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A friend's SP9 blew a fuse. ARC quoted $10.00 for two replacement fuses - one wasn't available. Then, they removed the $10.00 charge to my friend's card and replaced it with one for $29.001!
High value purchase from an excellent company . . . or not!
Follow Ups:
First, why did the fuse blow?
Resolution:
Friend canceled purchase from ARC and charges were promptly reversed. ARC, he paraphrased, "is not an online store."
He now found the fuse, well a package of 5 for $2.00 and his system is back in swing. His closing comment was "if I won the lottery, I'd not hesitate to buy an ARC preamp and amp.
So it goes.
If you put "standard" fuse, e.g. fuse from Mouser, does Audio Research void warranty?
Is it legal if Audio Research voids warranty for such a reason?
Wow, this thread has a life of its own.
My friend, a very well informed former service advisor for Chevrolet searched for a replacement for the fuse locally and online - I don't know what efforts he made. However,from the past I know him to be thorough. He wanted an exact replacement, not a "should be OK" replacement - that's his mindset. I would have searched for an equivalent, but I'm not the customer.
To return to the drama, the price was quoted at $10.00 for 2; my friend gulped at what should have been $0.50 or so (guessing here, so please flame off), but went along with it. He's been happy with his SP-9MkIII for a long time. The shock was that shipping was $19.00, or just shy of twice the cost of the (way overpriced) thing being shipped. Were it a fancy fuse, hey fine, that's a different game. The shock, to repeat, was that it cost $19.00 to ship two fuses that would fit in tiny media mailer. Ridiculous.
He's not happy with the price & took it up the butt, but he has piece of mind knowing he got a exact replacement from the company.
Priceless. Time to move on.
ARC uses Buss/Bussmann fuses. They have been around forever. I assume ARC still uses Buss/Bussmann fuses.
Buss/Bussmann is owned by Eaton.Everything your friend needed to know is stamped on the fuse end caps of the fuse.
Manufacture
Voltage rating
Ampere rating
Type, (therein fast blow/slow blow/dual element)Example the AC line fuse in my ARC amp is a BUSS MDQ 4, 250V
Bussmann/Eaton data sheet.
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/87/Bus_Elx_DS_2044_MDQ_Series-335854.pdf
The shock was that shipping was $19.00
Shipping and handling . I would imagine most of the $19.00 was paper pushing and physical handling.
Hell, maybe at least 3 or 4 people were involved in the process from taking the order to the final sending the two fuses out the door. ARC is not know for mass assembly line production.
Edits: 02/07/17
Unfortunately I had the same experience with Audio Research, a bit worse actually. After 3 months, and re-sending the same e-mail request to them many times,they finally did send what I requested and was then charged an additional $19 for shipping of a few small resistors and capacitors. I don't believe that the problem is endemic with ARC, maybe just a person or two in the wrong position(s).
I don't know about Chevy but I've taken our newer Toyotas in for dealer service and the Toyota "Service Advisors" are no more than "appointment coordinators" who greet you and send the car off to a Service Technician who is much more qualified than the "Service Advisor". Some have a fundamental understanding of automobiles but they basically just interface with customers and coordinate service appointments. Same for the dealer BMW shops I've been to."However,from the past I know him to be thorough. He wanted an exact replacement, not a "should be OK" replacement - that's his mindset. "
Exactly. That's the mindset of many manufacturer or dealer service employees. They may not even know that a common replacement fuse can be bought at ACE Hardware around the corner. Or, they are trained to always use the high margin part with the manufacturer's stamp of approval on it.
Edits: 02/06/17
...was a former service advisor for Chevrolet, then logic would dictate he has enough technical knowledge to know that once the type and rating is known, a fuse is a fuse is a fuse. Or is that why he's a "former" advisor?
Sounds to me like he was just too lazy to deal with it on his own, and is now bitching because he has to pay someone else to minimize his own inconvenience. Sorry, I just think this thread and the whole motivation behind it preposterous.
.
nt
"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
...a very well informed former service advisor for Chevrolet
Would he recommend to a friend that they purchase a fuse from GM directly or from a dealership rather than buying from a place like Autozone?
One 20A fuse directly from GM costs $5.08. Express shipping runs $17.49.
Whereas a pack of five Bussman 20A fuses from your local Autozone costs merely $4.39.
Hmmmm. What would you do? :)
Seems shipping ate most of the cost, so big deal - life is full of frustrations and minor irritants.He got exactly what he wanted, right?
And ARC sent it promptly?
50 cents for a fuse?
Which universe you all live in?
He' s running a world class pre and he's upset about something like this and ARC is going
to get bad mouthed about it here, second hand yet?E Stat has summed up the situation nicely.
When all is said and done this is a Whiner's Woad thread.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure
Edits: 02/05/17
could be a better sand filled fuse could have been overnighted by some method. Until we know exactly how it was shipped it isnt fair to speculate.
ET
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936
If your friend was a former service advisor for Chevy then he understands how the parts business works. Every bought a part at a Chevy dealer? Complete rip-off many of the same parts can be found elsewhere for much less money.
He could have easily pulled the fuse and found the EXACT same fuse from many sources for much less money. The fuse will not only have the value but the maker stamped on the end caps, i.e. Bussman, Littlefuse, etc. Fuses are not that exotic audiophile folklore aside.
Reputable companies do not ship items media mail when what they are shipping is not media. Fuses are not media.
The only drama here is the ranting of an audiophile that feels he was done wrong.
.
Your friend called and brought it to their attention?
Nt
Lookie here: Synergistic Research Red Fuse (US$ 89.95)!
If so, good deal.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Charging him one one thousandth of a dollar I mean.
ET
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936
Did your friend alert ARC of the price discrepancy?
When a Vulture Capitalist mob take over a "once" great US Audio company
"We needa to maka da profeet--so shutuppa ya faace!"
Sad
D
On the bright side, at $5 each those fuses are likely the lease expensive "audiophile" product on the market. (For now...)
There is a little store here in Richmond that sells nothing but fuses. If they don't have it, it probably isn't made (with the exception of those cryrotreat non-obtainium "audiophile" fuses). Reminds me of the SNL sketch about the "Scotch Tape Store" but it is really convenient.
No relation.
Fuse Store .
I married the perfect woman. The downside is everything that goes wrong is my fault.
aa
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Wow, 40 years ago or so I had two cats (Harry and Stanley) that were black and grey. De ja vu! I would have a cat now if my wife wasn't allergic. Lolita and Conchita (the dogs - Havana Silks) like cats as well.
I married the perfect woman. The downside is everything that goes wrong is my fault.
If I knew you were in Richmond I would have told you about the Hamfest there today at the race track. Ive gotten good gear there including a great working Harman Kardon Festival
ET
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936
There is also a RV show at the raceway this weekend. My interest is a another sign of my old age :).
I married the perfect woman. The downside is everything that goes wrong is my fault.
.
the answer found here .
with the helpful hardware man.
My Ace hardware store stocks only fast-acting fuses. And the "helpful hardware man" had no clue what I was talking about when I asked about slo-blo fuses. The Home Depot guy wasn't much more help but at least they did stock the things.
I do regret Radio Shack's bankruptcy.
nt
all the best,
mrh
why didn't he just go to his local Ace Hardware and find the necessary 0.6A 3AG fuse?
It's really not necessary to buy a commodity item from a firm not geared for two buck purchases. I'm thinking there's more than a teenager at the counter there.
I was thinking that too..... Just remove the fuse to find out the brand and type/rating, and then get some replacements at the hardware store.
I was wondering the same thing. Although, I have to fess up. I got my share of them audiophile fuses, but I get the feeling that's not the kind of fuses we're talking about here.
Just to reiterate... and comment...
Gets quoted $10 for 2 fuses.
$10 charge on his statement.
Only 1 fuse available.
Gets $10 credit on his statement.
Then $29 charge shows up on his statement.
And he hasn't bothered to follow up and conceding he is being ripped off so it ends up posted by you on the Asylum.
Recommend you tell him he should've contact ARC before your post. If they screw around with him, post away.
Sorry to hear about the hassle.
Cheers!
Jonesy
"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
Ouch!
The "calculated" cost to generate an invoice by an employee, and associated cost have gone up since the last time I heard a figure. I remember it being around $20-25?
Perhaps if they were the company 20 years ago, it would have been gratis. There're under a corporate umbrella and answer to the MACHINE.
If they had already quoted you $10 for replacing two fuses, then no matter if the fuse wasn't available they should have replaced it for the same amount quoted. Maybe the extra was for their labor? Depending on type of fuses used in their gear the cost can be $1-$5 or even more for two fuses at cost, then they have to add to make some money.
Remember they have to make some money too, they just can't give the fuses at cost to you. $29 is cheap for a repair. Some places charge $30 just to look at a piece of gear.
....when you buy a Mercedes you know that a set of shocks is not going to cost $100.00. $29.00 seems no more usurious than many prices in high end audio.
I'd love to be your audio sales person! Want some Monster Cables to go with that gold plated preamp? ;-)
Why do this?
Do what? Participate in a public forum thread?
My first post to him was intended to be a funny light hearted jab. His emotional reaction was way over the top and caught me totally off guard. It was hardly a 'personal attack' or 'demeaning', IMHO.
but since you have decided to forward another personal attack, gloves off.Your post, as usual, is an ad hominem attack on the poster, rather than a constructive argument for your point of view. And that is typical of your constant prattling and self aggrandizing posts. Grow up and stop responding to my posts. You are, once again, out of your depth.
Edits: 02/04/17
Personal attack?I have no idea WT_ you are talking about. I thought I made a humorous comment but someone's got hypersensitive playground crybaby issues so I'll do my best to ignore you.
Life is too short. Sigh.
Edits: 02/04/17
.....,but perhaps your memory issues will improve and you can stop responding to my posts with your "humorous" demeaning comments. I won't be holding my breath though. You haven't been able to control your effusiveness, nor your "humor" thus far. You can stop sighing now. It'll all be alright.Why don't we just go back to not responding to each others posts? You think I'm a prat and, well, I'm not fond of you either. Let's leave it at that and move on.
I did like the crying baby though. Cute touch.
Edits: 02/04/17
...get off the big-boy playground. Personal attack and demeaning comments my ass. Bye bye.
Edits: 02/04/17
Unless those fuses are somehow vintage and rare or otherwise 'special' I'd have to agree. What a ripoff! Or maybe it was an honest mistake on their end??
Most decent companies wouldn't even hassle with billing. They would simply toss a few fuses in an envelope and mail them to you FREE of charge. I had Thiel mail me EIGHT heavy brass spikes for my CS2.4 speakers when I lost them in a move.... FREE. They also sent me (years earlier) FREE touchup stain for my old CS1.5 speakers. Manley sent me a handful of FREE fuses when I owned the Neo-Classic 250 amps.
What's up with charging $29.00 for two fuses?
Was ARC bought by another company in recent years? Maybe the bean counters are running the place ??
...back in 1995 when I bought an Audio Note pre-amp and amp. Shortly after my purchase the fuse in my pre-amp blew.
I contacted the Audio Note distributor, who at the time was Herb Reichert, to diagnose the problem. Turns out the fuse installed in it was speced for 240V rather than 120V. Herb even offered to come to my home to install the proper fuse in my pre-amp (we were both located in NYC, though at some distance from each other). I told him not to bother as I could get a replacement in my neighborhood.
I shrugged off the situation as no big deal. Later that week I received from Herb a quad of 6L6 tubes and a couple of 6SL7's for my amp to apologise for the error and my inconvenience. Completely unexpected, but the best example of going above and beyond in customer support.
My dealer only gave me a couple of fuses, but when it turned out the fuse holder gizmo was defective, he replaced it, free. No problems since then.
nt
"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
Why are ARC's fuzes so special? I've never heard of anything like this.
Make that $29.00!
(Failed to reply in the proper window, so I'm reposting here so the response has a better chance of being read.)
Wow, this thread has a life of its own.
My friend, a very well informed former service advisor for Chevrolet searched for a replacement for the fuse locally and online - I don't know what efforts he made. However,from the past I know him to be thorough. He wanted an exact replacement, not a "should be OK" replacement - that's his mindset. I would have searched for an equivalent, but I'm not the customer.
To return to the drama, the price was quoted at $10.00 for 2; my friend gulped at what should have been $0.50 or so (guessing here, so please flame off), but went along with it. He's been happy with his SP-9MkIII for a long time. The shock was that shipping was $19.00, or just shy of twice the cost of the (way overpriced) thing being shipped. Were it a fancy fuse, hey fine, that's a different game. The shock, to repeat, was that it cost $19.00 to ship two fuses that would fit in tiny media mailer. Ridiculous.
So whether the part is 10 cents or $100, shipping is the same. Sorry to hear he didn't discuss this with ARC or that they didn't inform him before hand.
Jonesy
"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."
The more serious question is why did the fuse blow. often times there is a problem and that replacing the fuse does not solve the problem down stream.
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