The Blue Angel Mantis cartridge

Congrats on the new cartridge David. Sounds like you got a bargain.

This pricing discrepancy is confusing though. Big,big difference between US$5k and less than $2k.

Hi,
So much for 'misconceptions'.
It did bug me, so I went to the source, ah lookie here, 5k USD as I'd recalled. Now don't hold it against me if I had recalled a web-quoted price and not some 'special deal'. Just for the record, and THAT when the USD was A LOT stronger!

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Model: Mantis
Category: Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price: $5000.00
Description: Moving Coil
Manufacturer URL: Blue Angel Analogue Audio SA
Model Picture: View

Review by mosin on January 01, 2008 at 16:41:04
IP Address: 69.246.183.42 Add Your Review
for the Mantis

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I had some contact with the maker, and found him reasonably approachable, OK --- but in NO WAY would he even consider re-tip a cart (not his own to be fair).

Go speak to Jan Allaerts (in Beligium) and he seems to go out of his way to be helpful, just for the record too!

I live in SA, just for the record also :-)
So our Mantis maker was just fine, for me to go the long way to Belgium, or Italy (some other re-tipping works) rather then me sending a cart from Johannesburg to Cape town for a re-tip, just for the record. I don't consider that exactly too helpful, sorry.

His cart will sound fine, as we have heard, and I will not say it doesn't ---- but 5000 USD in Jan. 2008 for a Alu cantilevered Fritz Gyger or not... (Allaert uses these too, but no way with an Alu-tube canti) that is asking too much, I say.
Since he seemed to have adjusted his price to less than 1/2 !! That's a story different entirely.
Funny thing is, living kind of next door, I'm not even sure he'd consider this kind of discount around here --- he obviously likes his US business, good for him.
Greetings,
Axel

Axelwahl-I'm having trouble understanding your...dismay...at the manufacturer of the Blue Angel being unwilling to repair your cartridge. Maybe he's too busy with his own brand to do repair jobs on other makes, maybe he doesn't feel qualified, maybe it's not part of his business model-or maybe, even, he *just doesn't want to*. Any of these reasons, or frankly no reason, should be fine. I don't expect Denon to repair my Dynavector-how is this any different? Or do you expect him to give you special service because you happen to live in the same country?

There are many places around the world to have a cart repaired-your criticism of one manufacturer to not meet your repair demands is, at best, odd.

OK, maybe you got a more 'intercontinental' way of thinking here.
In Africa (that's were this here places are) we're marching to a slightly different tune. Send your cart oversees be lucky to get it back at all, see.

That makes for a slightly different attitude. In any way the main point was, that I'd not been having a funny dream when 5 grand USD was mentioned. That added some more flavour to it all.
And lastly what makes Jan Allaerts, who sits on the other side of the globe be so helpful?
He dang well has his hands full building his own stuff also, right?

If you are fine with 'couldn’t care less' customer service, I'm not.
--- as much as I'd give my last shirt for somebody that does.
Let me tell you, people like Jan Allaerts aught to be mentioned for just that a lot more, that's all.
Some one that can, but won't fix my stuff don't rank THAT high on my list a favoured suppliers.
I think that's only natural, or?
Greetings,
Axel

Axelwhal-I don't know what to say. I've sent carts to VdH-a long, long distance away from Central Oregon, USA-and had them returned in perfect condition, in a reasonable period of time. I'm relatively sure VdH would be happy to repair your non-VdH cart also. Granted, I'm not familiar with the package delivery situation in SA, but from my perspective we're living in a time of access to any point on the globe, so I, for one, take advantage of that. Perhaps you should consider the same, and not call out your fellow countryman for "couldn't care less customer service" because he won't repair a cartridge from a different manufacturer. Frankly, your argument seems illogical to the extreme.

vaya con dios