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Class D Audio Brand does not honor warranty---AVOID!!

About a year and a half ago, I purchased a budget two channel class d amp from the internet company with the same name, "Class D Audio", and wanted to warn others of my bad experience. 

After about year of using the amp, I started to get static and other nasty sounds coming from my speakers. After checking and confirming that is was the amp and not any other components, I sent it back for repair under warranty. The owner, Tom, was my contact person, as well as the person that checked it out.

Tom said he found nothing wrong with it after thoroughly looking it over and assured me it was fine. After about three weeks he returned it, but it wasn't fixed. In fact, it was probably worse. After again checking all my equipment out, I was certain that the amp was defective.

I contacted Tom about the problem, asking for some guidance about what to do next, but he initially didn't return my emails. After over two weeks he finally emailed me and again insisted that the amp checked out fine. 
I said that I wanted to send it back, but Tom again took a long time to get back. In fact I had to send him several emails. When he did, he said he had a family problem, and that he was having a difficult time returning emails. I told Tom I was sorry for his troubles and to take a LITTLE TIME if he needed it, but emphasized that I needed this fixed asap. (It had been months now since it was fully functional.)

That was the last I heard from Tom. I emailed him a couple of times, with no response, so I've given up. He stated that the warranty is three years, but he he avoids customers like the plague if they have any problems.

His website is still up, so I don't think he's out of business.
Anyone have any idea what's going on,or had a similar experience?
This guy is a deadbeat as far as I'm concerned.


jonasandezekiel
jafant's avatar
jafant
20,529 posts
 
Thanks! for sharing your story- jonasandezekiel

it is imperative that we post both positive/negative experiences when dealing w/ these companies. Small or large, it does not matter if they do not provide customer service.
jonasandezekiel OP
161 posts
 
Map...I agree. Bel Canto is a high end respectable company. I'm sure they're much easier to work with. I was looking at their stuff, but at the time I just wanted a cheaper two channel amp to tide me over. I learned a lesson that inexpensive, internet only companies are a big risk. I'll never do this again. I grew to like the amp though, and 700 dollars is still money I don't want to throw out the window. 
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
For inexpensive class D amp for surrounds you can’t go wrong with Crown XLS series that you can’t go wrong with. Compare the reputation indeed.
frame11
12 posts
 
I want to 2nd all of BassDude's point. What I am hearing makes no sense to me. You really ought to make sure that it isn't something with your system / set up. I am a ClassD customer and have been since 2010. I started out with the CDA 250, just recently upgraded to the CDA 1000 (4 channels) and will likely add 2 more channels for an active crossover project that I am working on. I have had an incredibly positive exeprience with Tom and am very happy with his amps. He bent over backwards answering my questions and helping me get the amp up and running. He bent over backwards when I upgraded to the CDA 1000 ( he had me send my original unit back and he sent me 2 new amp modules that he matched at the factory). A few weeks later I blew a channel mucking around with the LEDs. He had me send the amp back to him and he fixed it no charge and returned to me no charge. This took a couple of weeks but communication was very good (as always). The two things that are consistent across ALL of the ClassD reviews that I have seen is that people are very satisfied with his products and very satisfied with the customer service that they receive from Tom..... in fact most are amazed at how responsive he is and the overal service that receive.
jonasandezekiel OP
161 posts
 
Frame...if you don't think he publishes only the five star reviews, respectfully, you're kidding yourself. I wrote a negative review on his site, hoping it would catch his attention and have him finally contact me, but it never saw the light of day. I checked just to be sure, but my review never made the cut. 

And if you read my posts, I checked everything to make absolute certain it was the amp and not something else. I emailed him and asked him to call me, just to be sure it wasn't something I was doing wrong. A fifteen minute call would have answered a lot of questions, maybe even fixed the problem, and been no trouble for him. But he didn't give a damn. I'm sorry, but that's terrible customer service. I was patient, I didn't badger him. Maybe that was my mistake.
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