Advise on Amp repairs

[urlawyer]

I have a two channel amp with a bad right channel. I took it to a local repair shop. They required that I pay, up front, an evaluation fee of $125.00. A week later they called and said that the repair would cost $325.00 plus parts plus tax. I agreed to the repairs. A week later I was told the repairs were complete and to pick up the amp. I paid the additional repair fees and took the amp home.

The amp was not fixed, I took it back they kept it about a month, they called said it was fixed. Well no luck, I took it back, they had it for another month, I went by and they said the tech had not had the time to look at it but he would by the end of the week.

Waited two weeks and I called, they said that it appears that they can not fix it. I asked what now, they said they could try again. Waited two weeks, I called they said they had not been able to fix it. I, again, what now. They said they might return some of the money but for sure not the evaluation fee. They still have the amp.

I feel that the full amount should be returned because the evaluation fee was to determine what was wrong and make the repairs if I approved. Since they have not fixed the problem than they did not evaluate the problem correctly and they therefore have been unable to make the repairs.

What say you. Should I insist on all of my money back? Or should I let them have the $125.00 if they return the $325.00 plus tax for the none repair. And what about the $25.00 in parts they claim they put in?

[krips]

I say that you are right in wanting your money back. They sound like a dirty opperation much like the PC place I took my computer to to have evaluated. I had it out on a board (without case) and had a list of what I had tried already (clear cmos, reseat cpu, etc) to try and fix it. I told them the problem was I didn't have any spare parts to troubleshoot. Fine. Minimum fee is $50 (1hr) charge. Had I been in the shop it would've taken me a maximum of maybe 15min to swap out all the components to check. I guess they assumed I was ignorant like most customers and tried to convince me it took 2 hours and that they had got it working without parts. Fine. I take it home and it doesn't work! So I take it back and say to fix it because it doesn't work. Well, they claim it was working before, but take it back. A week later it's another $90 and they tell me now, this time, it's the ram. And it was. Odd that the ram went bad last time I took it home. Long story short, I guess some of these repair places don't opperate on returning customers, but soaking the living crap out of each potential customer once. Without a doubt they should eat all that money that they soaked into that amp because they messed up and that's not your fault. However, any money you can get back is good as, in my case, my father's PC that I was working on cost him the whole lot and no "I know you're screwing me around" talk got us any money back.

[urlawyer]

After 2 months of waiting, the repair shop returned the amp unrepaired, refunded only the repair money I had paid but refused to return the diagnostic fee of $125.00. They claimed that they were unable to fix it.

Upon checking it at home, I found that they had damaged it beyond any possible repair. I took it in for popping sounds in the right channel and now neither channel works.

When I called them about the additional damage the manager said that other problems developed during their attempt to repair it and to forget about trying to get it repaired because the amp was beyond its service life.

Although I was very civil. He said that they would no longer deal with me and if I came on their property they would charge me with trespassing. He went on to say that others had tried to sue but that they were well versed in counter suing.

Although I am a lawyer and could sue in small claims court, it would cost more than 5 to 15 hours of my time and therefore, it would not be reasonable to sue. I am sure that this is what they count on.

[wkhanna]

Stand near their store on public property for one hour every day with a sign explaining how they treated you. Get as many friends as you can to join you. Wait for their reaction.

[Glen B]

After 2 months of waiting, the repair shop returned the amp unrepaired, refunded only the repair money I had paid but refused to return the diagnostic fee of $125.00. They claimed that they were unable to fix it.

Upon checking it at home, I found that they had damaged it beyond any possible repair. I took it in for popping sounds in the right channel and now neither channel works.

When I called them about the additional damage the manager said that other problems developed during their attempt to repair it and to forget about trying to get it repaired because the amp was beyond its service life.

Although I was very civil. He said that they would no longer deal with me and if I came on their property they would charge me with trespassing. He went on to say that others had tried to sue but that they were well versed in counter suing.

Although I am a lawyer and could sue in small claims court, it would cost more than 5 to 15 hours of my time and therefore, it would not be reasonable to sue. I am sure that this is what they count on.

Did you tell them you are an attorney ? Sometimes you have to take a stand, if for nothing else but on principle. If I were a lawyer, I would sue them in small claims court, hopefully win and teach them a lesson. Its going to cost them too, and they will find it would have been more cost-effective for them to just return the diagnostic fee.

What make and model amp is it ? For future reference, AudioKarma Forum has a few members who are very reputable techs, and do repair and restoration work for other members at very reasonable cost, even on amps that are difficult to repair or for which parts are hard to find.

[urlawyer]

While you are right with regard to principle, when the cost of principle is beyond reasonable it is not worth it. The Amp is an old but very good for its time SAE 2500 which is not worth more than a couple of hundred dollars but that I wanted fixed just because.

To quote Bobby Jones when a client said he wanted to sue on principle and Jones advised against. The Client said "but he told me to go to hell!" To this Jones said "but you don't have to."

Think I'll save the time and aggravation and buy a new amp. Maybe a Parasound Halo A21.

[Glen B]

SAEs are highly sought after vintage amps. Your 2500 was very fixable in the right hands. Your local shop did not know what they were doing. If you had enquired here, there is a tech in Ohio I could have recommended who is very knowledgeable about SAE and whose rates are very reasonable.

The amp's designer, Jim Bongiorno is the developer of the full dual differential full complementary amplifier topology that is still used by high end amplifier manaufacturers today. The SAEs still sound great compared to more modern amps.

I have an SAE 2400 that I refurbished a couple of years ago; replaced all of the electrolytic caps, replaced critical parts on the protection board, upgraded the input and oputput connectors, and replaced the captive power cord with an IEC power inlet. When swapped with my Classé CA-300 in the same system, the 2400 gave up very little.

You can probably sell the amp for parts on eBay and recoup your evaluation fee.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/191557/1986567

[Alaric]

"End of it's service life"??? That's hack-speak for "I'm incompetent". I guess you have three options-sue on principle , wait in the parking lot with a baseball bat , or be a victim they can use on their scoreboard. I'm an attitude problem so my advice would apply to me. Only you know what's right for you.

[Ron526]

Good repair source

Try calling Soundsmith of NY.