Can anyone in the UK repair my CD player - seriously

[Accudazed]

Hi

Well, here goes with my simple question (one which has huge implications for every fan of CDs):

Is there anyone in the UK who can repair my 5 year old Accuphase DP-500 CD player which has intermittent problems reading discs?

I am very concerned that the answer may be - incredibly - a resounding no.

If it really is 'no', how the hell did it all come to this? :( :mental:

Cheers

Steve

PS - already tried Accuphase UK and High End Workshop but they cannot do it.

[Mr.Ian]

replacement lasers look to be available, so I struggle to understand why it cant be repaired.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Accuphase-DP-500-DP500-500-Dedicated-CD-Optical-Laser-Lens/1022080_1740237394.html

Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product. Might have case for a legal claim against the retailer as I think a court would expect a high end CD player to work for longer than 5 years.

[kenworthy100]

I remember your earlier posts about this and the disappointing problems you have had with this player, may I ask have Accuphase uk or High End actually examined the player or made a decision based upon the info from phone or email contact.

The player appears to use a Sony Kss213 laser (http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/the_complete_d_a_dac_converter_list/) which is used by many manufacturers, it could be the laser/mechanism at fault, or, components further up the chain or possibly a combination of the two.

FWIW on a similar issue with a Marantz SA15 I was told that my player would need a new control board (expensive!!). laser and complete mechanism which I politely declined, I replaced the laser and for good measure the mechanism at nominal cost, the player has worked perfectly ever since.

I genuinely hope you are able to find a satisfactory solution to this issue.

[Accudazed]

replacement lasers look to be available, so I struggle to understand why it cant be repaired.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Accuphase-DP-500-DP500-500-Dedicated-CD-Optical-Laser-Lens/1022080_1740237394.html

Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product. Might have case for a legal claim against the retailer as I think a court would expect a high end CD player to work for longer than 5 years.

Hi Ian

Thanks for the heads up on the aliexpress site!! Not sure what to make of those Chinese made copies of the original SONY laser. Most engineers wont fit them. Have you used anything similar?

"Pretty poor show if the retailer/manufacturer is unable to support a 5 year old product". The grim reality is that most manufacturers of CD/SACD players have appalling spares backup. Check out my thoughts here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?33947-SACD-is-it-worth-it-Whats-a-good-player/page6

CD/SACD is my favourite medium (there, I've said it...) but, really, this spares backup problem is a shocker. After about 3 years, yes, 3 years, you are living on borrowed time and heading towards becomming the proud owner of a flashy paperweight/door stop should anything go wrong.

No wonder CD sales are continually falling and SACD has not really taken off. It's not just the resurgence in vinyl or the all conquering march of the computers into home audio that's responsible. No, the main culprits are the manufacturer's of CD/SACD players themselves. They have been allowed to repeatedly get away with not supporting their customers. Thing is though, there are only so many times people will put up with having to chuck their expensive CD player in the bin due to the failure of a £20 part that the manufacturer - cynically - refused to make in sufficient quantities. That's what's killing CD sales.

Thank god this never happened with vinyl replay.

Cheers

Steve

[Ninanina]

Hi Steven
There is a little known fact that the 'The UK Sale of Goods Act' states the following:

"The UK Sale of Goods Act offers us protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer’s guarantee has run out and says that goods must last a “reasonable time” – which can be claimed anything up to 6 years from the date of purchase"

Not many people know that fact.. I know somebody who was the manager of both a large Comet store and a large Dixons store and on the very few occasions that somebody knew about this little known fact the retailer was 'forced' to sort out the problem

Your warranty is with the retailer you purchased it from... just quote the above to them and I think you will be surprised what they will do for you

Trust that helps some... ;)

[Accudazed]

I remember your earlier posts about this and the disappointing problems you have had with this player, may I ask have Accuphase uk or High End actually examined the player or made a decision based upon the info from phone or email contact.

The player appears to use a Sony Kss213 laser (http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/the_complete_d_a_dac_converter_list/) which is used by many manufacturers, it could be the laser/mechanism at fault, or, components further up the chain or possibly a combination of the two.

FWIW on a similar issue with a Marantz SA15 I was told that my player would need a new control board (expensive!!). laser and complete mechanism which I politely declined, I replaced the laser and for good measure the mechanism at nominal cost, the player has worked perfectly ever since.

I genuinely hope you are able to find a satisfactory solution to this issue.

Hi John

Thanks for your post.

Yes, Accuphase have stripped my machine and given it a good test. Your experience with the Marantz SA15 is similar to mine though. The approach seems to be one of replacing all parts around the problem area. Some of the parts needed for my machine are no longer available hence its return in an unfixed state.

As someone who is staring into the abyss, so to speak, with a 5 year old CD player worth £2200 that may have to be scrapped I can't help but ponder over why manufacturers of these machines don't make enough spares? Still at least when my wife finds me with a pair of underpants on my head and a pencil in each nostril she will know where it all started!

What a mess...

Who replaced your laser?

My previous posts concerning my Accuphase DP-500 problems barely touched the surface so to speak. When it is all over I will do more posts. There is much to learn from my expensive nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Steve

[synsei]

Hi Steven
There is a little known fact that the 'The UK Sale of Goods Act' states the following:

"The UK Sale of Goods Act offers us protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer’s guarantee has run out and says that goods must last a “reasonable time” – which can be claimed anything up to 6 years from the date of purchase"

Not many people know that fact.. I know somebody who was the manager of both a large Comet store and a large Dixons store and on the very few occasions that somebody knew about this little known fact the retailer was 'forced' to sort out the problem

Your warranty is with the retailer you purchased it from... just quote the above to them and I think you will be surprised what they will do for you

Trust that helps some... ;)

The problem there Bev is that the retailer concerned happens to be a brokerage firm based in Holland and as such the issue is moot as it is only enforceable under UK law AFAIK... :eyebrows:

I reckon Accuphase could and should do more to help here...

[The Black Adder]

Hmm.. they sound just like Sony... Sony have made some stonking decks but if the laser fooks a few years after, your generally snotted. A real shame indeed.

The reality of the matter could NOT be the laser anyway, there are lot's of reasons why a cd player stops reading discs so get it checked out by someone who know their onions.

Try Audiocom international... maybe they might be able to help.

[Macca]

The reality of the matter could NOT be the laser anyway, there are lot's of reasons why a cd player stops reading discs so get it checked out by someone who know their onions.

Try Audiocom international... maybe they might be able to help.

Yes that has happened to me where I forked out for a new laser when it was just a ribbon connector. As well as Audiocom you could try Tony C of this parish if you haven't already.

[julesd68]

Whilst my preference is for vinyl I do have a cdp and am very interested in the obsolescence issue here.

I wonder if this is an industry problem or whether it is an Accuphase one? The reason I mention this is that if lots of people with high end cd players were finding themselves with 'door stops' after 5 years or so, I'm sure the forums would be awash with it. Or maybe I've missed something. Personally, I'd be annoyed if I bought a budget cdp and it couldn't be repaired after a few years, let alone one that cost 2.5K.

Ignoring what you think of their products, Naim have a good reputation for reliability. I found an interesting quote from their website - naturally they are bigging themselves up here but quite reassuring if you are the owner of a Naim cdp …

< The department, based at Naim’s factory and office complex in Salisbury, will attempt to repair every product the company has produced over the past four decades. Naim holds stocks of key components for as long as they are available. Some parts, such as CD drive mechanisms, cease to be manufactured and eventually become impossible to source but Naim was, nonetheless and thanks to its prudent stockholding, still able to service and repair one of its first CD players even though the machine had reached its sixteenth birthday! >

I'm not suggesting we all rush out to buy one, just wanted to illustrate that the companies who do well in this competitive field aren't necessarily those with the very best sound, but those who are forward thinking and take their customer service and reliability very seriously …

[kenworthy100]

Hi John

Thanks for your post.

Yes, Accuphase have stripped my machine and given it a good test. Your experience with the Marantz SA15 is similar to mine though. The approach seems to be one of replacing all parts around the problem area. Some of the parts needed for my machine are no longer available hence its return in an unfixed state.

As someone who is staring into the abyss, so to speak, with a 5 year old CD player worth £2200 that may have to be scrapped I can't help but ponder over why manufacturers of these machines don't make enough spares? Still at least when my wife finds me with a pair of underpants on my head and a pencil in each nostril she will know where it all started!

What a mess...

Who replaced your laser?

My previous posts concerning my Accuphase DP-500 problems barely touched the surface so to speak. When it is all over I will do more posts. There is much to learn from my expensive nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Steve


Hi Steve,

I replaced these myself, however, prior to doing this I was fortunate to find an online service manual for the SA15 which had a diagram of the disassembled transport, as luck would have it on a different forum I also found a set of instructions and details from a member who had experienced the same type of problem.

Sadly I had a search online for your Accuphase but have not been able to locate this type of data.

John

[The Black Adder]

Yes that has happened to me where I forked out for a new laser when it was just a ribbon connector. As well as Audiocom you could try Tony C of this parish if you haven't already.

Yep, ribbons and good old dust on the rails can stop a cd player dead in it's tracks and lots of other reasons too.

I too am very surprised that nobody isn't making a living mending high end kit like this. But I suppose someone is making a living in selling replacement lasers for stupido money. And then there are the ones selling on duff stock lasers too.

Then let's not forget about the 'special kit' you might need to actually replace a laser (for example) - The old Pioneers' PD Reference range are one of those that need some special bench equipment to fit a new laser. You would think that it would just plug in and off you go but apparently this is simply not the case.

[Stratmangler]

The most important bit in Naim's mission statement is one word, and that word is attempt!
They do not say that they will be able to repair all equipment they have made over the last 40 years!

The issue is unfortunately one of parts no longer being made, and whatever reserve of service spares that were once available being used up.
If an optical drive in a computer ceases to work then you just go out and buy another one, and there's little in the way of compatability issues.
The manufacture of optical drives became pointed at the computer market, because that was the only worthwhile market for them, and it's the reason why CDPs started using computer optical drives.

My comments aren't of much help to the OP, but they are pointing out a couple of home truths.
I sincerely hope the OP can get his problem sorted out.

[julesd68]

The most important bit in Naim's mission statement is one word, and that word is attempt!
They do not say that they will be able to repair all equipment they have made over the last 40 years!

Thanks for making all that clear ...

Given the number of units that Naim shift every year in the UK, if they were failing to repair 5 year old cdps, I'm pretty sure that their business would go down the pan very quickly, so they must be doing something right. Whether that is due to build quality / reliability / stockpiling, who knows ...

[Stratmangler]

Thanks for making all that clear ...

Given the number of units that Naim shift every year in the UK, if they were failing to repair 5 year old cdps, I'm pretty sure that their business would go down the pan very quickly, so they must be doing something right. Whether that is due to build quality / reliability / stockpiling, who knows ...

If Naim depended solely on the UK market they'd have gone tits up years ago.
Your point about long term serviceability is relevant though.

[The Black Adder]

Even if someone was out there who specialised in the Sony BU-1/E drive that would be superb... lol.. except nobody would buy new sony cd players then... lol

Getting back to your lovely Accuphase though, I really hope it's something that can be fixed as it's a beauty of a machine.

[The Barbarian]

What the facia is a beauty?

:rolleyes:

[The Black Adder]

What the facia is a beauty?

:rolleyes:

Big and bouncy.

[Accudazed]

The problem there Bev is that the retailer concerned happens to be a brokerage firm based in Holland and as such the issue is moot as it is only enforceable under UK law AFAIK... :eyebrows:

I reckon Accuphase could and should do more to help here...

Hi Dave

Right on both counts! Accuphase should do a lot more to help. Sending the CD player to them for testing has cost me £132. In my opinion, companies should not commit their customers to this level of expense without seeing the job through. I'm £132 out of pocket for nothing. Not good.

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Hmm.. they sound just like Sony... Sony have made some stonking decks but if the laser fooks a few years after, your generally snotted. A real shame indeed.

The reality of the matter could NOT be the laser anyway, there are lot's of reasons why a cd player stops reading discs so get it checked out by someone who know their onions.

Try Audiocom international... maybe they might be able to help.

Hi Joe

Finding someone who knows their onions is the hard part at the moment! I'll try Audiocom.

"but if the laser fooks a few years after, your generally snotted. A real shame indeed". I've been guilty as anyone of tolerating this scenario but frankly isn't it is a disgrace? Imagine if turntables had to be scrapped when the stylus wore out? It is a laughable prospect but with CD players that is the basis of most manufacturer's business model for them.

Who can say whether in 10 years from now the planet's billions of CDs will be at the mercy of the last 100 or so CD players that still work?

It's all a bloody disgrace.

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Yes that has happened to me where I forked out for a new laser when it was just a ribbon connector. As well as Audiocom you could try Tony C of this parish if you haven't already.

Ta!

Excuse my ignorance but who is Tony C? Do you have his contact details?

Cheers

Steve

[Spectral Morn]

Ta!

Excuse my ignorance but who is Tony C? Do you have his contact details?

Cheers

Steve

Tony C of http://www.coherent-systems.co.uk/ i.e MrC here on AOS http://theartofsound.net/forum/member.php?75-Mr-C

I assume that Accuphase UK you have referred to is R.T. Services the UK distributor of Accuphase?


Regards Neil

[Accudazed]

Whilst my preference is for vinyl I do have a cdp and am very interested in the obsolescence issue here.

Ignoring what you think of their products, Naim have a good reputation for reliability.

I'm not suggesting we all rush out to buy one, just wanted to illustrate that the companies who do well in this competitive field aren't necessarily those with the very best sound, but those who are forward thinking and take their customer service and reliability very seriously …

Hi Julian

Hats off to Naim!! That IS how to do it! Quad are good in that respect too. And, some of Philips early lasers are supposedly bulletproof. But the rest?

Engineered obsolescence is the enemy of all customers and you are right to be interested in it!!! I suppose designing products in such a way that they wear out far quicker than is healthy is all part of 'the game'. However, CD players are worthy of special attention because the greed/stupidity/short sighted thinking of CD player manufacturers beggars belief, it really does. Think of that poor hifi fan with the £8000 machine that had to be scrapped due to parts unavailability. Imagine how it would feel when after buying a £36000 Accuphase CD player it had to be scrapped after say, 5 years due to a lack of parts?

I hope every owner of a CD/SACD player gets round to reading this thread and votes with their feet. And, doesn't forget those manufacturers who so blatantly ripped them off.

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Hi Steve,

I replaced these myself, however, prior to doing this I was fortunate to find an online service manual for the SA15 which had a diagram of the disassembled transport, as luck would have it on a different forum I also found a set of instructions and details from a member who had experienced the same type of problem.

Sadly I had a search online for your Accuphase but have not been able to locate this type of data.

John

Thanks John - MUCH appreciated!!

Cheers

Steve

[Accudazed]

Tony C of http://www.coherent-systems.co.uk/ i.e MrC here on AOS http://theartofsound.net/forum/member.php?75-Mr-C

I assume that Accuphase UK you have referred to is R.T. Services the UK distributor of Accuphase?

Regards Neil
Thanks Neil!
Yes, it is R.T. Services but I shall say no more because I WILL lose my temper and say something I will regret :mad:.

Cheers

Steve

[Macca]

A long shot but you could try writing a letter of complaint to Accuphase Japan. You'd need to get someone who knows Japanese and their culture so to word it just right but I have heard before of people who have done this and had a result (not specifically with Accuphase). They may sort it out due to the whole 'loss of face' thing. You might at least get your £132 back.

[Spectral Morn]

A long shot but you could try writing a letter of complaint to Accuphase Japan. You'd need to get someone who knows Japanese and their culture so to word it just right but I have heard before of people who have done this and had a result (not specifically with Accuphase). They may sort it out due to the whole 'loss of face' thing. You might at least get your £132 back.

+ 1 a very good idea.


Regards Neil

[Peter Galbavy]

A long shot but you could try writing a letter of complaint to Accuphase Japan. You'd need to get someone who knows Japanese and their culture so to word it just right but I have heard before of people who have done this and had a result (not specifically with Accuphase). They may sort it out due to the whole 'loss of face' thing. You might at least get your £132 back.

Yep. I did this with Sony a long time ago in the early days of Freeview when their UK sub-contractor screwed up an on-site update to a TV PCB and then blamed me! Wrote to Sony UK and cc'ed by fax their Japan HQ. Within 2 days I had a replacement, newer model, TV and lots of grovelling from Sony UK.

Peter

[The Black Adder]

how much was the player and how old is it out of interest?

[The Black Adder]

also... do accuphase have a facebook page?.. if they do, give em a good slagging off on there. bet you that in no time they will be in touch.

[pavalon]

Thanks Neil!
Yes, it is R.T. Services but I shall say no more because I WILL lose my temper and say something I will regret :mad:.

Cheers

Steve

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the cdp.

I had been thinking of a cdp from Accuphase as a potential purchase in the future.

Looked in the distributor's website and thought the site was a joke compared with their counterparts in Europe.

No info whatsoever and last updated in 2012 ! Come on Accuphase Japan - sort them out.

Hope you get sorted soon with your cdp.

[Accudazed]

how much was the player and how old is it out of interest?

The player cost me 3033 Euros and it is 5 years old.

Seems that there are people out there who have faired far worse than me. I've just heard about a £20,000+ CD player that has had to be scrapped.

Gulp...

[Accudazed]

also... do accuphase have a facebook page?.. if they do, give em a good slagging off on there. bet you that in no time they will be in touch.

No Facebook page, Twitter, etc. They have always been a company which ploughs its own furrow.

Steve

[Accudazed]

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the cdp.

I had been thinking of a cdp from Accuphase as a potential purchase in the future.

Looked in the distributor's website and thought the site was a joke compared with their counterparts in Europe.

No info whatsoever and last updated in 2012 ! Come on Accuphase Japan - sort them out.

Hope you get sorted soon with your cdp.

Thanks for your support Peter. Much appreciated.

You know, the frustrating thing in all this is that Accuphase CD players are simply amazing sounding machines. I have yet to hear anything that comes even near to their CD players. Seriously.

[roob]

Try giving Colin at Chevron Audio a call he may be able to help.
http://www.chevronaudio.co.uk/html/contact_us.html

[Mike A]

Steven if it was me with this problem I would do two things, first contact ACM in Holland about the firm you bought the cdp off, ACM handle consumer problems and their site is in english. Secondly I would contact Accuphase on their site to ask for help.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the cdp.

I had been thinking of a cdp from Accuphase as a potential purchase in the future.

Looked in the distributor's website and thought the site was a joke compared with their counterparts in Europe.

No info whatsoever and last updated in 2012 ! Come on Accuphase Japan - sort them out.

Hope you get sorted soon with your cdp.

Just to counter some of the negativity about Accuphase CD players (and I know Steve will agree with me), I have owned a DP67 for many years. It's been used daily without fault and I'm utterly convinced that it will continue to do so for some considerable time yet. It also happens to sound rather fantastic.
The UK distributors don't support their product properly and as Steve has pointed out on another thread, they don't appear to make any real effort to promote the Accuphase products either. I rather think that the lack of any real sort of presence of the brand in the UK market is stifling sales. The distributor seems to react to this by constantly raising prices way beyond what is sustainable. Stories like this don't exactly help them either.
Crackin' business model!

[Tarzan]

Hi

Well, here goes with my simple question (one which has huge implications for every fan of CDs):

Is there anyone in the UK who can repair my 5 year old Accuphase DP-500 CD player which has intermittent problems reading discs?

I am very concerned that the answer may be - incredibly - a resounding no.

If it really is 'no', how the hell did it all come to this? :( :mental:

Cheers

Steve

PS - already tried Accuphase UK and High End Workshop but they cannot do it.


Steve, did you receive my PM?

[Accudazed]

A HUGE thank you to all who have responded to my original post!

Your responses have given me a number of options to follow up.

Hopefully, there will be a happy ending to this story!

I'll keep everyone posted.

From my painful experience, I would like to offer the following advice:

a) if you have a 'final purchase' CD/SACD player you might want to get in touch with the manufacturer to establish whether they can service it should it go wrong.

b) if you are considering making a final purchase CD/SACD player I recommend that you buy a genuine spare factory laser with it. No laser, NO DEAL.

For CD/SACD fans, a) and b) above are possibly the most important advice you will ever get. ;)

Cheers

Steve

[Jazid]

A HUGE thank you to all who have responded to my original post!

Your responses have given me a number of options to follow up.

Hopefully, there will be a happy ending to this story!

I'll keep everyone posted.

From my painful experience, I would like to offer the following advice:

a) if you have a 'final purchase' CD/SACD player you might want to get in touch with the manufacturer to establish whether they can service it should it go wrong.

b) if you are considering making a final purchase CD/SACD player I recommend that you buy a genuine spare factory laser with it. No laser, NO DEAL.

For CD/SACD fans, a) and b) above are possibly the most important advice you will ever get. ;)

Cheers

Steve

Well you surely deserve it, and Accuphase UK and High End Broker deserve the shame and disrespect that others will be regarding them with. Accuphase at least cannot be held responsible for the state of the machine you bought, but clearly should have the resources to fix it at this early point. I sincerely hope that High End Broker, who seem to do a lot of brokering, will consider making an ex-gratia payment to you for the time and trouble their inept brokerage and spineless response to date has caused you. At this point it ought not be their profit but rather limitation of the damage already caused to their reputation that they should be concerned with. They should at least consider the second hand market in functioning high end audio as something worthy of their cultivation - we are their target market right here. Possibly it would be in their interests for us not to consider them just a convenient front for sellers of damaged goods.

[Accudazed]

Well you surely deserve it, and Accuphase UK and High End Broker deserve the shame and disrespect that others will be regarding them with. Accuphase at least cannot be held responsible for the state of the machine you bought, but clearly should have the resources to fix it at this early point. I sincerely hope that High End Broker, who seem to do a lot of brokering, will consider making an ex-gratia payment to you for the time and trouble their inept brokerage and spineless response to date has caused you. At this point it ought not be their profit but rather limitation of the damage already caused to their reputation that they should be concerned with. They should at least consider the second hand market in functioning high end audio as something worthy of their cultivation - we are their target market right here. Possibly it would be in their interests for us not to consider them just a convenient front for sellers of damaged goods.

Thanks James

I will continue to try and resolve my problems concerning my Accuphase DP-500 and provide a full review of the lessons learned when I am finished. I want to make sure that NO AoS member ever has to go through what I have experienced.

Spending large sums of money is no guarantee of a happy outcome (nothing new there then...). The latest horror story I have heard of is one poor sod having to - take a deep breath - scrap a £22,000 CD player due to no spares back up.

I suppose there are pros and cons to discussing consumer hassles via internet forums BUT, isn't it about time that consumers started to share their horrendous experiences of zero consumer support, mis-selling, rip offs, etc, etc? There are some real dodgy people out there in the world of hifi - fortunately, a tiny minority - who repeatedly get away with some appalling activities often because new customers are simply unaware of this. A bit more consumer power through forums has got to be a good thing in the long run. I mean, where is it stated that consumers should suffer in silence?

Cheers

Steve

[Spectral Morn]

Thanks James

I will continue to try and resolve my problems concerning my Accuphase DP-500 and provide a full review of the lessons learned when I am finished. I want to make sure that NO AoS member ever has to go through what I have experienced.

Spending large sums of money is no guarantee of a happy outcome (nothing new there then...). The latest horror story I have heard of is one poor sod having to - take a deep breath - scrap a £22,000 CD player due to no spares back up.

I suppose there are pros and cons to discussing consumer hassles via internet forums BUT, isn't it about time that consumers started to share their horrendous experiences of zero consumer support, mis-selling, rip offs, etc, etc? There are some real dodgy people out there in the world of hifi - fortunately, a tiny minority - who repeatedly get away with some appalling activities often because new customers are simply unaware of this. A bit more consumer power through forums has got to be a good thing in the long run. I mean, where is it stated that consumers should suffer in silence?

Cheers

Steve

What was the £22,000 player Steve


Regards Neil

[Accudazed]

What was the £22,000 player Steve


Regards Neil

The engineer whose name I shall protect, would not tell me who the manufacturer was. I've a pretty good idea who it is but had better not say due to not being 100% sure.

Cheers

Steve

[The Grand Wazoo]

High End Broker.
It's perhaps unfortunate for them that 'broker' is one letter away from 'broken'!

[The Black Adder]

I suppose there are pros and cons to discussing consumer hassles via internet forums BUT, isn't it about time that consumers started to share their horrendous experiences of zero consumer support, mis-selling, rip offs, etc, etc? There are some real dodgy people out there in the world of hifi - fortunately, a tiny minority - who repeatedly get away with some appalling activities often because new customers are simply unaware of this. A bit more consumer power through forums has got to be a good thing in the long run. I mean, where is it stated that consumers should suffer in silence?

Absolutely... You are bang on the money, Steven.

There are some atrocious acts that 'some' manufacturers do to their customers and keep on getting away with it... To that end of course members should be aware that very strong and 'official' evidence would be required to back their case up as hard facts 'will' win at the end of day.

Regarding your case, personally I'm disgusted and I really feel for you. If I find anything that may help you I'll certainly post or PM you.

[Lodgesound]

Sorry but I still have my suspicions that the fault is down to one of alignment. I have CD players that are 30 years old that play perfectly on all but CDR's made on computers - and that is usually down to poor refractive index of cheap blank media.

I assume that a full line up was done as per the service manual with a calibration CD before the diagnosis was made?

[Stratmangler]

Sorry but I still have my suspicions that the fault is down to one of alignment. I have CD players that are 30 years old that play perfectly on all but CDR's made on computers - and that is usually down to poor refractive index of cheap blank media.

I assume that a full line up was done as per the service manual with a calibration CD before the diagnosis was made?

The reason they won't read CDR is because of the lower reflectivity of CDR media.
The laser in the older machines was literally built to handle Red Book discs and nothing else. CDR discs are specced to Orange Book.

[Lodgesound]

Ahhh - many thanks for that - realised my typo error there as I did mean to put reflective........

I still however think that there is an underlying fault in this machine causing an apparent intermittent failure of the optical unit.

[Accudazed]

I still however think that there is an underlying fault in this machine causing an apparent intermittent failure of the optical unit.

Accuphase UK think so. They reckon the entire transport needs replacing BUT they refuse to do it!! Accuphase policy means that they will not get the parts. Only the distributor in the country the machine was first sold in can access the parts and effect a repair. It turns out my machine was first sold in Spain!!

NIGHTMARE :(

Regards

Steve

[synsei]

Accuphase UK think so. They reckon the entire transport needs replacing BUT they refuse to do it!! Accuphase policy means that they will not get the parts. Only the distributor in the country the machine was first sold in can access the parts and effect a repair. It turns out my machine was first sold in Spain!!

NIGHTMARE :(

Regards

Steve

Considering the value of the unit I think it is bad form of Accuphase to be so obstructive in this regard, it has certainly put me off buying any of their gear in the future as I have no wish to be caught in the same trap.

[Stratmangler]

The Spanish distributor is here

SPAIN

ATCONSUMER
PO BOX 15
EU-08340 Vilassar de Mar SPAIN
Tel : +34-609-288.310 ;
E-mail : info@atconsumer.es

[Stratmangler]

Considering the value of the unit I think it is bad form of Accuphase to be so obstructive in this regard, it has certainly put me off buying any of their gear in the future as I have no wish to be caught in the same trap.

It's not normal practise for any Japanese manufacturer to step on the toes of a distributor network.
Their contract is not with you, it's with their distributor, and the Japanese will not break their part of that contract.
If the unit was a Panasonic one you'd get exactly the same response. Return it to your local distributor.

In this instance High End Broker have not covered themselves in glory - surely there's something that can be done via EU distance selling regulations.