Say you bought a speaker that retailed

[Kimo]

for over 7K, from a large, well known manufacturer, and pretty much right out of the box one of the drivers was not working properly, due to a manufacturing defect. Said speaker comes with a 5 year warranty.

 

How long would you wait for the company to ship parts and repair, not replace, the driver before you started to get annoyed? I am getting there rather quickly, but it might just be me.

[robbbby]

I don't think the cost of the speaker should have anything to do with warranty turn around. Whether it's a $500 speaker or $50k speaker you would expect the manufacturer to make good in a timely manner, especially with a defect right out of the box. I'd actually be more concerned about their quality control at this point, did they not test/measure the speaker after assembly before being packaged?

 

Who are they shipping the parts to and who is doing the repair?

 

Whether they are shipping the new driver to you or a local dealer I would give them 1 week to get things straight and get things shipped out on their end, and then give the courier 1 week. In my opinion it should not take more than 2 weeks after getting off the phone with their warranty department.

[Kimo]

I don't think the cost of the speaker should have anything to do with warranty turn around. Whether it's a $500 speaker or $50k speaker you would expect the manufacturer to make good in a timely manner, especially with a defect right out of the box. I'd actually be more concerned about their quality control at this point, did they not test/measure the speaker after assembly before being packaged?

 

Who are they shipping the parts to and who is doing the repair?

 

Whether they are shipping the new driver to you or a local dealer I would give them 1 week to get things straight and get things shipped out on their end, and then give the courier 1 week. In my opinion it should not take more than 2 weeks after getting off the phone with their warranty department.

 

You are of course correct, they should properly support their product no matter the price point they choose to offer at. Nevertheless, I would expect that in paying a bit more, my expectations might also reasonably increase.

 

It has been 2 weeks since I removed them per the importer's instructions and dropped them off at the local service center, but I am anticipating a wait.

[AudioDoctor]

You are of course correct, they should properly support their product no matter the price point they choose to offer at. Nevertheless, I would expect that in paying a bit more, my expectations might also reasonably increase.

 

It has been 2 weeks since I removed them per the importer's instructions and dropped them off at the local service center, but I am anticipating a wait.

 

Depending on the country the parts are coming from, you could be in for a wait. Getting the parts will probably be the longest part of the entire ordeal.

[wgscott]

When I blew out my B&W tweeter, they replaced it right away, under warranty, even though I was very explicit about how I abused it. I was very impressed.

[AudioDoctor]

When I blew out my B&W tweeter, they replaced it right away, under warranty, even though I was very explicit about how I abused it. I was very impressed.

 

Yeah but that part came from America with a funny accent...

[wgscott]

Yeah but that part came from America with a funny accent...

 

[AudioDoctor]

So, either a dentist joke, a joke about the english and their bad teeth, or you are telling me your part came from an asian country...

 

 

Am I right?

[wgscott]

All of the above.

 

B&W makes the speakers I can (almost) afford in the Worker's Paradise.

[AudioDoctor]

All of the above.

 

B&W makes the speakers I can (almost) afford in the Worker's Paradise.

 

I did not know that. The DM601s I bought off Craigslist a while back were made in England. I wonder when they changed that.

[Kimo]

Depending on the country the parts are coming from, you could be in for a wait. Getting the parts will probably be the longest part of the entire ordeal.

 

The part will be coming from Canada or Europe, so I am probably screwed either way.

[AudioDoctor]

The part will be coming from Canada or Europe, so I am probably screwed either way.

 

If from Canada, not too screwed. What part of Europe? If America with a funny accent, your wait should be over very soon.

[Kimo]

If from Canada, not too screwed. What part of Europe? If America with a funny accent, your wait should be over very soon.

 

Indeed, the Isles.

 

I appreciate your optimism. Nevertheless, it is a good thing that I have another pairs of speakers on the ready. I have, however, liquidated all my other excess equipment. One stereo, one car, one wife, two Newfy dogs. The only thing I would add now is another Newf.

[AudioDoctor]

Indeed, the Isles.

 

I appreciate your optimism. Nevertheless, it is a good thing that I have another pairs of speakers on the ready. I have, however, liquidated all my other excess equipment. One stereo, one car, one wife, two Newfy dogs. The only thing I would add now is another Newf.

 

On the bright side, you are down to only one wife...

 

B&W? May be waiting for the part from their supplier too.

[Speedskater]

Did they offer you a loaner pair of similar value speakers while yours were in the repair shop?

[Kimo]

Did they offer you a loaner pair of similar value speakers while yours were in the repair shop?

 

Actually the repair shop is in Cleveland. The repair guy seems to be quite knowledgeable, but hi end audio isn't their thing. More of a DJ place.

[Kimo]

On the bright side, you are down to only one wife...

 

B&W? May be waiting for the part from their supplier too.

 

Wrong Isle. They are big in Japan. Not so much in the states. I can see why.

[Speedskater]

Is the repair shop Empirical Sound?

[Paul R]

Were it me, I would ask them to ship a replacement pair of speakers immediately and at their cost. If they refused, I would tell them to send a pickup on the damaged speakers and refund my purchase price immediately. If they gave grief with that, off to the credit card company to dispute the charge.

 

Honestly, at $7K+, they should not be shipping a speaker with a manufacturing defect. Anything less than immediate no cost replacement would have me looking for another speaker manufacturer.

 

-Paul

[AudioDoctor]

Wrong Isle. They are big in Japan. Not so much in the states. I can see why.

 

OK. not making excuses for them or excusing their actions but perhaps they do not have much of a process set up to support their products in the US yet. That is the downside of buying things made overseas without much presence here.

 

Paul above me has a point too. If they are already causing a problem, you might want to reconsider their long term potential.

[Kimo]

Is the repair shop Empirical Sound?

 

Yep.

[Kimo]

OK. not making excuses for them or excusing their actions but perhaps they do not have much of a process set up to support their products in the US yet. That is the downside of buying things made overseas without much presence here.

 

Paul above me has a point too. If they are already causing a problem, you might want to reconsider their long term potential.

 

They have been around since 1926. Plenty of time to get it right.

 

And Paul, I thought that I was being rather accommodating when I undertook the process of swapping drivers to make sure that it wasn't a crossover issue and then removing them to drive to the repair facility. They seem to think that they are doing me a favor though by bothering to respond.

 

This of course wasn't a particularly easy task in this case, since the drivers are inset and flush with a nice natural cherry finish. I have some touching up to do now around the hole, but again not an issue for importer. My problem.

 

I can't see ever buying a product from them again, no matter how good they might sound.

[AudioDoctor]

Wrong Isle. They are big in Japan. Not so much in the states. I can see why.

 

They have been around since 1926. Plenty of time to get it right.

 

And Paul, I thought that I was being rather accommodating when I undertook the process of swapping drivers to make sure that it wasn't a crossover issue and then removing them to drive to the repair facility. They seem to think that they are doing me a favor though by bothering to respond.

 

This of course wasn't a particularly easy task in this case, since the drivers are inset and flush with a nice natural cherry finish. I have some touching up to do now around the hole, but again not an issue for importer. My problem.

 

I can't see ever buying a product from them again, no matter how good they might sound.

 

So not much presence or been here since 1926?

 

What company is it so the rest of us can avoid this horrible company?

[Paul R]

Never accommodate someone who wants your money and treats you like a sucker.

 

Refund time.

 

Think of all the other lovely choices out there in the same price range.

 

 

They have been around since 1926. Plenty of time to get it right.

 

And Paul, I thought that I was being rather accommodating when I undertook the process of swapping drivers to make sure that it wasn't a crossover issue and then removing them to drive to the repair facility. They seem to think that they are doing me a favor though by bothering to respond.

 

This of course wasn't a particularly easy task in this case, since the drivers are inset and flush with a nice natural cherry finish. I have some touching up to do now around the hole, but again not an issue for importer. My problem.

 

I can't see ever buying a product from them again, no matter how good they might sound.

[Kimo]

Never accommodate someone who wants your money and treats you like a sucker.

 

Refund time.

 

Think of all the other lovely choices out there in the same price range.

 

Well, I just sent an email off to the parent company. We shall see.

 

A couple of folks have told me that this is typical for this company. One said it is one of the reasons they have problems keeping dealers.