Yes, it’s good to know with whom you’re dealing and how they deal with issues. The reputation for the sonic quality of the product has little to do with what it’s going to be like if there’s a problem.
I bought a pair of speakers from a builder who enjoyed a cult-like following on these forums. Hooking up the speakers for the first time fried one channel on my amp. It seemed obvious there was an internal short in the speaker but the builder at first resisted any implication that there could possibly be an issue with one of his speakers.
What followed was nine months of frustration. I shipped the speakers to him using his, very expensive, choice of shippers, but never got an update from him unless I called and asked.
First, the woofer was unavailable from his distributor, though it was a standard model Morel woofer easily available from any number of sources.
Then the issue was that the cryo lab had "lost" the new crossover. (I’d stupidly agreed to an upgrade as part of the deal.) How can you lose a crossover in a cryo chamber? Is a cryo chamber bigger than my microwave oven?
Other issues ensued, and after nine months I finally got back the speakers. By that time I’d bought a pair of DeVore Eights and when the repaired, upgraded, cryoed speakers arrived I was able to A/B them with the DeVores. No contest. At the same price the DeVores were dramatically better.
Sorry about this long rant but this has been irritating me for a long time.
I bought a pair of speakers from a builder who enjoyed a cult-like following on these forums. Hooking up the speakers for the first time fried one channel on my amp. It seemed obvious there was an internal short in the speaker but the builder at first resisted any implication that there could possibly be an issue with one of his speakers.
What followed was nine months of frustration. I shipped the speakers to him using his, very expensive, choice of shippers, but never got an update from him unless I called and asked.
First, the woofer was unavailable from his distributor, though it was a standard model Morel woofer easily available from any number of sources.
Then the issue was that the cryo lab had "lost" the new crossover. (I’d stupidly agreed to an upgrade as part of the deal.) How can you lose a crossover in a cryo chamber? Is a cryo chamber bigger than my microwave oven?
Other issues ensued, and after nine months I finally got back the speakers. By that time I’d bought a pair of DeVore Eights and when the repaired, upgraded, cryoed speakers arrived I was able to A/B them with the DeVores. No contest. At the same price the DeVores were dramatically better.
Sorry about this long rant but this has been irritating me for a long time.