Music Hall and Roy Hall. This site would never let me say what I think of him.
Tell us your worst audio dealer or mfr. experience.
Please tell us the worst experience you've had with a Dealer, Manufacturer or both and what actions were needed and what the outcome was.
I'm sure there are many interesting horror stories.
Interested to hear all.
I'm sure there are many interesting horror stories.
Interested to hear all.
80 responses Add your response
GUY'S I got one better!! So i have 2 VTL Deluxe 120 mono power amps and i was concerned about them being on and wanted to send them back to VTL for any updates for safety concerns, then i started to get a bad humming from the amp, so i said ok let me give VTL a call. Man i got the RUN AROUND FROM HELL FROM THE OWNERS WIFE I think her name is Bea Lam operation manager of VTL, so i explained to her what my concerns were and that I needed the amp repaired so she told me that they don't have any paperwork for this amp to work on it. then she asked me did I have the amp MODDED and i said no, then she told me to take the bottom off the amp to PROVE IT TO HER!!! so i had to take pictures of the bottom of the amp and attach the pictures in a email, then she said she is going to china for a week and she will get back to me after her return, YEAH RIGHT heard that before, so i called her then she acted like she forgot about the conversation we had, OK so now i heard from her during the conversation that production is starting up and she don't know if she can do anything for my amp's But i can send them to her and and would have to go on the web site and start doing the PAPER WORK, so the paper work is like buying a new home and everything in that VTL contract is to protect VTL and not your interest the CONTRACT is 3 pages long and i think you have to pay a fee i think. long story short a old tube guy fixed the humming problem it was a bad switch. I WILL NOT BUY FROM A COMPANY THAT DOES NOT STAND BY THERE PRODUCT FOR REPAIR. |
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The "Red Flag" to me was and always shall be, any dealer who, in discussing your present system, outwardly bashes it is a dealer to avoid. If he/she points out characteristics of your gear that he may be able to improve upon, without being demeaning about your present system in the process, is someone who may be worth working with. |
Audiofreaks is the stuff of legend in the uk. In fact Roy Gregory once had to answer a post about his bias to their imported components once. Hand in hand with that is the audio consultants - 15 years ago the owner was really rude and patronising and dismissed me as a time waster - over 20,000 worth of kit and 15 years later I saw him at a show trying to get me to buy kit off him - I politely said his equipment is great and would have bought it but for the way he was to me in the past and whilst he did not remember me I remembered him. He was surprised and belatedly apologetic... |
Odyssey Audio. I had wanted a Stratos amp for a long time. When I finally succumbed to the hype ( big mistake) it was an awful experience. I had hum, spurious noise and static noise from the Stratos, the Tempest and the newly designed Candela. Klaus was awful at getting back to his customers. It did not take weeks or months to get the gear fixed, it took well over a year. He was condensending, rude and dismissed my problem to power issues in my house. Later I found, on his own forum, there were many issues with his Tempest models. The same problem I had with mine. Eventually he bought the equipment back, at a big loss for me! I refused to sell his junk to someone else. I do not know why he has so many fans... |
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My stories are mild in comparison to some I have read here. I say mild because it didn’t cost me anything. There is a Paradigm dealer in my State that has a pair of Paradigm 9H’s on the floor. I had read a lot about this speaker and wanted to hear them. I called in advance to let them know I was coming and they were very accommodating. When I arrived, I was told that it was the "audio" guy’s day off (they sell other products) but they could allow me to hear them. After much fooling around with equipment and trying to figure out the software on their store system, I was able to listen to a download of a live concert. The quality of the feed was obviously not up to the task of demonstrating these speakers. My system would have blown theirs away and I paid $3000.00 for my speakers.....used! As I recall, in the past they had a pair of Revel Salon II’s connected to the same system. I remember thinking after the listening session that I really appreciated my system. Obviously the house system they are using is not capable of demonstrating the quality of any speaker. If I were Paradigm I would pull the line from them. No one would pay the asking price of those speakers based on how they were presented. Thankfully as I stated, it didn’t cost me any money. My other experience was with a dealer who represented a line of amplifiers. The "problem" is, the amplifiers are not inexpensive and the owner ran his store more as a hobby than a business. He did not have any of this manufacturers amps in stock so it was impossible to listen to them. He would be happy to order one for me based on his verbal description of its performance however. Needless to say I declined. I contacted the factory Rep. and was allowed to purchase product from an out of state dealer who was very helpful and had product in stock. I didn’t get to listen to it but was assured I could return it if I wasn’t happy. I would love to support a brick-and-mortar local dealer if I could listen to the product I’m interested in AND it was presented in a manner that the product deserves. |
I count myself as pretty lucky. I have never had a bad experience with either a manufacturer or a store. I bought my first hifi gear 40 years ago, and yes, there have been a few repairs now and then, but everything has been handled very well. This has also been my experience across other industries too. Once I sent something in for repair. I received a phone call telling me my item was accidentally damaged. They were very sorry and asked if I would accept a new item in its place. Only once did did I have a bad vendor experience - 16 years ago in buying a refrigerator. I wound up suing the store because they refused to refund an overcharge. |
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@lowrider57 my cd2s was a demo piece. I bought it from USA tube audio themselves. You should be ok. My sale ran smoothly and the guy was nice at first. Then the problem came with the remote. Then I felt like he could have suggested something with a warmer signature but he flat out did not care because he got a 4000 plus sale and didn't care about getting me taken care of. It is one of the things where I learned that some folks don't care in high end. Would be careful from this point on. |
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David Wasserman of Stereo Exchange in NYC demonstrated his commitment to keeping a customer when he assisted me with a problem I had with my brand new McIntosh MC275 Mark VI amplifier. Nothing more than a bad tube, but McIntosh customer support/service treated me as though I were an inconvenience. This will be the last piece of McIntosh equipment I will own. Stereo Exchange will sell me my next amplifier. Soon! |
Avatar Acoustics shipped my AMR CD77.1 back to me by UPS and it was broken beyond reasonable repair. Even though the shipping was at my expense, Darren sent it uninsured. He was completely unwilling to take any responsibility and became petulant and offended that any compensation should be offered. When I offered to contact AMR to see what they were willing to do, he accused me of going behind his back (?!). AMR was reasonable, offering me a heavily discounted DP777SE when they were released. It took a over a year and it was still more money out of my pocket, but AMR was pretty stand up about it. Darren left all communication to first his wife, then his assistant. To be fair, he had been very informative and helpful for years up until that point. When he had to step up as a reasonable seller, let alone dealer and national distributor, he was full of excuses and misplaced indigence. Really outrageous and disappointing behavior. There it is...my worst experience by a long shot. |
Years ago I was shopping speakers for my sister and her husband. I called Fidelis AV in NH on a pair of used speakers for info and schedule an audition. The salesman said speakers are boxed, he doesn't want to take them and set them up for an audition. Then said internet buyers don't need to audition before purchase so why do need to? If they don't sell in 3 or 4 weeks, then I'll take them out for you. I was SHOCKED! Fidelis AV has moved several times in NH since so not sure if the salesman still works there. Recently I decided to replace all my PCs and emailed 2 local BM (MA and NH) for Shunyata Sigma/Alpha to demo. They never replied and loss out on $15K+ of sales. No plans in trying to support local BM any longer. |
Avatar Acoustics. Far and away. Returned an AMR CD77.1 after repair and mods to me and it arrived damaged beyond repair. I asked to make a claim with UPS and Darren told me he only insured it for $50. He had charged me for the shipping...my bad, I thought it would be insured(!?). He them tried to guide me through repairs. Things kept going wrong the machine over the course of weeks and I suggested he provide some compensation towards a new machine. He flew into a petulant rage, full of a wide range of excuses and took absolutely no responsibility. When I suggested we speak with AMR, his petulance took on a new, more vibrant hue and he declared he would no longer deal with me after we had both contacted Vincent Luke at AMR. VInce was amazing and generous. He offered to settle for Darren by providing me with a new DP777SE at a significant discount. After a little under a year, the first SE was sent to Avatar. Darren kept it "for shows." Vince thought it was meant for me. Darren had turned communications onver to his wife, then his assistant, myself, and Vince. After a year, an SE arrived. I listed it for sale unopened since, In the meantime, I purchased an Aesthetix Romulus, had it modded at the factory and was (am) enjoying it quite a lot. Besides, I had (have) no interest in dealing with Darren ever again. VInce thought listing it right away shed a bad light on AMR and suggested Avatar sell it for me. After 6 weeks of no movement, they passed it back to me.... Without a transferrable warranty, I opened it and it didn't work. It was suggested by Avatar that I check fuses, etc. No thank you! I at least still had the warranty. I returned it, it was a simple fix with the 240/120 switch in the wrong position, but I took my money back and let them keep it. Never an apology, never a moment of taking responsibility. I'm still both shocked and dismayed. Prior to this, Darren had been very generous with his time and knowledge, but when it came time for him to step up as a responsible seller...let alone dealer and national distributor.. he not only disappeared, but aggressively avoided taking any responsibility whatsoever. AMR UK was amazingly standup even though it wasn't their responsibility, but why they would keep Avatar onboard with this kind of behavior is beyond me. Steer clear of Avatar would be my advice. |
I was also in CSA in about 2012, walked in one day during the week introduced myself and said I was speaker shopping. Could not get the guy to get off his chair and come around the front counter. Went upstairs looked around by myself, asked about the speakers- can't remember the brand. Answered my questions, never got up so I left. It was not an owner. I later e-mailed the owner to inquire about a Shindo preamp and never got a reply - maybe he did not get it, certainly possible. But that was it for me. I have had too many good experiences to chase down unpleasant ones. |
It's not really a bad experience but a frustrating one. I called one of my dealers (name withheld because it is not so bad) to suggest a cartridge for my tonearm - that I bought from him a while back. Said on the phone, I will get back to you. 2 weeks pass and I call another retailer who carries my arm and table, talked good options and bought one on the phone. Never heard back from the other, have bought several things from him over the years and there always seems to be a delay or snafu - no sense of urgency. When an audiophile is ready to buy it is time to sell him something! |
I don't recall the name of the person I dealt with - but it was one of the owners. Certainly, it's fair to note that the store's ownership has changed, if that's true. But, I've since found other audio stores who have earned my respect and business, so there's no reason at all for me to return to return to CSA. |
CSA Audio, Montclair, NJ, 35 years ago. Paid in full for an Audio Research RPR-1 with faceplate that they were to order for me. Weeks passed and when I called them, they gave me hassle and excuses. I went to the store, and when they finally admiited they hadn't ordered it yet and couldn't give me a delivery date, I asked for a refund. Mind you, I was as polite as could be. They asked me to leave and when I repeated my request for a refund, they called the cops! I then called ARC and had the unit - it was the last they had - shipped to another ARC dealer. (Audio Advocate in Millburn.) CSA did finally refund my money. I never did business with them again. |
Do a search on PurePower in these forums, you will get all the details regarding their product and service. For years, all the magazines and industry heavyweights have pushed why we should support brick-and-mortar retailers. Well, I purchased a turntable from this well-established dealer in Hawaii. The whole experience was terrible, and the guy just give empty promises one after another. I ended up hooking up with another dealer just so I could buy parts that were missing and get broken parts fixed to get it to work. I had filed against both with Better Business Bureaus and Consumer Protection Agencies, but they both have no power whatsoever. FrankC |
According to one source Johnny Boey, the self styled Audio Pimp, was supposedly on the wanted list by NY and Louisiana not long before he vanished after MSS Hifi was shut down. Back in 2003 he was arrested at his home but somehow got off, although according to another source he had done time behind bars at once or more for other things. Slippery character to say the least and the last person I'd ever want to do business with. To those of you who did, what were you thinking? |