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Are High End Audio Products Unreliable?

I don't know if it's just my bad luck but since I've gotten back into high end audio in the past year I have purchased several components that have developed problems that I have never experienced while owning mass produced Japanese components of the 70's and 80's.
First was my Well Tempered turntable. Granted , it was old, but the design is so simple that it should be pretty bomb proof. That one got a lot better once I got everything dialed in, but what a pain in the butt just to get it there.
Second was my Lehmann Black Cube phono preamp, which developed a bad channel. Then it was the Parasound JC-3 phono preamp that was bad out of the box, but was replaced with a new one (no issues since). Next, my Cambridge Azur 840C CD player developed issues loading CDs (no other issues but this is annoying). Then I bought a Furutech GT-40 DAC that had noise when playing computer files through the USB (replaced with a new unit which works great). Next, I bought a CARY SLI-80 amp that was physically damaged out of the box but worked fine at first, but after a couple of weeks developed an issue with the remote relay and required me to send it back for repair. I got a new unit from Upscale that is working great.
I'm not a total hamfist who is hard on equipment, I swear. I'm super careful with my stuff, I run everything through power conditioners, and know how to set up equipment. I must be unlucky. Or have others had similar experiences as mine?
128x128snackeyp
jj2468
280 posts
 
Yes. I've experienced defects or failures with Art Audio, CAT, Tom Evans, Joule Electra, EAR, Kharma (minor) and PS Audio, and Sonus Faber (minor).

I've had excellent reliability with Conrad Johnson, David Berning, Air Tight, Technics (sp-10), Audio Note, K and K, Transfiguration and Sumiko.

That is about 50:50 and too high to me.
inna
7,132 posts
 
The idea that people should respect each other's money is an excellent one.
To defend Rok2id a little. There are many with more often undeserved money than perhaps also undeserved brains. Whether current hi-fi mostly aims at them is, I think, debatable.
cdc
1,678 posts
 
Almost every piece of equipment I have bought has been defective in one way or another. Thank God for warranties!
david12
1,454 posts
 
Some items certainly seem to have a finite life, particularly CD players, which as someone has already said, will always have laser failure after some years. Usually the laser is no longer made. That is something to consider if you are looking at a $10000+ CD player, without a laser , it is junk.

Secondly, I have had problems with valves, not tube failure, you expect that, but thermal damage. As a class, they seem to be hard on the electronics. Still love them though.

As an example of good service, my 4 year old TW accustic Raven one turntable had a problem with the motor recently and an unreliable switch on the power supply. TW suppied a motor and GT audio in the UK, fitted it and replaced the switch, all for no charge.
inna
7,132 posts
 
Megabuck German table with junk switch and unreliable motor? Are you kidding me? Thank you for telling us that. No TW Acustic for me. Ever.
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