Denafrips Ares Arrived - some help needed

[beermaniac]

Hi folks

I fear the Ares i bought on the auction site from a chap in Italy is not the real thing. It wouldn’t power up when it arrived - i opened it up and the wiring to the power supply had came loose. This clearly doesnt look like the bona fida Ares inside as it should have a voltage switch.

There is a blue wire coming from the on switch and a red wire coming from the power supply that seem to have worked loose from a twin plastic wire junction. No other loose wires.

Should i connect the blue and red wires to the twin junction and try to power up ? Or send it back as not the genuine article?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200115/4de1d9e68ab93c105bbae5cd12c873af.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200115/20e20cdd03987d9a520cd93963f3fbad.jpgAny guidance much appreciated!



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[CageyH]

I would raise a paypal/eBay claim based on the fact it does not power up.
Wires should not work loose in transit.

[scotty38]

From the few pictures I've seen there appears to be a PSU board missing which possibly explains the loose/bodged wires. Could be wrong though......

[walpurgis]

If you tell the seller you have opened it he will probably refuse a return.

[newton]

ares mk 2 on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denafrips-Ares-II-DAC-/254473433718?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10 shows missing board

[YNWaN]

Yes, someone has definitely removed part of the power supply and this has certainly been done before it was shipped to you. I would put in a PayPal claim.

[Mr.Ian]

faulty not working claim, the buyer has to cover the return postage too.

BUT in this situation you might be better paying the return postage. If you get a DHL return or similar courier you are probably ok but Royal Mail passed to Italian post office use to be a nightmare to get a delivery signature. Not sure what its like these days but whatever route you need a delivery signature to be safe.

Might be better to pay for DHL yourself

[beermaniac]

If you tell the seller you have opened it he will probably refuse a return.

He suggested I open it to see if any wires had worked loose ! This leads me to suspect he knew what it looked like inside.

Very disappointed as very much look g forward to hearing the Ares.

Thanks all, I’ll start a PayPal claim and get a signature !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Made in 1968]

There is a very good reason why i do not & would never again touch italian sellers with a bargepole

[beermaniac]

A lesson learnt !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Made in 1968]

He suggested I open it to see if any wires had worked loose ! This leads me to suspect he knew what it looked like inside.

Very disappointed as very much look g forward to hearing the Ares.

Thanks all, I’ll start a PayPal claim and get a signature !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well just say you are not. Send it back like the others say..

[Batty]

The Ares II is a great DAC, it is a shame you have been ripped off like this.

[mikeyb]

If you paid by any method other than PayPal I'd be wary of returning before you get a refund.

Or is it possible to source the PSU board and have the seller pay for it?

[beermaniac]

I paid by paypal so have requested an ebay return. He has come back and said its a Amanero DAC transition model with mains filter removed (though has not responded when I queried what this meant)

Also has not responded when i asked where it was purchased and why it’s different internally.

His last suggestion is to get an electrical engineer to reconnect the loose wires - but I’m very wary of going down this road, i suspect its a grey import copy and he has not provided any evidence to suggest otherwise.

Italian listing here

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F 174119707675




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mikeyb]

Mains filter removed [emoji23]

Regardless, in it's current state it's unusable, and I bet his next move is to deny refund when it's returned due to it having been opened.

TRUST NO ONE as far as eBay is concerned these days.

[beermaniac]

Yep I suspect it will go to paypal claims- i wont be returning until refunded.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[walpurgis]

i wont be returning until refunded

I don't think it works that way.

[Mr.Ian]

I would reply to him as follows:

It was descriped as in "excellent condition, not even a scratch" but it doesnt work, it doesn't even switch on / power up. If the unit was in excellent condition when sent and properly packaged the wires would not have come loose. I should not have to try and get ot repaired locally. The item is faulty and not as described. I want to return the item for a full refund. Please refund my monies and send me the pre-paid return label. To meet ebay/paypal return requirements this needs to be a signed for courier service. Thank you for your help.

******************

[beermaniac]

I would reply to him as follows:

It was descriped as in "excellent condition, not even a scratch" but it doesnt work, it doesn't even switch on / power up. If the unit was in excellent condition when sent and properly packaged the wires would not have come loose. I should not have to try and get ot repaired locally. The item is faulty and not as described. I want to return the item for a full refund. Please refund my monies and send me the pre-paid return label. To meet ebay/paypal return requirements this needs to be a signed for courier service. Thank you for your help.

******************

Cheers [emoji106]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ianlenco]

He has come back and said its a Amanero DAC transition model with mains filter removed.



In which case he does not appear to have described the item accurately so never mind that it does not work an inaccurate description is also grounds for a refund.

[beermaniac]

I have gone back and said something similar.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Macca]

I paid by paypal so have requested an ebay return. He has come back and said its a Amanero DAC transition model with mains filter removed (though has not responded when I queried what this meant)

Also has not responded when i asked where it was purchased and why it’s different internally.

His last suggestion is to get an electrical engineer to reconnect the loose wires - but I’m very wary of going down this road, i suspect its a grey import copy and he has not provided any evidence to suggest otherwise.

Italian listing here

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F 174119707675




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Nothing in the listing to suggest that it is an 'Amanero DAC transition model with mains filter removed.'

[Mr.Ian]

From my experience ebay will issue a return label. You then need to check that it is fully fit for purpose, weight, size, insurance etc and that you have good chance of getting a signature with it. If the return label is not suitable you can ask ebay to step in and explain why the label isnt fit for purpose. They will then ask the seller to send you a suitable one. If he does you will need to return the item and get a signature before they will refund.

If he doesnt issue the label you, stand your ground and you may be refunded automatically

If you get a label the return signature is 100% critical.

If he has asked you to take it to a repair agent then an engineers report and estimate for repair costs may enable you to get a part refund from the seller. His discretion though.

Might be worth emailing the manuafactuer a picture and ask if they ever made a version like this one? Ask what the fault may be and repair cost?

[beermaniac]

Thanks again Mr Ian - good advice [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mr.Ian]

If he says the mains filter has been removed, which is what the missing board looks to be you can add, you bought the dac in good faith on the basis that it was in excellent condition, but now you are being told it has parts missing.

If it has parts missing it was not supplied, as described, and this gives you another reason for return/refund

just keeps everything polite and factual. It will take some time but you will get there is in the end.

But being pragmatic the dac is not cheap and there are risks associated with return so a local repair might be a better solution if there are any dac repair specialists local to you. I guess you would need to buy the missing board too. Might be worth exploring in parrallel

[YNWaN]

Grey import and fake are not the same thing at all. By buying it from abroad, rather than from the UK distributor, it becomes a grey import but that doesn’t stop it being genuine. I would also add that it is very unlikely to be a fake - not that lots of fakes aren’t made but this doesn’t look like one.

The board removed looks to be the element that allows 110V operation. I suspect this has gone wrong and the easiest solution has been to wire directly to the 230V transformer. However, it is also possible this has been done in the interests of sound quality.

[Made in 1968]

I don't think it works that way.

You are right. In the UK at least He would have to pay to return it & then when the seller recieves it the postage is paid back, but im not sure how it works overseas cos tracking is none existant when it leaves the UK so can claim it was never recieved back. No way on earth will i ever buy from abroad, learned ny lesson once with a Tandberg Cassette deck from Germany, lost the lot, Goods & cash.

[beermaniac]

Thanks all - I’m awaiting a response from a polite factual request for a refund based on 1) item doesn’t work 2) it’s not as described.. but it’s gone quiet for the moment ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[beermaniac]

Denafrips Returned and full refund received - thanks for advice all. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk