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What is the right thing here................

Thanks for pitching in.

I have been buying, selling, and upgrading for about 2 years now. I have done so with very few issues, although, tough for anyone to say no issues. This deal was not made from AudioGon, but I would like your years of experience as help.

This problem is about ethics, more than anything.

I had a set of B&W 801 Anniversary edition speakers.
Great physical shape, with no problems. Used for about a year, I had been running them with a McIntosh MC-352, a Citation Audio 7.1, and until they sold last week, a Jeff Rowland Model 7. They had performed flawlessly the entire time.

I bought them from the original owner, a person (a local dentist) that replaced them with Wilson Slams.

Anyway, he informed me that he had to have the dealer replace a sub driver when one blew in 1994/5. No problem, I suppose that happens, althought I have not experienced this situation.

Someone locally wanted to buy the speakers, and I told them to come look, and listen. He refused to make the drive (an hour, tops) from San Jose to Orinda, DOT. He didn't have a car, then the car he did have was broken down, then he didn't have time, etc. Since I didn't want to lift them by myself, I would not deliver them, which for something lighter, I would no problem. An hour seemed like nothing to insure your $2,500 investment, right?

He wanted me to have a company ship them, so I did. They picked them up, and drove them to SJ. Like any other transaction, I was prepaid, $2,500. Fair for the speakers, with stands, both in great shape.

He called me the NEXT day and told me the speakers were blown, the subs. He said it was blown and there was no way for me to know, it was so minor and that he pushed it over the edge, or some garbage like this. He has a Krell KAS amp (a large amp he explained). When he removed the drivers, he said one was not even the matching driver. I had the grills on the entire time, and have NEVER had a problem with the drivers at all.

The speakers worked fine for a year here, and they worked when he got them. Granted, the different driver thing seems wrong, but, the question is this:

He has asked me to either cover the cost of new drivers or return the speakers for a full refund.

I know what my thoughts are, what are yours?

Trying to be the honest individual I am,
Dan
Ag insider logo xs@2xporschecab
sean
6,231 posts
 
Cover the cost of replacing the damaged drivers and then change your email and phone number when all is said and done. Otherwise, I think that you will find that this guy is a certified "P.I.T.A." in the long run.

Before agreeing to do so, i would make it clear to him that the speakers were fully functional at the time of delivery. Not only that, there is no written or verbal warranty that covers physical or electrical abuse. Big amp or not, it is pretty tough to pop a good quality woofer unless something goes haywire. As such, you will be a nice guy and cover his idiocy on this one occasion, but that you better never hear from him again.

After this, learn your lesson about dealing with idiots that are too busy to care about anything. The only reason that they don't care is because they don't take responsibility for anything. As such, it's easy to blow things off and let someone else worry about it. Trust your instincts and abide by them. God gave them to you for a good reason. Sean
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bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
You never had any problems so assume that both the woofers were good when you sold them. Now BOTH are supposedly blown out in one day? I would cover for HALF of the non-matching driver only, at best, if even that. No labor or shipping either.
tweekerman
473 posts
 
Hummm..I don't know what this guy's game is but if you feel confident that you sent him good quality speakers (ie. not on the verge of a "blown woofer") then i would let him sweat it out a bit. Let him huff and puff. But like Sean says you may find him a "P.I.T.A." in the long run. New woofers are probably going to be like $400/pr. For me that's alot. If you got to dig deep for this kind of money make him a final offer to pay half. Another alternative is to have them shipped back to you (he pays shipping) and i can offer you some suggestions on using the cabinets for a new driver "kit" selection. I am finding out as well there are all kinds of people in this world. LOL
unsound
7,330 posts
 
If the amplification he used was within the speaker manufacturers recommendations, then I agree with Wloeb.
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porschecab OP
336 posts
 
Thanks so far. The drivers are $600 per pair he says. Odd, when I call B&W, they are $500 each. Maybe he is a better negotiator. Either way, $600 is alot of cash.
I feel that one driver being from the Anniversary series, and the other from the 801F or 801 80 series is wrong.
I might, might being the key word here, be willing to go that route. If I had been given the choice, I would rather refund his money completely, take the speakers in the condition I sold them to him back, and start over. They have no value to me with blown drivers, and $600 doesn't seem fair.

Other opportunities?

D
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