Schiit Mani - Sent in for repair, no response. Looking for rec's on a replacement preamp

@mulveling 

Thank you for your candid and succinct reply. 

As to their business name and operational preferences, gdhal, that's the thing about audio.  There are a 1000 other brands to select, nobody is forcing you to buy anything from anyone.

I took a chance on Schiit, ordering a Mani and a Modi Uber on their website.  I don't need to talk to anyone.  I prefer not to buy B stock with all of the abuse and nonsense some equipment goes through before a return.

Anyway, I liked them both so much I began to think I should have ordered a Bifrost.  I ordered one a week outside of the return window, then emailed Schiit asking if they would accept a refund on the Modi.  They said yes in 8 minutes.  Then when I got the refund, I  noticed that they had waived the restocking fee.  

Plus the Bifrost Multibit is jaw dropping.  They are a business with a small employee base.  That means they don't have to jack up the prices to pay for someone to answer the phone, talking for hours with someone who can't figure out how to connect something.  That persons has to write an email which takes much less time to answer.  

But again, if you don't like it, simply shop elsewhere.

@213runnin

First, my apologies to the OP (gloco) as it wasn’t my intention to hijack this thread.

To your points 213runnin, they do make sense, however, your experience is that of your own and the fact that it was/is pleasant of course shapes your response and feelings toward Schiit. I suspect you would feel/write differently if your personal experience was an unpleasant one.

I am not a customer of theirs. I’m a *potential* customer. So, to read not one or two but three (and I’m sure there are more, just haven’t found them yet) not only disheartening but different types of negative feedback, that is a red flag. Not to mention I have conducted and continue to perform my own do diligence.

As to your point of their being a small company and hence "they don’t have to jack up the prices to pay for someone to answer the phone, talking for hours with someone who can’t figure out how to connect something", this is not a realistic example. They do state on their answering machine that emails are preferred, not that call will be completely ignored. Out of courtesy and the desire to grow their - as you state small - business into a more profitable and larger one - presumably what they/Schiit desire - I don’t think it unreasonable to expect to be able to speak with someone, even if just to just hear a voice and nothing more.  

I can also tell you that I had a reputable dealer of audio gear in the business over 35 years call them to inquire about buying in bulk. They haven’t returned that call either. Hardly a connection problem, wouldn’t you say? Reason I asked the dealer to do this is specifically so I could be *their customer*, the dealers, not Schiit. Sad, wouldn’t you say? By all means, please pass this writing to your contact at Schiit.

Yes, I can shop elsewhere. I understand their products generally receive favorable and stellar reviews. Otherwise no one would care less whether or not they have product failures, honor their warranty and have admirable customer service. It’s only because their products are revered that customers and *potential customers* such as myself do care about other aspects of their business, beyond the product itself.

Frankly, the OP of this thread should be awarded a free upgrade from Schiit.

No worries, @gdhal - I received an email from Schiit that my Mani was repaired and on its way back to me.  This will buy me some time to research a bit more and look for a good deal on a replacement phono preamp, while the Mani will become my back-up.  

The lack of communication did burn me on Schiit- I'm used to receiving updates as I work in the IT field and this is how we operate...we communicate to the customer and provide updates.  

Fortunately, forums such as this one are truly helpful and I appreciate all the guidance I received.  

@gloco, you're welcome. You should know that I sent an email to Schiit, kind of on your behalf, which included the link to this thread. They promptly replied to indicate a customer service rep would look into it. I'm very relieved to read back from you that they have been responsive to your needs and are returning your unit (repaired). And, to their credit, I have been reading some posts on other threads with similar outcomes (i.e. they are responsive to email). While this is all great news, it doesn't take away from the fact that they really ought to have some telephone correspondence for situations that clearly warrant it.