Rotel Customer Service - A1, Product reliability, not so good.

[allmodcons]

I purchased a Rotel 1098 in late Dec 03. The unit's D/A section failed in Feb 04. While I was dissapointed Rotels customer service was exemplory. I had the unit returned to me in about a week, in good working order and with the benefit of a software upgrade. As important than this however was the way that Mike and Shane in tech support handled the problem. They where polite, informative, returned my phone calls in a timely manner, did not insult my intelligence and perhaps most importantly took responsibility. Everything worked fine until . . .

May 04 TFT screen fails. I found this completely unacceptable, a $3K component should simply not show this rate of failure. To my suprise Rotel agreed with me and suggested, before I could even ask, that my unit be exchanged for a brand new one.

While I am very disappointed that the unit failed twice I must commend Rotel for there customer sevice, and especially Mike and Shane in Tech support. I will keep you posted on the state of the new unit.

[markmaple]

I recently bought a 1068 and it had a hum problem. I sent a detailed email to Rotel and they basically told me it was probably a ground loop problem and to see the dealer if I couldn't clear it up. My dealer provided great service. After I showed them, they called Rotel and was authorized a replacement unit. It was as if Rotel would listen to the dealer and not a customer. I wouldn't take offense to this if it wasn't a problem that Rotel apparently was aware of (at least some people at Rotel). Now I have a issue with a hum from my sub using my replacement 1068. I will email Rotel again and see what they say. I am definitely disappointed with the reliability of the product. Maybe that is what happens when you buy a product early in it's life cycle.

[shadow]

Well, its far more likely that ground hum or sub hum is caused by improper installation rather than a product defect. One of the reasons Rotel sells through authorized dealers rather than PO Boxes is they depend on expert dealers to diagnose installation errors and correct same. The cost of sending your unit back to the repair facility is expensive and time consuming. The reason you have a dealer in the first place is to diagnose what is the cause of the problem. You may be knowledgeable about electronic installation but you are likely not as knowledgable as the dealer and Rotel depends on their expertise in these matters like any good company. BTW, even if you are knowledgable in installation you can still make some silly errors. I have done so a number of times myself and I always felt silly when I discovered what I did wrong

[GosonFletchy]

I agree with you shadow. It sounds like Rotel did the right thing. They got you to talk with your dealer instead of going around or over them. If I buy a new car and something goes wrong with it, I dont call the manufacturer first, I call the dealer that I bought it from. I dont think that you should take any offense to the help you got. It could be that at the time you called they did not know an answer. Ultimately, it sounds like you were taken care of with a replacement unit, which was the combined work, and customer service, of your dealer and Rotel. That sounds like pretty good service in my book. :T

[markmaple]

I agree that overall my service was good. The response that I got today from Rotel suggested that I turn the gain on the sub down and up the sub gain on the processor. I did this and the sub hum seems to have dramatically decreased. This still seems like a band-aid on the real problem since it only happens when the component cables get hooked up. This seems too similar to my previous problem. Rotel did say that I could have got another unit with a ground problem. I'm tired of dragging equipment back to the dealer, so I'm content with this latest work-around. Tonight I actually listened to some music for a while. That was nice! When I finished with the music, I flipped over to the satellite. That damn popping is back!!!! I guess another email will have to go to Rotel tomorrow.

I must say that Rotel has been very fast in responding to emails. I also think the advance replacement unit was great on their part. I'm just frustrated with these problems with a unit that I consider to be a significant investment.

[LEVESQUE]

. It was as if Rotel would listen to the dealer and not a customer.

This situation did happen to me, and the only way to solve my problem was to sell my humming RMB-1095.

My dealer was not cooperative and didn't had a clue about amps. He sell them, take the money and run, and you are stuck with it. But Rotel was always (countless times) sending me back to him w/o any results. Rotel was playing hide-and-seek, and they lost a really good customer that day.

It was a pretty awful situation for me, and very humiliating, because I knew I was right, but they did make me feel like I was the stupid one in the equation.

Hope it won't happen to anyone else. If I was treating my customers like this, I would already be closed...

I know everyone in here are protecting Rotel, and it usually degenerate in a love-fest and a big ''hug hug'' party. But Rotel customer services, for me, was the worst I've seen.

And I'm making it sure that people knows before buying anything from them.

Ok. Now you can start those ''Rotel was great for me'' ''Rotel are the best'' ''Rotel customer services rule'' answers... :roll:

[shadow]

If you were not treated right you should complain. By definition almost, a company must satisfy a vast majority of its customers or it will go out of business. However, one unhappy customer can do more damage than a thousand good customers can provide a benefit. Rotel should have a manufacturer rep in your region to handle these kinds of disputes. Many high end companies do

[Kevin D]

This still seems like a band-aid on the real problem since it only happens when the component cables get hooked up.

Unfortunately, this does sound like a ground problem. Component cables to a source or component to the tv? I would imagine that the sub is probably on one ground, the 1068 on another, and the TV on a third. (Or some combination of two grounds.

1068 ground & tv ground probably fine.
1068 ground & sub ground, probably fine.
1068 ground, tv ground, & sub ground = The path of least resistance is your sub cable to the sub ground.

Try a 3-2 prong adapter on the sub and see if it quiets down.

Kevin D.

[ht_addict]

This situation did happen to me, and the only way to solve my problem was to sell my humming RMB-1095.

My dealer was not cooperative and didn't had a clue about amps. He sell them, take the money and run, and you are stuck with it. But Rotel was always (countless times) sending me back to him w/o any results. Rotel was playing hide-and-seek, and they lost a really good customer that day.

It was a pretty awful situation for me, and very humiliating, because I knew I was right, but they did make me feel like I was the stupid one in the equation.

Hope it won't happen to anyone else. If I was treating my customers like this, I would already be closed...

I know everyone in here are protecting Rotel, and it usually degenerate in a love-fest and a big ''hug hug'' party. But Rotel customer services, for me, was the worst I've seen.

And I'm making it sure that people knows before buying anything from them.

Ok. Now you can start those ''Rotel was great for me'' ''Rotel are the best'' ''Rotel customer services rule'' answers... :roll:

Is this the same dealer that gives you deals on your equipment because you've been a loyal customer? Deals or no deals customer serivce like that would make me look elsewhere for equipment. Did you ever send the amp in for warranty service? When I first got my 1095 I had the hum problem and my dealer was more than happy to do whatever it took to solve the problem. It was even their idea to send the amp back for serivce, but I held off because I got rid of the problem with a temp fix. When I did contact Rotel they offered a few suggestions to solve the problem. They did refer me to the dealer as well as contacted my dealer on my behalf. When all else failed they suggested I send the amp in to be looked at. I got the amp back in one week/5 business days(have a feeling a rush was put on it since the service center told me it would take at least a week just to get the amp on the table. Then any work would be longer. 5 input resistors were replaced and all is quiet.

Kevin

[LEVESQUE]

Is this the same dealer that gives you deals on your equipment because you've been a loyal customer?

Nope. It was a first try with that Rotel dealer. My other dealer (that is not selling any Rotel) is still laughing at me about all that situation... ''I did told you to buy an Anthem or Bryston amp instead...''... I should have listen to the guy. I deal with him since 10 years. But I taught Rotel wouldn't be a problem, with everything we read in here... I was wrong.

I did ask Rotel to send them the 1095 directly at my own charge, but they told me (again) to refer to my dealer. I did offer to pay for shipping. They refer me to the dealer again. After 1 year of going back to the dealer w/o any results, I took the decision to sell the 1095.

I was the unlucky one with bad after sell services...

[Andrew Pratt]

First Rotel will always do what it can for its customers and I've got first hand experience with them going out of their way to make their customers happy. They do depend on their dealer network acting as a buffer to solve the installtion type problems which frankly are the bulk of the type of calls that would otherwise flood a help desk. Sometimes though those dealers don't or can't provide the level of support a client might demand and its in some of those situations that perhapse our group here can help either by offering alternative uncoloured solutions or with our contacts to the support staff within Rotel itself. I have helpped several of you bypass the road blocks that were preventing you from getting a resolution and will gladdly continue to do so for as long as I can. I was just talking on the phone with a senior rotel staff member who insisted that I make sure that he be kept aware of situations like this and that they'd do what ever they could to right the wrong.

As for the issue you had with so many defective 1098's its baffling to both myself and the Rotel staff member I was talking with as neither of us has seen higher then average problems with this unit over any other...in fact considering how many are sold they're typically very reliable...you don't often hear about the hundreds of happy people though

Anyway if any of you have a problem that your dealer can't resolve or you just don't feel they're getting you the answers you need please don't hesitate to email me with the details and I promise I'll do what I can to help.

[gostan]

My original RSX-1055 was forwarded to Rotel for service on two occasions to fix a recurring powering off problem. When this issue arose for a third time arrangements were made between my dealer and Rotel to take the defective unit back for a full refund. Yes, this entire situation of unplugging, taking apart and re-setting up my entire system with loaners, etc. was no fun. But I have not had any issues at all with the 1098-1075 combination which replaced the 1055. They sound superb. Rotel's service and the service of its' local dealer here Natural Sound was very good. I would make a generalization by stating that Rotel's quality of service depends greatly upon who your local dealer is and what the dealer's level of service may be.

[Bob Knarly]

I've had no luck in Rotel or my uninterested dealer resolving my problem that the dealer himself acknowledged.I am on the verge of declaring all out war on every site possible if my problem of 6 weeks are not resolved this week.I have tried to be patient but times up,the gloves are coming off and I intend that Rotel and my dealer will wish they would have resolved my problem.

[LEVESQUE]

Bob.

We are not alone. There is 2 other threads running in here on the first page about problems with dealers.

We are starting to see a proliferation of those threads on the net...

Rotel should start evaluating their ''authorized dealer'' certification politics deeper... 8O

[Bob Knarly]

LEVESQUE,I could not agree more,I am more than a little puzzled by all this.If not for Andrew and his unwaivering faith in Rotel I would already be on the warpath.Rotel needs people like Andrew to deal with some of these problems.If my dealer or Rotel were half as involved/concerned as Andrew these issues would be taken seriously instead of festering into a very sore customer.

[DPA]

Sheildplate problem..

I have had some serious trouble with the Swedish Rotel support... for almost 4 months Ive tryed to get the Sheildplate for the 1098 and everytime I called them I got the same answere... "Have placed an order but still no parts!!!" For 4 MONTHS!!! :M

So I asked Andrew if he could help me out and within one day I had a mail from Rotel UK and 4 days later I had the sheildplate in my hand.. today that is

What a supperb service then I got hold of Rotel Europe...and Andrew ofcause... Thanks Mate.. :T

[Andrew Pratt]

I've now posted a thread (sticky) at the top of the forum asking members to email me should they desire to contact Rotel directly. I've got the main contacts for both Rotel of Europe and North America that I can pass along should you require them.