northwest
03-03-2012, 12:37
Well as I wrote in a previous thread, my Avondale Audio modified Arcam Alpha5 CD player gave up the ghost.
Apparently it was something to ddo with the Audio Board. After seven years you really have to work it out, about fifty quid a year to listen to one of the finest CD transports/players ever made. Believe me, I have a NAD CD Player going into a terrific DAC and the Avondale used to knock it into a cocked hat! I do know that a lot of you believe in buying quality and buying British. A concept I had allowed to slide in recent years, buy it - it breaks- buy another. Not really the way forward to be honest.
So as some of you will have read, last week I sent the faulty board back to Les at Avondale for him to send me an estimate for repair. I didn't hold out much hope to be honest and I put a note in there, if it's beyond repair, I have a replacement player and we can cannibalise that. I called yesterday and - you guessed it - no reply. Well, you can't expect these small British manufacturers to be at the phone all the time can you? Beavering away in small workshops up and down the country, no real multi-million pound conglomerate behind them, how are they going to answer the phone AND build things that don't last more than seven years?
So when the doorbell rang this morning I recieved the dirty look from the missus (been buying a lot of vinyl recently - CD player goosed you see) I just KNEW I hadn't bought anything. No, it was the circuit board back from Les. All fixed and the git hadn't even the courtesy to send me a bill!! Bastard!
See how far that gets you with <insert name of large multinational here> when you go back well past seven years and say - "it's broke"!
There is a LOT to be said for buying from someone who cares/knows what they are doing/takes pride in their work/stands by the product.
Apparently it was something to ddo with the Audio Board. After seven years you really have to work it out, about fifty quid a year to listen to one of the finest CD transports/players ever made. Believe me, I have a NAD CD Player going into a terrific DAC and the Avondale used to knock it into a cocked hat! I do know that a lot of you believe in buying quality and buying British. A concept I had allowed to slide in recent years, buy it - it breaks- buy another. Not really the way forward to be honest.
So as some of you will have read, last week I sent the faulty board back to Les at Avondale for him to send me an estimate for repair. I didn't hold out much hope to be honest and I put a note in there, if it's beyond repair, I have a replacement player and we can cannibalise that. I called yesterday and - you guessed it - no reply. Well, you can't expect these small British manufacturers to be at the phone all the time can you? Beavering away in small workshops up and down the country, no real multi-million pound conglomerate behind them, how are they going to answer the phone AND build things that don't last more than seven years?
So when the doorbell rang this morning I recieved the dirty look from the missus (been buying a lot of vinyl recently - CD player goosed you see) I just KNEW I hadn't bought anything. No, it was the circuit board back from Les. All fixed and the git hadn't even the courtesy to send me a bill!! Bastard!
See how far that gets you with <insert name of large multinational here> when you go back well past seven years and say - "it's broke"!
There is a LOT to be said for buying from someone who cares/knows what they are doing/takes pride in their work/stands by the product.