Is Tom Evans Audio Design out of business?


Anyone know about the status of this company? I shipped him a Groove phone preamp for repair and upgrade last August (from the USA to the UK). I did this through a USA Tom Evans dealer. I never heard directly from Tom Evans but the dealer would occasionally give me vague updates. In mid-February, the dealer said Evans told him my unit would be shipped "next week." But now the Tom Evans Audio Design e-mail bounces back and his phone has a 24/7 busy signal. The dealer, a guy named Darrin O'Neill of Audio Limits in Colorado, now says he knows nothing and thinks Evans may be out of business. I have contacted other Tom Evans dealers and no one can tell me anything helpful. Fortunately I was never charged and have not sent any payments, although I offered to several times. The whole situation seems very strange to me. I only post this because I have a phono preamp that is unaccounted for and not much recourse. Any info or suggestions would be appreciated.
128x128ladok
I stumbled across this thread by by accident.Ive been looking to buy a matergroove,since inception.
A dealer whom I became friends with about 6 years ago, told me that he was expecting some Mastergrooves.In fact, he had sent Tom Evan a not inconsiderable amount of money, approximately, $16000.This was to help fund the build of the initial units.
Time past.A good few years.However, only a few of the ordered units ever arrived.Now 5/6 years later, many many calls and badgering Tom,The dealers order still remains incomplete.
Myself,I swerved buying a phono stage from Tom.Im a happy Weiss owner.
My dealer friend,has been rather good about this.Hes happy to believe Toms story about bankruptcy, and his promise that the units will eventually arrive.
Thats good news for Tom.My dealer friend,is a great guy.100% reliable and honest.However,he has a past.The kind that most people would rather not know about.
Not the kind of guy you mess with.Unlike the customer who tried to deny that he had his loan speakers.
Its suprising how being dragged from your bed at 3am, into the street can jog a memory.
I wonder how he would react, if he knew that Toms tales of woe and cash flow were smoke and mirrors,and that he had been taken for a mug just like the Malaysian dealer?
Some people are just too naive.Especially when and if the red mist arrives, and  only 100 miles away redemption calls.
Merry Christmas.

Tom Evans Audio is definitely still in business. There have been some problem but they have been overcome, as far as I know. I had the first and only pair (ever) of Linear B MK2 mono-blocks from there about eighteen months ago (they are truly amazing!) and I have an upgrade to my Master groove underway even as we speak. That said, yes, things do take a while, it’s a small concern with lots of upgrades and orders for new stuff from around the world. If you ever want to get in touch with them directly the UK number is 441443833570
I owned four different Vibe and Pulse preamps over the years and although I tried many other preamps, I obviously went back to the TEAD Vibe/Pulse multiple times, both as Tom upgraded them and for their musicality.  I never tried the phonostages (don't use vinyl) or the amplifiers (need more power) but I hear they too are very good.

All that said, IMO there is no excuse for slow or poor service with the technology available these days.  Other than the Vibe/Pulse, I used to think I would keep only gear manufactured within the USA but my excellent experiences with the extremely responsive Metrum Acoustics (DAC) and Antipodes (server) totally changed my perspective.
ciao Ladok
I've had the same issue a couple of years ago.. with a pair of cable it took me 1 year to get them shipped home. to upgrade my groove SRX it took him 4-6 months.. so keep trying