Very Bad purchase from upscale audio Acoustic Zen Adagio


This was not my first purchase from Kevin Deal at Upscale audio. I am a entry level audiophile. My PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP and Dialogue Premium Preamplifier have given many hours of enjoyment. I have purchased well over 1K in tubes from Kevin. This purchase took me over the 10K mark with Upscale Audio. I am not a rookie to audio or tube amplification. I have had a successful tube amp repair and design shop since 1993. 
My concern.
Here is the description of the Acoustic Zen Adagio from Upscale audio's website.
This pair of Adagio's from our demo room are also the last pair of Adagio's in our inventory. The Adagio is such a sweet sounding speaker and is perfect for those who really like to get inside the music. The pair we have are in the stunning Figure Red wood finish. The baffle style is the original (and better sounding) non-tapered baffle, as pictured. Price $2499.00 plus shipping
Ok.
I called Kevin and talked to him on the phone.  I asked him if he would entertain an offer. I told him that I had seen the same speakers offered on Audiogon and Audioasylum for considerably less.
He said I am a retail store and back my products. He also said this and I quote " Those people are just guys in their underwear scratching their asses." I am a store.
I trusted the description of the speakers and I trusted Kevin.
Total price. $2839.  $2499.00 plus $340.00 shipping to NC.
The speakers arrived and I couldn't wait to unpack them and hook them up. The packing was great. My anticipation was greater.
Left speaker Tweeter DOA. The same speaker had a shameful reject finish.  The lacquer was so clouded you can hardly see the wood figure. The back of the speaker was loaded with black specks under the lacquer. These speakers are seconds, rejects. I sent Kevin Deal 4 emails referring to the fact that this really was a bad deal.  It has been 3 days and no response.
On the other hand Robert Lee ( Owner of Acoustic Zen)  responded immediately to my email asking for help with the DOA Tweeter. I sent it off next day air to him and today responded that it is on it's way back  to me.
Somehow Kevin Deal's Train ran off the tracks so don't ask for your money back

rbogartr
Well, at the end of the day I think both parties could have handled it differently, however bottom line, the OP got a pair of excellent sounding speakers, used (demo is used), with a list price of $4500.00 for $2839.00 delivered. If Deal pays him $300.00 that brings it to $2539.00 delivered. Now, in a followup post by the OP he says: " I figure I paid about $500.00 too much for these speakers." At this point, they are only 200 bucks apart. Seems like a ballpark deal to me.
rbogartr, As noted by Upscale Audio above, please call them ASAP and resolve this issue.  The ball is in your court!!

This issue should be closed.   

"At the end of the day"?

What difference does this mean, now?

There should not have been someone else, not involved in THE original purchase exclaiming, "at the end of the day"...

If the SELLER had been upright, from the outset, there would have been no need to have handled it differently.

flippinjaz,

Having my own business...I would not have had THIS issue to begin with!! Hel-oo!!!

So now Deal is saying he will give a full refund minus shipping or give a $300 credit? And that all the OP had to do was call him in the first place and we would have taken care of him? Then why was his first response at AA was that they were perfect when shipped with no offer for a refund and that he didn't know there was a bad tweeter? He also made disparaging comments about the OP. Yeah, he really seemed willing to remedy this from the start. NOT! Why didnt he test the speakers to make sure they were in perfect working order before shipping? The fact that he was remiss in fully inspecting the speakers before shipping dictates he should not only offer a full refund, but pay shipping. His initial response on AA speaks volumes about his character. He's gone from offering no remedy other than letting Acoustic Zen send a replacement tweeter to offering a $200 credit to his latest offer. For someone not following the thread he sure seems to be influenced by it. Let's hope continued criticism will get him to offer full restitution. 
slaw,  I am very sorry. The only point I was trying to make is that Upscale Audio reached out to its customer with a resolution and was trying to contact the customer.  rbogartr needs to contact Upscale Audio for a resolution. 

Of course, rbogartr can handle this any time he wants.  Since he posted the problem here and on another sites, I thought he was anxious to get it resolved. Hopefully, a phone to Upscale Audio is needed and postings here cannot solve his speaker problem.