Melos Audio Restoration going strong...

I had repair and upgrades done recently by MAR on my MA 333 Line and Phono Stages. I am very pleased with their work as well as the level of courtesy and communication that I received. I would reccomend them to anyone looking to repair or upgrade their Melos gear.

Hi,

I just want to write that Will at Melos Audio Restoration upgraded and repaired my preamp and I found the craftmanship of his work to be absolutely impeccable.

I for one am thankful I sent my preamp to Melos Audio Restoration and would not choose anyone else.

Sincerely,

Tony Barbieri

I just want to add another voice to this chorus.

I have been a friend of Will since before Melos moved out to Las Vegas and I was one of the investors that lost a lot of money when Melos ultimately proved unable to make it. I also have known Jerry for a number of years since. They are both very dedicated people to what they do.

Will was the former chief technician for Melos and is one of the most knowledgeable people on all of the Melos gear. Will established Melos Audio Restoration several years ago to help owners by maintaining and modifying the equipment that he loves. His operaion in Las Vegas is really a labor of love.

Will works full time and Jerry works with him part time in repairing and modifying Melos equipment. When they take in equipment for work they give best guesses on the amount of time and the cost of making the repairs. They try to be accurate but unfortunately its an imperfect world and sometimes the work takes longer and costs more than they thought. While the equipment is in house Will and Jerry do their level best to find anything that is not working properly and they replace parts and repair areas that experince has taught them are potential problem areas.

I have had a number of pieces of my Melos gear modified by MAR over the last several years, including an MA-333R line and phono, MAX-1 and MAX-3R and a pair of RWT-70s. I also had an MA-110 converted to an MA-220 and an MA-220 Phono converted to a killer all-tube MC phono stage. Currently my MA-333 is back in their capable hands as a guinea pig for conversion to a completely balanced balanced all tube phono and they have a very old Triode 200 that will be upgraded to an MAT-180. Since these experimental pieces take far longer to do and to work out the bugs, I keep some spares (like to MA-220 pieces) around so I can enjoy my music while Will owrks his magic.

I have been to MAR many times. I want to tell everyone that sends them equipment that these guys are very, very busy. There are also a number of customers who have been less than patient and far too often they have had to interrupt their schedules to try to get pieces done to try to satisfy someone who has gotten onto one of these public forums and screamed about them. I want to tell you that you are not doing a service to others, you are doing a disservice. It maens that Will and Jerry have had to stop work on other peoples equipment slowing things down further.

MAR has also been plagued from time to time by the gorillas that work for a number of shipping companies. Twice my RWT-70s were shpped back to me and were damaged in shipment with wires actually pulled out of the borads and foils lifted due to rough handling. The boxes ooked fine of the outside but the damage was ovious when the covers were puled off. Will and Jerry have bent over backwards for me to correct these problems as quickly as they could.

I want to give both WIll and Jerry kudos for the work they do and recommend them to anyone who had Melos equipment that needs repair. There are a number of others who have popped up from time to time to "modify" Melos gear. There are none that actually undersatnd the equipment and deliver the goods like Will and Jerry. Unfortunately MAR is just a two man operation and this work takes time. You have to be patient and have faith but they will come through for you. It alkso pays to ask ahead of time what the work schedule is like befiore you send your gear. If they ae busy and all you want is a mod, you would be wise to wait and schedule it with them so you won't be without for longer than you can bear.

Dave

The positive feedback I'm reading here is in complete contrast to the majority. I have owned my SHA Gold Reference since it was new in 1998 and in that time have spoken to countless Melos owners. Almost anyone who has had the misfortune of having to deal with any incarnation of Melos, MAR or otherwise, has had problems. I would never trust my preamp to MAR because I have seen the work that has been done there. A better alternative would be to contact Carlo Flores. http://melosmods.netfirms.com/ His work and his ethics are impeccable.

I want to add to the acknowledgements that have been written in support of MAR. I own Melos equipment and I know that a service company like MAR is required for high-end equipment. I also realize that a service business like MAR can become overwhelming at times. Repairs, maintenance and upgrades seem to all come in bunches. Difficult repairs add to the workload. I know Will to be a very responsible conscientious person. His knowledge, skills and workmanship are excellent. He would not let a piece of equipment leave his shop unless it met or exceeded specs. I am satisfied with MAR and the service they provide. I encourage Melos owners to continue to use the valuable service they provide for Melos equipment. I will continue to use their service. Melos Audio Restoration, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I have never had to send any of my Melos gear to MAR. I sold my amp (MAT-180) a few month ago and still have the Maestro linestage. Since I still own a Melos preamp I am still interested in reading posts about Melos. Man it was good reading this morning. Thank you all. The passion and dedication for Melos makes me feel proud to own their equipment. I may never sell my preamp for this reason alone.

I have owned a Melos preamp for several years now. My experiences w/ MAR have been nothing but positive and the work they have performed has been of high quality and great price value. I first sent back my preamp (upgraded from SHA Gold to Maestro) to MAR when one channel went out and Will gave me a very good price on replacing the POTS and threw in some work for free that included replacing some gears on the motorized volume control that were not yet bad but just so I would not have to send it back for that repair in a few years. When a year later one of the POTS started causing me some issues Will apologized and agreed to replace the part for free even though it was well past their 6 month warranty agreement. Once I heard about their all tube upgrade where the MOSFETS were replaced by another board and two more 6922 tubes I was really intrigued and when Jerry quoted me a price I just couldn't say no. While it was in the shop I started thinking about having some caps upgraded and I was really floored when Will told me to send him any caps I wished and he would do that work for free as well! I sent 16 Auric caps in that were replaced on my unit for no charge and this had nothing to do w/ how the unit played, just that I wanted to hear what it would sound like w/ the caps in there that lots of people rave about these days.

My communications w/ MAR were all pleasant and informative. Once I left a message on the service MAR always returned my calls and took all the time I needed to speak to me not only about my unit but audio in general covering everything from cables and tubes to their philosophy on why they do some of the things they do (you know how we audiophiles can get when we get someone that will listen!) No, they do not answer emails daily as it is a two man show but they do I believe pick out one day a week to read all their corresponance and reply to them (spending the other days WORKING ON MELOS GEAR!)

I am in no way affiliated w/ MAR, just an audiophile that enjoys the craftsmanship and incredible sound one gets from some of the smaller companies in the field such as Omega Mikro, MAR, Elrod Power Systems and Audio Magic. I highly recommend anyone wanting to get into tubes to keep an eye out on Audiogon and Ebay for Melos gear as it goes for REALLY good prices and you can be comfortable in knowing that their is a company dedicated to making sure your gear can be properly served for a long time to come. THANKS WILL & JERRY! Keep up the great work.

Just want to add my 2 cents. Had my Melos Mat1000s upgraded at Melos Restoration and was completely satisified. Cant say enough good things about Will and Jerry. Keep up the great work guys. We are lucky to have you around to service these great amps! regards Doug

I would definitely like to third, and additionally say that I have known Will for a very long time (nearly 20 years). He has always been the consummate professional and of the highest integrity. I purchased my MA-333R6 preamp in the dark days where Melos build quality and customer service struggled because they were broke and had sold off the company to "less-than-competent" individuals. The preamp never worked and had made the roundtrip to Vegas 5 times (!). I was on the brink of having a (very expensive) hammer party when all of a sudden I read that Will was back in business and restoring equipment. I'm happy to say that he took these three chassis of expensive brand new scrap and for a few hundred dollars returned it to me in all it's glory. The preamp is an outstanding acheivement and I'm happy to say that thanks to the professioanlism and talents of Will and Jerry, my preamp is the crown jewel in my system and the envy of all who hear it! Kudos to Will for proudly polishing up the Melos name and restoring it one component at a time to it's rightful place at the pinnacle of high-end audio. MAR is highly recommended!!!

It's heartening to see the wealth of outpourings in the affirmation of QUALITY vs. COSMETICS.

Melos had always been that for me. I bought a GK-1 preamp in 1979! I still believe the genius of Porzilli's work (by the way, is he still in the business?) was SO ahead of it's time, that the very existence of a "Restoration" company, keeping this gear updated & alive is a near, public service.

By the way, on a purely tangential note, WHO is this "Jeff" that keeps insulting me with corny, 'Seinfeld-esque', 'nit-witisizims' anyway? He even cursed at me on this forum!

He keeps telling me "Your KIND is not welcome here" & "Your not appreciated here". Does he OWN Audiogon or something? Am I missing the point? He is. I was AT Melos, not just "in Las Vegas". I guess that went right by him?

Nonetheless, I can't seem to write without being attacked by this guy which I suppose is the downside of Free Speech but I don't think I should tolerate being CURSED at.

Advice please, should I report this moron?

Anyway, back to what this is about. I bought the SHA-1 in 1992 after hearing it better an LS-1 by leagues. At 1/4 the price! Will at Melos told me that the LS-1 & onward were largely solid state insofar as gain is concerned. The SHA was all tubed but in addition, "it utilized the tubes filaments in the signal path, augmenting the performance of the tube itself" (Did I quote that correctly?).

Some can pay for cosmetics, I, & apparently most of you buy sonics. Refreshing to say the least.

GREAT forum. So glad to have been alerted to it. High End (& Melos) LIVES!

I would like to second, and amplify, the enthusiastic and grateful acknowledgements of the Melos Audio Restoration folks' efforts. I can say unequivocally that in 20+ years in this hobby, and my fair share of experience with restoration/modification places, I HAVE NEVER HAD A MORE SATISFYING AND PRODUCTIVE AND EFFICIENT EXPERIENCE than with MAR. Sorry to shout, but Jerry and Will's work merits it. From communication, to pricing, to quality of service, to post-service consultation, to accommodation of my needs and preferences, they were the models of integrity, professionalism, expertise, and sensitivity. I would gladly refer anyone to them in a minute, and I can think of rather few other places I can say that about.

Bravo, bravo, bravo, MAR! All the best to people who deserve it.

Hey the MAR boys are right on.They did a great job on my Sha Gold Ref when I had It.They just finished a total upgrade on my 402 mono blks.They sound much better & are now reliable.Will & Jerry were first class gentleman.The work took longer than I would have liked ,but the end result was well worth it.So if you have any problems getting ahold of them write me.I have their #`s & have only good things to say about them.With out them we Melos lovers would be SOL so give thm the respect they deserve.That`s my humble opinion.
Luke Massey alais [email protected]

Discussion threads like this (even ones that unfortunately get heated) remind me why we (and I'm pointiing the finger straight at myself) need to be better at publicly thanking merchants for going above and beyond. We're all very quick to find fault and often don't say thank you as often as we should. I have had several great experiences with fairly large companies like Conrad Johnson and Martin Logan. I have been remis in praising Melos Audio Restoration for the service they provided me. They are a small company with Customer Service and Quality workmanship at heart.

I purchased a used SHA Gold preamp several months ago and suddenly it stopped working. I contacted [MAR] Will and he kindly walked me though several self diagnostic tests via E-mail. He was open and honest regarding how very busy they were and even though the Xmas Holiday season was in full stride, he was right there with me every step of the way; trying to figure out what had gone wrong. It was determined the unit needed to be looked at "on the bench". He was honestly concerned because the unit had malfunctioned in the first place.

The day after Will received it, I got a note .. "It's fixed"!!! He had worked OVER THE WEEKEND to make sure I had it back ASAP.

Thank you [Melos] very much for making my Holiday brighter by your heart felt determination to make a customer happy.

THANK YOU

As a long time consumer of Melos equipment I am surprised and saddened by the foolish tirade of Rlf. The MAR guys are sooo dedicated to righting the wrongs of people who let others fix Melos equipment. This company has struggled for some time to help keep the Melos line in working order, upgrading to higher standards of hi-end sound, and repairing whatever does go wrong with older equipment. Like any company around today- be it Krell or Melos- products sometimes fail and need repairs. I would note that the Krell repair section has numerous equipment repair techs and at my last visit OVER 100 EMPLOYEES! My last recall about MAR is TWO people. I personally know that Will works long hours to keep up with the demand for Mods as well as repairs. My MAT 1000's were the first units to be moded to the next and latest configuration and have worked almost to perfection; when a minor issue happened, MAR immediately directed me how to fix this minor issue and I have had a flawless run of great sound. "Mile high guy" is totally correct; you cannot come close- at the original price -
anywhere else in high end to what power these tube amps will give it's owner. Great dynamics, subtle softness, huge stage- it's all there. OK, so they run a little hot and you need ac in the summer. Big deal. As for the pho volume controls- a unique product design that was years ahead of its time. I know many Melos owners that have nothing but good things to say about MAR service. Granted they can be slow to respond but they are so overworked and try so much to please everyone that I'm amazed at your claims. It sounds like you dropped the ball in dealing with them- your posts do you no good and wrongly accuse them of pretty harsh things. Things that sound highly unlike them.

See above... obviously the lunatic fringe is alive and (sort of) well. Your rants are far from inspiring, thought-provoking, or appreciated here. Do your parents know you're using their computer rather than doing your homework? And yes Einstein Jr., I was in Vegas at CES again this year. I hear Best Buy has a close-out sale going on Bose, knock yourself out.

"Your KIND is not welcome" ???????????????????????????????

It would appear to me that YOU are the SELF-APPOINTED despot of the AUDIOPHILE COMMUNITY?

Or, just too spineless to accept constructive criticism?

That you for IDENTIFYING me as a "KIND".

What other "kinds" of people do you NOT ALLOW to speak in a public forum JEFF?

I guess you're God.

Or do you simply wear a white hood on weekends?

I for one, accept being WRONG & accept OTHER "KIND'S" opinions in hope that I may learn from them.

I had WONDERFUL experiences with Melos & I related them.

I offered MY OPINION that "a reader, writer" (& yes, YOU identified yourself, not I) wrote from emotions & NOT knowledge or experience.

After all, you TOLD THE WORLD MELOS WAS CLOSED based upon YOUR TIMETABLE.

I went to MELOS IN LAS VEGAS at the CES & guess what,

THEY'RE OPEN!

I guess "MY KIND", you know, the "kind" that based his opinions on EXPERIENCE as opposed to emotions & STARTING INCORRECT RUMOURS, is not welcome AT YOUR HOUSE.

Last I heard, FREE SPEECH is legal. LIBEL is not. I committed the former, you the latter.

Jeff, been to Vegas lately?

I thought not.

I would suggest that YOU owe MELOS, this FORUM, myself & other "kinds" of people who may not AGREE WITH YOU an APOLOGY. Melos in particular, DAMAGES for LIBEL.

Hey, any other "kind" of people out there that Jeff will disallow to speak? Good time to write before Jeff excludes YOU as well. After all, you may not AGREE with him!

themilehighguys

Mile high,

You're an ill-informed, bitter, self-important, pompous ass. Good thing you're a shill and not a regular contributor here, your kind is not welcome.

Melosaudiorestore
(Willard)

UNRESOLVED MELOS AUDIO DISPUTE:

My Melos Music Director preamp (last revision of the 333) was sent to MAR for repair of a faulty volume control in October 2000. Rather that repairing my Music Director, MAR switched my my preamp for an older design, the 333 Gold, which did not have the photo potentimeter volume control. The shocking part is that MAR pealed the serial number off the back of my Music Director and affixed it to the 333 Gold Reference that they sent in its place. They also charged me for a Solan capacitor upgrade along with other modifications which I did not ask for (I have all the original invoices if MAR is interested in copies). The unit that they sent also had several scratches on the faceplate and top panel. When I briefly listened to the 333 Gold that MAR substituted for my Music Director, the sound was dramatically inferior and unacceptible in comparison.

I called MAR to complain and Brant, the employee that always dealt with me, admitted to the switch but stated that it was an accidental mixup and that MAR still had my Music Director and would send it back to me. When I did get the original preamp back, the main circuit board had been switched for one that had very bad soldering work and the tube sockets in the main circuit board were dirty and had been damaged by a soldering iron. The volume control still did not work so the preamp was not repaired. Of interest was that I found that my serial number was mysteriously switched back to my unit. I called Brant and told him that I wanted my original Music Director circuit board back but he told me that MAR did not have another circuit board but would replace the damaged tube sockets in the main board for me. I had this done and MAR did refund my money for the upgrades that I did not ask for. It was only after that MAR switched my unit for the older design without the photo potentimeter that I was was told that the photo potentimeter could not be repaired since the photo cell which is necessary in the circuit had malfunctioned and could not be replaced aince it was no longer in manufactured.

I attempted to settle this issue with MAR back in 2000 but I was never able to get it resolved and was never allowed to talk with Will directly. At this time my preamp is still not repaired. I have taken it to several other repair shops but was told that it cannot be repaired since the photo cell is no longer made.

I believe that I was treated very poorly in 2000 that that MAR was not fully honest or ethical at that time. From replies on this Audiogon thread, it appears that MAR now practices better business ethics. If Will is indeed honest and sincere about providing his customers with quality service perhaps this can now be resolved and my preamp repaired to the original Music Director preamp specifications. It is really ashame since I did purchase this preamp new for $4300 but it is still sitting in my garage unrepaired at this time.

Bravo Mooncrikit. True character of an individual becomes obvious over time.

I also have had the pleasure of dealing with MELOS AUDIO RESTORATION. They did an upgrade to my MA-333. I was very happy with their little company.

Hope you enjoy your Melos.

Happy listening,
Paul

At the recent (January 2004) CES in Las Vegas, I PERSONALLY visited Melos Audio Restorations & can PERSONALLY attest to their annoyingly busy, but obviously functional phone lines ringing endlessly at the company itself.

I own MAT-1000s', an MA-333 & an SHA-1 ALL of which I've had modified by Melos to my greatest satisfaction.

The modifications are, across the board more "tube-like" & the gear is robust. I've not even suffered a tube failure in a year (since the last CES).

I am repeatedly appalled by the ignorance of the emotional 'audiphoole' to make assertions of a potentially damaging nature WITHOUT research prior to making the assertions.

One ignorant soul asserts 'the company is closed based upon his not being coddled to by telephone' as I read it.

Another, even more ignorant reader/writer actually 'applauds the ill-researched post' & suggests that 'Melos hire more personel to coddle by phone the average neurotic' & "just raise their prices"!

Obviously this individual has NEVER been in his own business.

I for one, prefer the quality/price advantages over the increased expense of having an "on-call" therapist to satisfy my blatent boredom & neurosis.

As I read it, BOTH these individuals need a full time job and/or, an SSRI.

A 3rd, insightful individual points out the IMPERATIVE nature of NOT posting conclusions WITHOUT research as it can be very damaging. He goes on to assert that "If I were Melos, I would sue you for LIBEL!" & I concur.

I assume it is the good will of Melos/Mr.Guering that finds you NOT in court (as per Melos' response)?

I suggest that a good forum is NOT the venue to vent one's emotions but rather, to post FACTS, not start RUMOURS.

Ignorant posts do us all no good. Not Melos, nor the audiophile community who could enjoy this extraordinary gear at exceptional discounts.

I ask you, WHERE can I get 400WATTS of BALANCED TRIODE power at these prices? WHERE can I get MC TUBED BALANCED PHONO at these prices? The SHA is STILL the best headphone amplifier in the world in my opinion & it's a 'gift' at these prices.

I am not willing to pay twice the amount Melos had charged me to have Mr. Guering act as my psycho-therapist. I assume as the head technician that his time can be better directed & the subsequently lowered costs forwarded to me? 8^)!!!

I suggest you up your dosage of Prozac & cease rants that may compromise the advantages a TRUE High End Audio company can offer the SERIOUS audiophile (Did you buy those $600 KNOBS at the CES with the 'Miracle Varnish' ? You'll need a fresh supply of Snake Oil to get them on the shafts!)

The above is my experience WITH Melos & AT Melos & I applaud & thank Melos for the opportunity to own some of the finest audiophile gear ever made, at a cost I could never have hoped for & the EXCELLENT support of the GEAR as opposed to my emotions.

themilehighguys

melos audio restoration restored & upgraded a PS 1 Gold for me about a year ago. the repairs & upgrade took about 2 to 3 weeks and the unit functions flawlessly. the quality of the soldering & neatness of the wiring is comparable to my old marantz model 7c and the packing & shipping were superb. i've no regrets about dealing with mar except that i didn't post this entirely positive report earlier.

Greetings from Canada!
First of all,I would like to thank
Willard Guering and Jerry for the top quality repairs on
my Melos 180 amp.There are negative comments that are not
true. The comments, if I would of, doesn't count in real life.
Melos Audio Restoraion IS a world class business. Secondly,
no communication is false. They returned E-Mails and phone
calls for me. Thirdly,Willard repaired and upgraded my amp.
This is called meticulous workmanship with a lot of care.
Also,it takes time for the new parts to brake in after
repairs and upgrades.The process may not be 2 weeks on
every piece of equip.On some upgrades, it may be less, it
varys.If,a part fails as it brakes in, it is not the fault
of the company.So,the quick service that most want in this
high paced world,turns into meticulous service.
Melos Audio Restoration is world class.

Gents,

I applaud Mooncrikit's character and eloquence, good on you. If I owned a service business that made my customers wait unreasonably long and was so busy I couldn't proactively communicate with them I'd hire more techs and train them under the watchful eye of the "guru". I would provide top quality repairs/upgrades with a maximum of two week turnaround times, and I'd go out of my way to communicate with my customers. I'd do all this and raise my rates to reflect the meticulous attention to detail and quick, caring service. After all this is Melos, not NASA.

Very well done.

Mooncrikit, I want to thank you for your retraction and explanation about the lack of "instant" communication reponses and the now, understanding of the difficulties we face here each day with a minimal work force and an incredible amount of broken or even "hacked" Melos Audio equipment that has been serviced by unqualified so-called technicians. We have been striving for the last four years since Melos Audio had closed and MELOS AUDIO RESTORATION opened it's door giving loyal equipment owners a place for quality service along with the experience of the original chief technician who worked for Melos Audio for 20+ years.

Do to the many different models produced and the amount of non-Melos service technicians, most units were not left in exactly the same wiring configurations leaving us here at Melos Audio Restoration to spend more time per piece than originally thought. They are, however, scrutinized, hower and not shipped back to the customer until all we feel all work is completely done, regardless of the length of time. We do apologize for some of the customers that have been waiting for longer times then were first stated but we are sure that after getting the unit back, you will feel that the extra time was worth the wait.

As for the company, we are open Mon-Fri, 6am-4pm, PST. Our telephone hours are very limited (6:30am-8am, PST) but there is an answering service that will get your messages to us which we return as soon as possible. Our fax is 24 hr operation at: (702) 248-7267 and email addresses at both:
[email protected] and [email protected]. We have a website that is continuously being updated and can be reached at [email protected]. We answer all emails on a regular basis as well as all phone messages.

Sincerely,

Willard Guering

Mooncrikit, Thank you for your public apology. There are many smaller audio businesses that cannot provide instant communication responses, and have a backlog of work, at all times. If Audiogon members want the good part of this audio cottage industry, which provides alternatives found nowhere else, then we have to give a little slack to honest entrepreneurs.
Admitting that your initial view was not accurate takes character, and allows Audiogon members to put Melos Audio Restoration back onto its accustomed pedestal.