Has Nordost forgotton who pays the bills?

Caveat emptor +1

NORDOST authenticated my FREY ICs 3 months ago when I requested a proposed factory OEM retermination of XLRs to RCAs
i had to supply detailed pics, pics of the OEM packaging, close-up pics of the branded serial number, and disclose the dealer I bought them from …. No problem … fast and courteous.

I suspect they want to discourage the tsunami of POS fakes in the markets coming out of primarily China and also some from Eastern Europe.

which leads me to the corroborating comment provided to me directly by CARDAS. Guarantees of authenticity by them requires an actually hands-on OEM examination with a removal of the connectors and detailed fine inspection of the actual cable and dialectic, sheathing etc.

I was interested in a pre-owned CARDAS CLEAR BEYOND power cable listed on REVERB by a an alleged dealer with no COA available. . CARDAS looked at the ad for me and unequivocally verified from the pics that the connectors were clear cheap aftermarket fakes ( but good looking fakes …) and that the cable was an unknown without the detailed steps highlighted above. But who the hell would put replace OEM connectors with cheap fakes on a bona fide cable? ‘Nuff said . I informed the seller of the CARDAS review who went radio silent on me … and to best of my knowledge, still did nothing to change or revoke the ad. CARDAS informed me that the alleged “commercial dealer” was not on their current approved list and was operating on his own .

BUT Wait for it …. the next comment to me was very telling …

CARDAS informed me that their recent experiences dictated that 25% - 35% of all of CARDAS high-end cables offered for sale on the major audio forums and aftermarket forums are nothing more than clever and arguably impressive looking but clearly inferior cheap POS FAKES.

YOUR TAKEAWAY: …. pushing 1 in 3 (rounded up) are potential cheap crap build quality and inferior crap performance POS fakes … hmmmm ….
Do we still feel lucky and feel rewarded today trying to save a few scheckels on a whimsical, fleeting, or potential illusory hope? Or will we now only buy from ,
(a) a registered dealer, ( for both new or pre-owned models), or,
(b) at a minimum, deal only with a forum member listing with a lot of positive reviews that also cheerfully provides the listed cables with their OEM packaging and the OEM Certificate of Authenticity ( COA) ?

I wouldn’t touch a listing anymore that wouldn’t meet these standards .

This may be a little off the subject, but i think it ties in.  I always buy used equipment and have had great success dealing with companies even when I didn't purchase from them.  Two examples are as follows....I bought a Quad 405 amp several years ago and the transformer went bad. I called Quad and they offered to replace it free if i paid for shipping.  I still use the amp as a backup today.  I recently purchased an Ayres V-3 and stupidly crossed speaker cables while the amp was on.   I thought i blew a channel so I called the company in Colorado.  They took the time to give me a history of service and modification done in 2008.  They  talked me through troubleshooting the problem, and even sent me free parts so i could fix it myself.  I have to say I'll probably never buy new products from Quad or Ayres, but I really respect their customer service even if I was not a first time buyer of their products.





  

I recommend buying from authorized dealers or members with excellent feedback.  However, It seems that US companies producing audio cables/components have no choice but to provide a verification service. They must protect their brand. It is a reality of the world we live in. If not, that actions of countries like China are going to hurt their businesses. 

Good way to trim fat off the steak, I don't blame them.

As a business person, it seems to me that it would be good business practice for Nordost to continue this service as it helps retain the resale value of their cables. Without authentication, resale value will likely be much lower thereby negatively impacting their customers who want to sell their cables to upgrade.