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Manley Chinook

In Dec 2015 I purchased a Manley Chinook SE from Upscale Audio.  The box I received and serial number stated a SE version but it was actually the standard version.  Kevin D. asked if I wanted to return for the SE model and we agreed that he would send me the Philips PCC88 tubes instead.  This weekend when I went to the room for a listening session once I powered up the Chinook a loud hum persisted.  I checked all connections and they were good.  Changed the tubes - still hummed.  Changed the ICs - still hummed.  Moved to another audio setup - still hummed.  But, after being on for about 30 minutes the hum lessened but a scratchy/crackly sound could be heard in the background.  Yesterday I sent it back to Manley for diagnosis.  I estimate there is less than 20 hrs use.  When I bought this unit I did my research and felt that this would be a workhorse with no problems.  Has anyone else experienced this type of phenomena with the Chinook.  I have hooked my VPI TT back up to my onboard phono stage on my McIntosh C2300; as good as the Mc is I miss the Chinook.
miner42
mattmiller's avatar
mattmiller
1,479 posts
 
Minor, $80 is a steal for what they do to the Chinook, I would have paid three times that! well worth the postage fee IMO. Are we being a little nit picky???


Matt M
asp307
159 posts
 
@mattmiller how is $80 shipping paid for by the purchaser a ’steal’ if indeed he bought defective gear?

you said you would have paid 3 times that for what they do to the Chinook? You mean make it work as it should’ve from the jump?
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
Okay folks, I understand both of your viewpoints, but, remember what it was like before the internet?
You had to take the equipment to a dealer, have them ship it to the manufacturer, have the work done, then have it shipped back to the dealer, and finally receive the equipment back.
Though Manley, could have incorporated the shipping into the upgrade, I think $80 to ship it to them isn't a real deal breaker. Perhaps this thread will goad them to crediting you for the shipping, should the equipment be truly at fault.
asp307
159 posts
 
Gdnrbob, again, are we talking about an upgrade or are we talking about making it right due to a lemon? I have no clue but giving the OP benefit of the doubt, my comment about the customer paying for shipping only applies if and only if he bought a lemon. If his/her noise issues are due to cabling/emi/rfi or another issue that is for him/her to fix and Manley should not reconcile the shipping. I understand we are only talking about $80, but the unit I'm assuming was purchased for over $2k. Not the highest end piece but the results the OP has experienced could have been had spending much less (if indeed this is a lemon.)
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Seems to me this is the price of admission for buying over the net vs. from a B&M store.  Sounds like you are paying one way shipping and they are covering the return.  It sucks that the unit is not right, but that's the world we live in now.  Of course, if you want to go back to the day when your local dealer sold at full retail and gave you 10 cents on the dollar for your trade, well, then you probably would not have had to pay one way shipping. 

Now if you were a walk-in customer, Kevin should cover getting it back to the service center. 
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