Sound HiFi and Dave Cawley...strange customer service.

[ChrisKemp]

About two weeks ago I wrote to Dave Cawley at Sound Hifi asking about the new Oyaide BR-12 mat/ platter in butyl. I have the BR-one and MJ-12 (that I just love) and said I was looking into the MN ETP platter, too, but think maybe the price is too high for me at the moment. And without trying it out first it might be a risk for me. Then I wrote up all of my equipment and what my system consist of. As the blue text in my signature says.......

The answer I got, was something about how my hifi gear seemed to be ill matched and put together by postorder. My Isokinetik SM750 (modified Jelco 750D with silver cables and vertical c/w) was obviosly a poor choice of arm. He would much rather buy a SME 309. And he never even answered the question I had about the Oyaide BR-12. It might have been too much mention of Mike New when I listed my gear, I don´t know

I wrote back: Wow, great answer

I also had an incident a couple of years ago after I received a warped Achromat 1200

Well, I know were my money is NOT going next time I shall upgrade my system

[Marco]

The answer I got, was something about how my hifi gear seemed to be ill matched and put together by postorder.

What does that mean, Chris: "postorder"?

The rest, given the man concerned, I'm not the least surprised about!

Marco.

[ChrisKemp]

Sorry, my bad: here is the answer I got after I asked about the Oyaide BR-12 butyl mat:

Hi Chris

This sounds like a lit of miss-matched components bought by mail order, sorry ! I simply can't comment on what it or similar variants would sound like. For that sort on money, and where I actually put my own money, would be a SME Model 10 and 309 arm.

Regards

Dave

[Marco]

If it's not SME, it's broken!

Marco.

[Andrei]

That is an extraordinary reply. The gratuitous insult says a lot about him.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Hmmmm a 309 on every 1210, seems a very familiar strategy, and perhaps a very profitable one as well?

[Canetoad]

Doesn't he sell the Jelco arm? I know he used to. The man is a salesman, not a hifi enthusiast IMO. I wouldn't take any advice he tenders.

[DSJR]

Since he can't reply here, apparently the Jelco arms *can* have iffy bearings... Never used one and have no personal experience sadly. These days, a Jelco 750 is a low cost 'budget' tonearm, since all the competition has rocketed in price (what the fugg are SME playing at with their costs?).

The SME 309 IS a damned good tonearm, the detachable shell possibly giving advantages other than flexibility in my experience. Mind you, it was well under £600 and I think slightly cheaper than an Ittok when I used one extensively.

As for spending thousands on a techie when you could buy a Hyperspace instead, I've already expressed my positive feelings on NAS turntables many times, so no need to stir the pot further Doesn't mean I dislike the techies though, 'cos I don't at all!

[Marco]

Yep, and they're *totally* different T/Ts, which in turn present music in totally different ways, thus appealing to their respective buyers in totally different (but equally valid) ways. Therefore, it's just as worthy "spending thousands on a techie", as buying a Hyperspace, or vice versa, if that's what you want

Quite simply, whichever unique sound it is you desire between the two (that of a Hyperspace or a modded Techy), there's no other way of obtaining it - and *that*, muchacho, is the whole point, regardless of how much one spends!

Marco.

[Marco]

That is an extraordinary reply. The gratuitous insult says a lot about him.

Indeed, a shining example of someone who's in this game solely to line his own pockets: a man obsessed with profit margins (hence why he champions SME, because the margins he gets from them are high - usually higher than most of the other stuff he sells).

Compare DC with the likes of our own hi-fi dave, a genuine enthusiast with a shop [essentially one of 'us'], who's in the audio trade for the right reasons (customer focussed first, profit margins second), and you'll see a major reason for why the hi-fi industry is in the state that it's in today!

DC and MCRU should join forces, as they're cut from exactly the same cloth.

Marco.