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?

 

 

128x128mijostyn

I found visiting the Reed Website a useful experience. 

The assessments offered by Reed on a variety of wood types used for wands are backed up with a data.of measurements. 

Their statement made about P'holz,certainly does not contain the term, 'suppose'.

I see no reason to question their findings. 

At present P'holz does not lend itself to being a Wand on the Tonearm I have adopted and am mainly using. 

P'holz does lend itself for usage on a Tonearm I am familiar with using, and the demo's received to date, far surpass the Metal on Metal interfaces of a earlier guise.

 

 

 

@mijostyn  : "  in terms of stiffness and resonance.  " the EPA 100MK2 is even better.

 

R.

@mijostyn Interesting cartridge connection scheme. Very similar to my own solution, except that instead of the cartridge on a plate, the cartridge is on its own wand, so that the cartridge can be matched to the appropriate wand. Also, VTA, VTF, Azimuth are all incorporated into the wand, so there’s no setup required - other than doing and undoing 4 machine screws and the cartridge clips.

Re sapphire - rigidity I’ll give you, speed of sound I’ll give you, resonance doesn’t seem at all likely. The sapphire tubes I have ring beautifully - i.e. resonate.

I was going to try sapphire until the pampas grass turned out so well.

 

@rauliruegas 

For the substances in equal caliber that might be true but given the Sapphires much larger diameter and tapered form I highly doubt it for the tonearms. Don't worry I'm not about to buy a Sapphire arm. I have my own thing going and you are never going to believe it! 

@terry9 

Schroder solves that problem supplying cartridge mounting plates of three different masses. Generally tonearms like the Reeds that supply a range of wands have an additional connection at the wand's base, so in reality they are no different than SME style removable head shells. 

@mijostyn  I wasn't talking about the Reed system, I was talking about mine. Wood or wood-like composite all the way. Similar speeds of sound in each material reduce reflections.

So what is your own thing?