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I have decided to put my negative experience with Mad Scientist Audio from New Zealand in writing. I think this story should be shared because honesty in business is something we all appreciate. We have all been burnt once or twice, but this being my first time, I have difficulties coming to terms with this, as I consider this no less than "theft". I hope you'll take the time to read this and take heed dealing with this company.
About MAD SCIENTIST AUDIO
15 Garrett Drive
Whalers Gate
New Plymouth 4310
New Zealand
http://www.madscientist-audio.com
On 7 March 2014 I found their website and requested some Black Discus free samples. I didn't expect to receive anything, but two of them arrived. My suspicions that they wouldn't work were confirmed. Still I wanted to buy a power cord because I needed a decent one to replace the standard power cord of my amplifier. On 10 March 2014 I ordered their Neo Power Cord. BIG MISTAKE! However, I didn't know yet...
I received a friendly e-mail from the owner of Mad Scientist Audio, Bob Prangnell on 27 July 2015. Excerpt from that e-mail (nothing has been altered, just copied and pasted as it was written):
"In fact, do you have an good quality "spare" interconnects, like ones you used before but don't any longer? I'm interested in borrowing some good interconnects for my research and testing. I'd return them of course, and also pay your postage costs."
Bob was very friendly and we started communicating. On 28 July 2015 I sent him three pairs of interconnects:
Two pairs of Audio Synthesis Silver interconnects, one pair terminated with WBT RCA connectors and one (more expensive Silver SP pair) terminated with Neutrik connectors.
Bob's reply was:
"Many thanks for sending the interconnects; it's my biggest problem, getting hold of good quaility items to test against - we are not so well endowed with high end audio shops here. I bought what I thought were the best sounding $200 interconnects - Grover Huffman, but they are simply terrible. I also made a test cable from silver OCC and those silver KLE plugs, but that doesn't sound very good either next to the carbon fibers."
The next day on 29 July 2015 another reply from Bob:
"But I was looking into those interconnects and I looked up the Bochino connectors (you know they are made in australia?). They look real nice, but more importantly they use locking screws not solder.
Let me tell you why this is important.. For the Carbon Fiber, you can't solder. So I use copper shim and screw mount RCA plugs. I tested several screw connector RCA plugs, including some quite pricey ones from Furutech, but the best ones I found were Chinese Sonarquest rhodium/carbon plugs. They are pretty good but when I saw the Bochinno plugs I thought that they would be really good for the high end models of the interconnect. As you know, they are quite expensive - depending on the model, a set of 4 costs from $199 to $780
Anyway, I will get a look at them when they arrive. And a listen!
Now Audio Synthesis - that's a name I remember from a long time ago. When I lived in Rotterdam, must have been late 80s, I bought my first Audio Synthesis kit - it was an upgrade for a CD player - some Ben Duncan board. After than I built their DAC based on the Ultra Analog dac hybrid. Also made a Ben Duncan AMP01 preamp. I ended up buying quite a few things from them. I remember they sold silver cable in a blue sleeve then. I wonder if it's the same. Haha that's more than 25 years ago..
So, these two interconnects - Moontails and SP - which one do you prefer? Are the audio synthesis cables the most detailed? I am guessing that the silver would sound more detailed than the copper. So you'd like something with a bit more top end sparkle than the moon tails? OCC-silver might be the answer."
I must admit I'm a gullible person - and unfortunately some manipulative people are quite handy to make use of that. So, on 31 July 2015, I sent those three pairs via Registered Air Mail - Bpost.
That same day, Bob replied:
"Can't wait for your Interconnects to arrive - so curious!!"
On 13 August 2015, they were received by Bob. And he wrote me:
"Last night I had an interesting listening session. Here's how I found them, on my system..
Moontails : These are not horrible ;) (much better than the Grover Washington ICs I'd bought).
For simple music they work quite well, but tend to fall apart a bit with complex music.
They seem to emphasize some parts of the upper mids/treble - this gives an effect where a voice has too much "breathiness/lipiness" and not enough "chestiness" (not sure I explained that very well).
I got some slight sibilance on some vocals
The bass is a bit disconnected from the rest - on one track with acoustic 12 string guitar, the bass notes sounded like they were coming from a separate instrument.
I think there might be a suck-out somewhere along the freq range - I have the feeling that some things are missing.
Soundstage not as well defined as with torforb
I don't think I've really "got my head around" the sound of these cables yet. It often takes me a few days to get their measure. And I'm not sure what effects I'm hearing are from the nice plugs. I should know more soon when I get my own.
Short Blue Interconnects with Neutrik plugs :
These seemed better than the longer blue leads. I can see what you mean about detail. They have lots of that. But the downsides...
-- they are relentless, in your face, wall of sound effect.
-- not so musical though, and not very toe-tapping (prat)
-- I find them fatiguing after a while"
So naturally Bob found his interconnects a lot better than those I sent him. After all, they were for comparison and the intention was that Bob created something quite superior to all existing interconnects.
His wife/partner, Kay Prangnell, came into the picture and we even got that far that I created a new website for them. At first, they were over the moon with it, but later they found 'Expression Web' annoying to work with.
I created many more samples of other websites for them, but none of them seemed appealing to both of them.
I even had a new logo created for them that replaced the old, boring one. Oh, they loved it.
Until the communication became different - something was changing and soon I knew what. His wife/partner even had the nerve of sending me an offending e-mail.
On 6 May 2017, I asked about my three interconnects and when they had the intention of sending them back as promised. Kay Prangnell replied:
"I have forwarded your email to Bob re. cables - we just moved so they might be in the boxes somewhere. Bob will try to fine them."
After a while, on 25 February 2018 I once again asked about my interconnects. Kay Prangnell replied:
"We will return the cables as soon as we find them but we do not know where they are just moving house last year."
After that, I found myself blocked on all their communication channels.
Needless to say that they are NOT going to send back any of those three pairs of interconnects they 'borrowed' them.
Borrow according to www.dictionary.com:
verb (used with object)
to take or obtain with the promise to return the same or an equivalent.
I sent them a PayPal invoice (equivalent) for the amount of 1500 Euro which is quite fair.
I have saved all e-mails that were exchanged (businesswise and private) and have them safely archived. The proof is in those mails, so Mad Scientist Audio can say what they want, the truth is that they have not been honest in their dealings to me...
Note that Jade Audio ceased production and the pair Mad Scientist Audio now have, is the only pair in existence. I would dearly love to have the MoonTails back but if need be, I'd settle for some compensation.
Follow Ups:
Just keep scrolling down and there they are!
Corroboration from either side really. Was there a point he/they became dissatisfied with your webwork and was it work they paid for, batered or was it gratis by you? Those details should be on the table
I am taking no sides at this point. I did get all the free sample things they offered. Not a big change. Below was my post at the time.
I can be somewhat disorganized at times. I'm currently missing a few hundred CD's I moved from my other house including some Miles box sets. It's been over a year, no break ins no theft just MIA.
As someone that wants to have at least a modicum of faith in people I mentioned the above. People misplace things. I'm betting he has a lot more stuff to track than me. Moving sucks
Right, he might some day get his "Borrowed" cables back.
Than again, he can wish in one hand & shit in the other & see which one fills up faster.
... I put everything in boxes, and now a year and a half later I still have not unpacked boxes in the living room, bedrooms, basement, and garage. Which reminds me - where's that cat that I haven't seen since the move?
Edits: 08/23/18
Yes, of course you are correct, people misplace things and I'm no exception to that rule. But, when I borrow something from someone I take very good care of it, and I make sure that I put it in a place where I can see it, so I can immediately find it.
They didn't have to pay for the website I made, it was free for friends. Neither did they have to pay for the new logo. But later it became apparent that I was not a friend at all. But that's private, and has nothing to do with my missing cables. His wife decided everything, also to block me. They could have sent those cables back before moving.
Lots of people know me and they can all verify that I value friendship and honesty. I just hate it when people borrow something and years later you still have to beg to get it back. I don't think that's fair at all.
I also am not saying MSA makes bad products, no, it's about my cables. They promised to send them back and years later, I still don't have them back. I wouldn't mind if they were cheap cables, but this is something that I cannot approve of!
All too often we find that old saw "no good deed goes unpunished" to be as sure a thing as death.
The irony is by the time they finally come back assuming this ever happens or we can pretend you do get them back; the question would be, with the crazy world of interconnects (I do not participate) what are the chances you would want to listen to them? I know, as much as I hate RCA connectors, if I had to use them in my system I sure would want those back to salvage from the (presumably) no longer fashionable cables.
I think you are completely justified in making this complaint. For most of the complaints I read here I have little sympathy. But this one is unusual. You try to be helpful to a fellow and then get the same treatment as the fat kid in ANIMAL HOUSE: "you fucked up, you trusted us".
The sad lesson learned and transmitted to others who might have had the same inclination is to be very careful in who you trust.
I got an email back from MSA. I see issues with both parties and only MSA admitting to error.
Weren't you accused regarding some power cords a few years back? Were the accusations true?
You can never much tell as I see it.
Me? Accused regarding power cords? You gotta be kidding!
Thanks, Rick, for the vote of confidence. There are people on A'gon who think I brought it all on myself and they find it fishy that I posted a review about MSA's cables. But it's not their products I'm talking about here, nor anything private, it's the breaking of their promise to send my cables back.
I'm using the 'common' MoonTails from Jade Audio now and they work very well with my tube amplifier. They might all be a bit out of fashion, but I do hope to get them back.
Yes, you try to help them get reviewed and try to get the media press interested, make a free website, gift them a logo and then this is what I get.
I learned one thing: once bitten, twice shy. And I also know that 'Karma' is a real bitch!
Thanks. I see you as taking the high road much more than the low road. I'm going to contact MSA about this thread and the fact they need to answer to it.
Thanks, ET, but knowing Bob, I doubt he'll participate. Unless he posts something ugly. Worth trying, but I do have my doubts...
Well, I guess Those "free" Black Discus samples weren't free.
No, those samples were pretty darn expensive!
I wonder how many others they got with the same line? Shame is most will be too ashamed to admit they were conned.
And I wonder how many con artists there are out there in audiophile land. I always had very good experiences in my dealings until you meet one of those charming people... :o(
.
I shoulda have went to skool to git educamated.
Lousy Shakespeare thinks he's SO smart....
The parable of the gold coins. . .
He [the prince] called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He told them, 'Invest this money until I come back.'
-Luke 19:13
And the servants who got the biggest returns got the most praise from the prince in the parable. OTOH, Jesus really lost it on those money changers in the temple (that was awesome!), so I guess the moral is that you have to keep your investments on the straight and narrow. ;-)
"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"
Luke 19: Lovely parable!
Wow, getting a good bible lessen.
Can I get an Amen.
: )
nt
I'd like to hear more on the subject.
I can't imagine ANY problems we'd have with that! ;-)
LOL , actually I was stabbing at his misspelling of lesson as lessen.
Then in my smart ass way I punned at "lessen" by using "more on" (moron)
We good!
I had a friend once with the 'Shakespeare' surname. Nice quote though...
Interesting and I feel for you. Mad Scientist (the guy) was a regular poster (moniker beautox) on Cable Asylum until last December when he seems to have ceased to post, at least I am unable to find anything more recent.
Yeah, I feel pretty stupid now, thinking I could trust a 'mad scientist'. There are not many recent posts out there by 'beautox', but on the website he did add a new product.
By the way, I'm posting a photo of my Jade Audio Ultimate MoonTails. How could I have been so stupid to send a new pair of interconnects to the other side of the world. I must have had an off-day I think...
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