Time for a bit of levity methinks. So ...

[Neil McCauley]

Hope this is okay with your Marco. If not, just delete the thread. No offence taken if you do. Really.

======================

So who really are the 3 rudest, most uncooperative and/or condescending, audiophile makers, distributors and retailers in the UK in your direct personal experience?

For reasons of potential libel action (Marco and his pals seem like decent folk don’t you think?),let’s not mention individuals – okay? Also as it is an informal survey and nothing more, let’s not get into the whys and wherefores of which unfortunate encounters (s) prompted your vote.

I’ll start the ball rolling. But please remember, I'm doing so from a trade perspective whereas most of you out there are ‘civilians’ existing in happy-listening-land. Finally, I'm writing from personal experience and not from a third-hand commentary and I'm expressing a personal opinion rather than making a definitive statement.. This is why you’ll not see here a reference to (as was described to me by one of his customers) “a megalomaniac Balkan nutcase” - because I've not met him!

Pear Audio - BIG TIME
Symmetry Systems
RT Services


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[Marco]

This is why you’ll not see here a reference to (as was described to me by one of his customers) “a megalomaniac Balkan nutcase” - because I've not met him!


Howard,

Ah, you mean "Branco the wanko", as I've heard him referred to ;)

Nope, this thread is perfectly ok by me, and I'm sure also my fellow members of Admin. If anything appears which we don't feel is suitable I'll let you know and you can delete it. We don't butcher people's posts and threads without prior warning and very good reason.

I'll have a think and see if anyone I've dealt with deserves to be in your rogues gallery.

Marco.

[Neil McCauley]

Howard,

Ah, you mean "Branco the wanko", as I've heard him referred to ;)

Nope, this thread is perfectly ok by me, and I'm sure also my fellow members of Admin. If anything appears which we don't feel is suitable I'll let you know and you can delete it. We don't butcher people's posts and threads without prior warning and very good reason.

Marco.

Nice one Marco. You are it seems a gentleman.

[Mr Ed]

let’s not mention individuals – okay?

Pear Audio - BIG TIME
Symmetry Systems
RT Services


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...so you come up with 3 one man band operations, all of whom in my experience are most civil and helpful.

My vote goes to the hoard of anonymous not-rights who infest Forums spouting bollox...

Ed.

[Neil McCauley]

...so you come up with 3 one man band operations, all of whom in my experience are most civil and helpful.

My vote goes to the hoard of anonymous not-rights who infest Forums spouting bollox...

Ed.
How interesting. That common denominator hadn't struck me. Thanks for that. And of course I'm aware that I'm the common denominator there too.

I wouldn't presume to contradict you. Experiences are varied and one's interpretation of them is of course, just that. I did point out that my perspective was that of a non civilian though.

I quite agree with you re the anonymity of members of some forums. My guess is that psychiatrists might have a field day with that one. A curious phenomena that seems more prevalent on forums than any other communication I'm aware of. Thanks again for a thought-provoking comment. Sincerely, HP


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[Marco]

My vote goes to the hoard of anonymous not-rights who infest Forums spouting bollox...


LOL, and I can think of one such character infesting PFM right now, although I'm in 100% agreement with him on cables ;)

Ed,

I guess Howard was only speaking from experience. Yours is obviously different. One can after all only judge people as we find them.

Marco.

[Mike]

I can only think of one at the moment, and that is a now defunct Linn dealer I had the misfortune of spending too much money with in the late 80's and early 90's.

Gilson Audio. - Shocking service from a pompous gobshite!

[Togil]

The Balkan gentleman is just one of those people who are extremely defensive, so it's very difficult to say anything which isn't twisted in its meaning, even if you want to be friendly.

[Filterlab]

you mean "Branco the wanko", as I've heard him referred to ;)

LOL! Marco's great at saying what he means. ;)


Nope, this thread is perfectly ok by me, and I'm sure also my fellow members of Admin. If anything appears which we don't feel is suitable I'll let you know and you can delete it.

Certainly fine by me Howard - fire away mate. :)

[Iain Sinclair]

The only one that springs to mind is Billy Vee Audio, whose motto seemed to be 'the customer is always wrong'.

[snapper]

STEREO STEREO

Glasgow.

I was a customer there from late '88,then they changed owner about 2004.

I wouldn't recommend them to anybody now.

[Steve Toy]

As long as we speak from personal experience or quote what we've been told we won't get into any trouble.

Don't deal with x because he's a lying, cheating, bent-as-a-nine-bob-note tosser might get you and this forum, i.e: me into trouble.

I got a rough deal from x because... or I wasn't very impressed with the attitude/service of x is absolutely fine.

I like this thread. Keep it up.

I wasn't very impressed with Superfi in Northampton back in 1999. Having listened to a CD player at another local dealer, Listen Inn, the guy in Superfi said he would have sold me the same player for £70 less but he would not have let me listen to it first. Presumably his sale would have come on the back of the competitor's work.

I paid full price at Listen Inn.

[doodoos]

Top of my list would be the arrogant t****er running musical fidelity. A shrewd businessman masquerading as a musician . A***hole. (You may get the impression from this that I don't like him)

[alb]

Since i took an interest in audio, some 35 years ago, i have only encountered one dealer who was plainly rude.
I never knew his name, and his shop didn't last long. I walked through the door, having been attracted by something in the window, the owner wandered over while i was peering at something and said...

"You can't afford anything in here son".

He was right. I was only sixteen and had bought everything from mail order outlets. Much cheaper. I told him so.

Other than that i have met a few who were so passionate or blinkered about their beliefs, that they appeared to be reading from a script. One or two that have spouted ill informed garbage, but no one else who was particularly offensive.

[jandl100]

Audio Consultants, Reading/Aldermaston. (SH)

Sounds of Music. (JJ)

And a good friend had a recent and seriously bad experience with "BtW".

[Mike Reed]

The only one that springs to mind is Billy Vee Audio, whose motto seemed to be 'the customer is always wrong'.

Surprise ! I've bought a Quad and a Naim pre-amp and a Linn Karma cart.in the early nineties, plus other bits from there. Also had a number of subsequent dems.

Was always met by politeness and professional courtesy.

However, one dealer in deepest Kent, whose actions drove me to Billy Vee, tried to defraud me. After buying a Naim 250 (s/h) and a new Naim 101 tuner, I received considerably less than his previously quoted trade-in value for my Naim 160.

As if that wasn't enough, he took my LP12 with basic arm, put a new Ittok on it with a promise to 'service' the deck free of charge, only to 'lose' an extra charge of £47 in the aggregated prices of all the purchases, which were on an interest-free h.p. deal.

I spotted this and refused to confirm to the h.p. company until he'd put things right ((after the usual unpleasant correspondence).

Very silly: he lost not only my trade but that of two of my friends. Still trading, as far as I know. Maybe he mended his ways.

[jandl100]

Hmmm ... I'm not sure what is 'levitatious' about this thread. Brings back quite a few bad memories. :steam: :(

[Mike Reed]

Look on the bright side. They ARE only memories !

The upside of getting older is having a lot more memories.

The downside is that you can't remember most of them !

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

My nominees are;

From very recent experience - Dali Uk. 5 phone conversations and 5 e mails and still not a reply regarding cost and lead time on a couple of drivers, utterly useless.

Russ Andrews - Very condesending.

I'd agree with Mike here with regard to Gilson Audio. Very strange guy and attitude.

Andy - SDDW

[combwork]

CLYDSDALE AUDIO, Dundee. Back in the late 70's sold me a TOTL Kenwood system that when all the 'add ons' were added up, came to £1050 list price. "Not to worry sir; no discount but this free insurance means that you get the full purchase price refunded if you bring the goods back in 8 years. It's underwritten by Lloyds so if we go out of business (as if we would:eyebrows:), you are fully covered". They did, and I wasn't........ :steam:

[Neil McCauley]

Top of my list would be the arrogant t****er running musical fidelity. A shrewd businessman masquerading as a musician . A***hole. (You may get the impression from this that I don't like him)

Hmm. It was only a matter of time before Antony M turned up here. I've known him for around 30 years; as much as anyone can get to 'know' him. He does not, I have to report, masquerade as a musician. He is in fact a bona-fide musician and i know this from being part of the guest list at a classical recording at a North London recording studio and another one at a prestigious hall in South London. I'm not experienced enough to know if he is a great musician or merely a highly competent one. Antony is many things, but not a musical fraud. I'm no longer on his "A" list - but I can live with it.


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