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A very brief digest of my 15+ month "odyssey" (to be polite): My pair of McAlister MB-130 monoblocs and separate power supply were finally shipped but packed very poorly (in single wall fresh tomato produce boxes with scraps of rigid styrene randomly crammed inside and a 2" gap between the carton lids and top edge of carton bottoms, sealed with flimsy clear tape and shipped UNINSURED via Post Canada / USPS. Chassis were so severely damaged from (not surprisingly) multiple rough handlings that I would not plug them into the electric service for fear of fire.
Months and dozens of calls and emails later, smooth and fast talking Peter McAlister finally agreed to wire me a full refund per his original verbal "complete satisfaction guarantee" but reneged and went silent.
More months went by and I finally located a Canadian collection firm who went to Canadian court and got McAlister's attention. I received all but $1,500 of the $5,000 he agreed to refund to me. He then demanded that I return the amps. I told him I will when he pays me the shortfall. More silence and incomplete performance on his obligation.
Peter presents himself as a knowledgeable, can't-do-enough-to-please-you guy. So do many used car and time share salesmen. The Barrie constable and collection firm who spoke to him multiple times said he's a "smooth talker" but wouldn't do what he promised them he would do.
Follow Ups:
the same thing happened to me. it's been one year since i originally agreed to buy an amplifier from peter. our stories are similar in every way. i've contact the CRS and a legal firm in Toronto. hopefully i will be able to punish his dishonesty and make it difficult for him to rip-off others. what a terrible scam. i only wish i'd seen your warning earlier. i've decided to create a website to warn others. hopefully he won't do this to anyone else again.
I've been a customer of McAlister Audio some years ago. I bought him a DA-6 DAC and a EA-8 amplifier (more than $3000 for the total).
I had many problems with him. The amp made some horrible crackling, not the XLR input I wanted, the DAC had a problem of volume, bass, not the right color, the alimentation block shut down after a pair of days... I returned everything for warranty repair, and I nothing was corrected. Worse, the amp had a new balance problem.
And like you, everything was shipped in tomato/apple very poor package.
After months of battle and failed calls he accepted to refund me. I sent back everything.
I was never refund. I completely lost my money and since that day Peter was impossible to join.
I tried to contact some authorities but they were also unable to contact him. I would be very grateful if you read my message and tell me where you have been able to find some help and get back your money.
Best regards.
PS: please excuse me for my possible mistakes, I'm French.
For Sylvanor
Toronto collection co.
From: Don Vence, President [mailto: cccinc@bellnet.ca ]
Subject: CCC - Company Profile
Good Morning,
Please see attached an overview on my company.
As we discussed we can litigate this file in Ontario , however I recommend we have our collection department attempt to collect it first with a few calls.
It costs you nothing if we do not collect, but if we do you will have saved any needless court costs.
If we have to litigate the account the total cost will be approx. $500.
Our collection approach consists of phone, and letter contact.
Don Vence, President
Credit Control Central Inc.
Phone - 416-367-1753
Fax - 416-367-1825, Toll Free - 1-888-899-0769
This communication is confidential and is intended only for the person(s) named. Its contents may also be protected by privilege and all rights to privilege are expressly claimed and not waived. If you received this communication in error, please call us immediately, and destroy the entire document package. If you received this communication in error any reading, distribution, copying or disclosure of these documents is strictly prohibited.
My suggestion: Make it clear that they are to collect enough to make you completely whole after they take their cut + fees, etc.
peter mcalister is a total fraud. beware. everything that was mentioned above has happened (is happening) to me. i paid over $4000 for an amplifier. peter built it for me. he shipped it to me in fruit boxes, using floor tiles, rubber, paper shards and plastic bags to protect it. it arrived ruined. i shipped it back. it was returned to sender. i shipped it again (at my expense). he "repaired" it and shipped it in the same amateurish way. it arrived in worse condition than before. he's now gone silent and i fear i will never get my money back.
do NOT transact business with peter mcalister. he is a fraud and a scammer. you are warned.
There's quite a trail about Peter on the web, none of it very good. In my case (one of his TV tube PP amps), I had to rebuild the power supply and replace/exchange/re-solder a lot of parts in the amp. chassis. After that, it sounded pretty good and my wife won't let me sell it. But I paid a song for the amp in the first place. This was years ago.
Observe, before you think. Think before you open your yap.
Oh he was wonderful until he got my money. Then it was straight down hill from there..............
All he had to do was pack them right......
.
Terrible story. Keep the amps if he doesn't pay the balance he owes you. Are they repairable. If so, you may have some good amps at a great price.
-Wendell
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