Viva, no longer a fan


Viva as a company has decided to abandon the audiophiles who engage in the used market.  I heard that the had implemented new transformers in there amps.  I emailed them directly 3 times over a 2 week period with no reply.  Finally I called and the knew who I was by name, surprised I was then told that the US importer would be contacting me.  Here is the mail exchange:

From: John Krupa
Date: September 21, 2016 at 7:04:52 PM EDT
To: support@vivaaudio
Subject: Fwd: Viva Audio

Totally what I did not expect!!! I was primarily looking to upgrade them to the new Quattro status as I understand there was an big transformer upgrade that I was willing do in addition to the voltage change. After the Bob Clarke email I was taken back and responded how I felt. I really am no longer interested in Viva as a company to do business with if that is the case and will blog the copy of this email to the various sites.


From: John Krupa 
Date: September 21, 2016 at 2:08:37 AM EDT
To: Bob Clarke
Subject: Re: Viva Audio

The Verona's are at my Girlfriends house in Manchester. I heard there was a new Transformer upgrade in the Quattro series, hence my interest. I have over $300k invested in my system and I have Sola CVS transformers providing both voltages hence it was only for convenience sake. Upgrades are and have been part of this industry that I have been a part of for over 40 years since I started in this hobby. Name the manufacturer and it hasn't been a problem. Upgrading from. Mk1 to a Mk2 or an SE upgrade. Weather it be BAT, YG, Plinius, Ayre, the list goes on and on, It's a shame that a manufacturer acts in such a petty way. I will make sure that I share this email on all the sites that I am a part of! It's funny but this I believe reduces the brands appeal and will drive down its resale valve hence the initial desire to purchase in the first place. This is an email I would have expected from a "name deleted" type. Now I guess Viva! No longer a fan!


On Sep 20, 2016, at 12:02 PM, Bob Clarke wrote:

Dear Mr. Krupa,

Viva Audio has asked me to respond to your request regarding voltage changes and upgrades for Viva Verona amplifiers and Linea linestage. Viva no longer services equipment purchased on the used market from anyone that is not an authorized Viva dealer. They do not make voltage changes, in order to discourage grey-market international sales. I would recommend using a high-quality, high-current step-down transformer, which, besides allowing the use of a European voltage product, will also have the beneficial effects that isolation transformers provide.

Best regards,
Bob Clarke
Profundo


Ag insider logo xs@2xvip428
Refusal of service on Grey Market audio gear regardless if purchased new or used is done to protect those of whom had purchased thru an authorized dealer. It is an attempt to protect brand value plain and simple. If someone knowingly purchases from the Gray Market, then its a risk that you accept when service is needed. On the other hand if purchased used, and the seller did not disclose the he bought from the Gray Market, then sadly you are stuck with no recourse. Good Luck! 
Not servicing used products unless purchased from an authorized dealer is overly restrictive to Viva owners unless they couple it with a liberal trade-in/upgrade policy.  In effect they are limiting the resale value of existing customers' equipment by strongly discouraging sales to third parties.

I understand their policy regarding grey market goods.

Viva is a niche player.  In all probability neither of these policies will hurt them in their intended market.  In the North American market you have to really want a
Viva to buy a Viva.
One of the things you give up when you buy used, is being treated by the manufacturer as if you had purchased it new. There are some manufacturers who, as a courtesy (Roger Sanders, Jeff Rowland, Loyd Walker, Nelson Pass, Ralph Karsten and others) go out of their way to offer their support to the user of their gear without question.  I'm not sure if those courtesies would be offered to me if I were overseas, or if the manufacturers sales were exposed to gray market competition.  

Read literally, the distributor’s note implies that the company will not service any equipment "purchased on the used market from anyone that is not an authorized Viva dealer." I wonder if they really intend to proscribe that broadly? Say you are in the States and want to buy a used piece of gear from a private seller (or even a non-Viva dealer who received it as a trade-in) -gear that was originally sold by an authorized dealer in the U.S. market. No service or support because the (used) purchase was not made directly from an authorized dealer? Even though the product was originally sold by an authorized dealer within the territory?
I do understand the grey market issues- and those are legitimate concerns both to protect the marketing/distribution system and the integrity of the product (especially if there are regional product differences that may involve legal compliance).
I like the ViVa gear I’ve heard. I doubt that the company intends to foster ill-will among existing owners or prospects. I’m not entirely sure of the facts in the OP’s situation--he says the amps are in Manchester (England?) and wants to upgrade and use them Stateside? (Thus the response from the U.S. distributor addressing a voltage change, among other things?)
If the gear had been purchased from an authorized dealer in one country, and the owner (whether or not the original purchaser) wanted to relocate to another part of the world, the customer ought get support. That would seem to have little direct impact on the grey market unless the customer’s objective was to "flip" the gear- but in that case, why bother with the voltage change? Why not just resell in the "foreign" territory?
My bet--the company might revisit this broad statement of policy to ward off grey market issues without alienating or limiting their customer base. If it is the company’s intention that all resales of equipment have to go back through an authorized dealer, that should be made clear. I had experience with this at one point with a car- I was required to sign a contract that said I wouldn’t "flip" it privately but if I wanted to sell it, must resell it to the authorized dealer--this was to prevent premiums for a then "hot" product that had limited allotment. I didn’t have a problem with that and the time frame was limited to a year after purchase. (Even in the case of cars that are built as "world market," there are compliance issues that vary by country, but that’s a separate matter).
I know that sometimes, posts like this are constructive, because they bring attention to a situation that has put a customer in an untenable situation. Sometimes, it is the communication process- frustration leads to annoyance which leads to unintended outcomes for both parties. My experience with big companies- and ViVa as far as I know is a small company (unless they are owned by a large operation) is that the wheels of bureaucracy are frozen and almost impossible to turn. Let’s hope this situation is clarified for all concerned.
Consider this. A customer purchases a product from the dealer and would like to upgrade it. The dealer and manufacture would have an interest in maintaining that customer relationship by providing that services at a very "reasonable price." That is the key "reasonable price."
On the other hand someone picks up a product used, perhaps abused, or modified. Should the dealer or manufacture offer the same degree of service to that person and at that same "reasonable price." I think not. 
I think that situation must be approached with a great deal of caution.