact MoFi distribution, the US agent for MSL. Turns out the cartridge only has a 90 day warranty and I was told I would have to send it in for a rebuild for $6000! Can't they just fix the problem for maybe $500, No. Can't I just send it in for evaluation? The stylus and cantilever are brand new. No, a rebuild is the only option and you have to do that through the dealer, click! Most very expensive cartridges have a 2 year warranty on them not to mention that most companies would cover such a defect even off warranty as in the absence of physical damage it is obviously a manufacturing defect, a bad solder joint or maybe just two wires rubbing together. This is very disappointing and as far as customer service goes Home Depot is better than MoFi, Sears is better than MoFi! MoFI is right up there with Anthem Blue Cross! The service rep could have offered to look into it. Maybe communicate with MSL and get their opinion. I am sure if MSL knew about it they would gladly fix it and actually be embarrassed. The Japanese are like that. There is no way I can find to get directly in touch with MSL.
$6000 is not an option. I am not going to throw good money after bad. I am also not going to off a defective cartridge on someone else. I am going to take the cartridge apart and reflow the solder joints and make sure the wires are separated. If that doesn't fix it, it goes in the trash.
Mistakes and defects happen, it is what you do about them that counts. MoFi failed dismally in this regard. MSL makes a fine cartridge but I would only get another one if they changed agents and increased their warranty. Obviously, I will avoid buying any other MoFi products myself and warn others about their customer service. I have no further use for the dealer who did nothing to help. I have had superb service from Musical Surroundings, Soundsmith, B+H Photo and the Cable Company. All handled issues with ease. Has anyone else had trouble with MoFi? What companies have provided you with excellent service when the sh-t hit the fan?
@mijostyn Good to hear that at least someone at MD is trying and willing to do the right thing. Pity that it took what was almost a public flogging to get that to happen. Nonetheless, I think MD were perhaps in a world of hurt after their MoFi One Step debacle and hopefully Davis and his ilk will soon be gone... |
@lewm Or perhaps the Ministry of Silly Walks (J. C. - no, the other one)? Glad to hear of it, Mijp. You deserved better. |
For the rest of us that follow, maybe @mijostyn could produce a listing of Do's / Do nots for the investigation worthwhile considering in preparation to buying a Cart'. The Bullet Point List, could outline learning about Cost from supplier, Cost from alternative sourcing, Warranty Terms considered fair on a Cart' of a Particular Value and what will be the best practices to be carried out by the Cart' purchaser/owner to keep it in a condition that is supported by the Terms of the Warranty. For those who stumble on this thread in the future and may have not read the, whole of its content, this summary if offered up by the OP, who has now certainly showed themselves as an authority on such a matter, will be hopefully passing on Pearls of Wisdom to the interested parties. Who knows the Bullet Point -summarised content, might even make ones grey day verry very blue. There is nothing like a good one liner, to get the audiences roaring with laughter. |
I personally think that law suite was silly. I have the One Step 45 rpm Countdown to Ecstasy and I have to tell you, It is as good as vinyl can get. Am I going to jump on all the others available? No, The problem from my perspective is that all of these re-releases are available as Hi Res downloads for $18.00 which sound just as good or better in most cases. This is my third version of Countdown. I got it out of curiosity. If you want to demonstrate vinyls potential, you can't do much better. |
