Sonicbeauty, I own/have owned several Classé components, and have communicated with their customer service department many times over the years. I have never failed to reach anyone at the factory by phone when I needed to, and have always had someone reply to my e-mail messages in less than 24 hours, and typically within 3-4 hours. I can point you to a number of Classé owners who have nothing but praise for the company's excellent customer service. You can't damn a company by your one negative experience.