2. amps-preamps
  3. 1358561468

Brand Longevity

I don't often hear about this. You see brands like McIntosh that has been around for 65 years so when you buy it you probably feel confident that you will receive support for years down the road. Maybe forever. What happens to say Ayre owners if Charles kicks the bucket? I don't want to be a downer but this has to matter. What about my Rogue gear? Should I send Mark a carrot and a workout DVD? What happens if a meteor lands on him? What's the game plan? Can I still get parts? Should we be asking these manufacturers about long term guarantees?

I'm seriously thinking about a big time purchase as in my last integrated until I'm collecting ss in 20 years. Where's my guarantee? Maybe I don't have to worry because hopefully there will be a technician who can handle it.
donjr
taters
1,149 posts
 
I liked the old days when you could call Leonard at Audio research and ask him a question. The last couple times I called you had to leave a message and hoped they would call back. If ARC doesn't stay consistent with their service I think they will lose customers. Even though I really like their gear I would not stay loyal to them if their customer service goes down hill.
audiozen
831 posts
 
Donjr..any reputable repair company can repair your gear on the condition they can obtain the schematic sheets from the manufacturer of the amp or preamp or other component's you have that need repair. Their are certain free audio electronic data services online where you can go to download the schematics on older gear. I have downloaded in the past schematics on older gear just by doing a schematic search on Google. Normally, only authorized repair companies get the schematics but if a company is about to tank, it should be no problem for you or the repair company in your area to obtain the schematics.
corazon
210 posts
 
01-20-13: Erikt

Thanks for the Mac link, was interesting.

Best,
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
So now I'm in a bad mood because this thread got me thinking about my Squeezebox Touch...there's nothing quite like an extremely successful item being abandoned by bonehead manufacturers.
p59teitel
312 posts
 
My system runs the gamut between one man band outfits (Ayre, Symphonic Line) and big corporation (Revel, a Harman brand).

Is there a risk that someday I could find myself possessing gear that is no longer easily repairable? Well sure. But the bottom line is you can't 100% anticipate the future and it's an individual assessment as to how to balance it against the present. My feeling is I could get hit by a truck next month, and then it wouldn't make a whit of difference if both Charlie Hansen and Rolf Gemein both choked on chicken bones the week after my demise. And if the wheel spins in the other direction, at least I'll have had the opportunity to experience the pleasure their gear provides, if not for as long as I might have wanted.
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