VTL Service ??


I am considering buying an amp by VTL and have been told their service is very poor.
Do any of you have any firsthand experience with them??
Am considering their ST150.
Thx for your help.
jim
jim_gerace

Showing 3 responses by rickron51

Here's my experience with this dreaded company called VTL.  They do make good products but if you need help you are left helpless.  I am 66 years old and have been an audiophile for most of my life.  I am friends with many audio manufactures all all bend over backwards to help their customers except Luke and Bea.  They are the worst company that i have ever dealt with.  The worst experience i've ever had in this beloved hobby.  They are both rude and condescending towards me.  It started when my amp fried and they blamed the Penta Labs KT88.  They said it was the fault of the chinese tubes because the lands shorted at the tube sockets.  This was because they spaced the lands to close to another not that the tubes caused it.  So i had to send it back and they re-wired the circuit board with insulated wires to prevent this arching.  A thousand dollars to ship it back and forth and another 3k for repairs when a few experts that they know said it was a design issue that i had to pay for.  I could go on and on and have other stories and have read on Steve Hoffman's site that getting customer service from VTL and like getting blood from a stone.  I agree they are the worst company in the audio business. I recently had another problem with my amp.  I called for help on the phone.  Bea Lam told me to ship it back.  LOL  A 325lb crated amp.  Just like that..... ship it back.  No advice, no help at all.  I then got help from a noted tube amp expert named Da-Hong Seetoo and with a continuity meter we concluded the amp was fine.  My problem was my active interconnects were shot.  The Photon Cable (laser Cable) that were sold by Harmonic Tech.  I then requested a small plastic bushing for the top cover that is cracked but zero anse=wers to my email requests.  As soon as i got Da-Hong involved and didn't ship it back to Cali Bea disowned me.  IMHO, do not buy products from these two people.  One is worse than the other.  Rick
they truly seem to either hate their customers or the just hate life. And it's not just Bea Lam. You think she's terrible and rude then you find out that Luke, her husband is much worse. Stay away unless you want a bad experience. I have a VTL Amp and know i can't get service when needed withOUT getting verbally raped

edited
I hear you and I'm glad you're experience was good but there is just no reason to be nasty and condescending towards a customer for any reason..

There's a blog somewhere on the net titled "Getting customer service from VTL is like getting Blood from a Stone" 
You are one of the lucky ones.  I asked Bea why i'm being treating this way.  I asked "why do you and Luke hate me so much"  I told them i was a loyal customer but zero replies.  I'm done.  They don't deserve my money.  There are too many nice and appreciative manufactures out there.  I've never heard this type of stuff from any other companies in 40+ years of being an Audiophile